Waste of time

Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Monogram Studios took on the Charlie Chan Series after Fox. Some are Not Too Bad like this one that has a Bit of a Bounce to it. The Radio/Television Station is Neat to see from 1945 and there is a Science Laboratory with Cool Looking Instruments that Buzz and Emit Squiggly White Lines.There is some Irony that Monogram like other B-Movie Studios were put Out of Business by Television, but that was a Few Years Off and in '45 the Impact of the Boob Tube was Unforeseeable. This Movie is also Highlighted by Mantan Moreland's Verbal Sparring with Partner Ben Carter and His Bug Eyes and Spooky Shenanigans are at a Minimum. Number 3 Son, Tommy is on hand to Pal with Moreland from Scene to Scene and take Charlie's (Sidney Toler looking a bit tired) Verbal Lashings. A Couple of Interesting Side-Suspects and a bit of Cleverness makes this One of the Better of the Monogram Chan Cheapies.

"The Scarlet Clue" is a Charlie Chan mystery from Monogram starring Sidney Toler, Benson Fong as number three son Tommy, and Mantan Moreland as the chauffeur Birmingham. In this one, from 1945, Charlie is looking into the theft of government papers involving a radar. In doing so, Charlie not only runs into murder but also actors on the radio, as for some reason, there's a lab in the same building.Delightful, often humorous Chan mystery, though incredibly dated today. Mantan Moreland is hilarious, and Chan has a great relationship with both son Tommy and Birmingham. Toler was a good Chan in very different, not very politically correct times.

Charlie Chan is back once more in another one of B-studio Monogram Pictures' releases.This time around Chan (Sidney Toler) along with No.3 son Tommy (Benson Fong) and series regular friend/assistant Birmingham Brown (Mantan Moreland) are at a radio station on the trail of a murderer and on the look out for someone who may be trying to steal governmental radar plans.There is a lot more tasteful comedy this time around from Moreland, with his real-life double-act partner Ben Carter also appearing in a couple of scenes.The scenes with the elevator are well made and well thought through, but I do have a small gripe in that when the killer is finally revealed there is no explanation who the person worked for or how Chan figured out who it was, but again you shouldn't think too much when it comes to low budget B-movies'The Scarlet Clue' is probably the best I've seen up to now (bearing in mind I have only seen the Monogram Pictures releases and not the higher budgeted 20th Century Fox ones), The acting is of a better calibre than what I've seen in other episodes as it's nowhere near as wooden and stilted, There also seems to have been a lot more care put into the script and entire production this time around too - although it's still a low budget affair, and the same sets are used from earlier episodes - but this time around Monogram have put their restricted budget to better use.*** out of *****

Some Hollywood studios decided to stop making Charlie Chan films and Sidney Toler decided to convince Monogram Pictures to accept his legal terms to make more Charlie Chan films with Toler as the star. In this series you will notice a drop in the quality of film that is made and how costs were cut to keep a low budget. Mantan Moreland, (Birmingham Brown) played a big role as the chauffeur for Charlie Chan and he was a great comic rolling his eyes and aways being scared to death along with Number 3 son of Charlie Chan, Tommy Chan, (Benson Fong). Charlie Chan investigates a television station and also a Government Radar Company and he tries to work with the police and Government agents to catch spies trying to steal secret plans and papers vital to the American Defense. Jack Norton, who usually plays in drunk in most films during the 1930's and 40's appears in this film and performs on a television show and gives a great supporting role to this film. Virginia Brissac, (Mrs. Marsh) plays the owner of this radio and television studio and is a rather grump and nasty elderly lady. Enjoy.