PlatinumRead Just so...so bad

Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Jenni Devyn Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

JohnHowardReid Fortunately, director Harry Lachman's interest in the Charlie Chan series was revived by "Dead Men Tell". Lachman had considerable input into designing the elaborate sets. Alas, although his work is wonderfully eerie, not a great deal of it is actually visible on the screen because, when actual filming began, he encouraged photographer Charles G. Clarke to shoot the picture mostly with spooky close-ups. However, it must be admitted that this ploy is highly successful and that all the players acquit themselves well.In fact, there are fans who regard this entry with all its noir effects and intriguing plot, as actually the very best of the whole series.

utgard14 "Number Two Son" Jimmy Chan (Victor Sen Yung) sneaks aboard a ship about to embark on a treasure hunt. Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) comes looking for him and finds a murder to investigate with a boatload of suspects.Exemplary entry in the Toler Chan series. Eerie, moody atmosphere with some of the best cinematography and direction of any of the Chan films. Lots of close-ups. Nice cast includes George Reeves, Milton Parsons, and pretty Kay Aldridge. Jimmy Chan is on screen a lot in this one, so if you're not a fan be prepared. I happen to like Jimmy and I didn't think his comic relief here was too much, as some have said. Treasure maps, pirates, talking parrots, and even a future Superman -- what's not to love?

blanche-2 "Dead Men Tell" is an enjoyable Charlie Chan mystery from 1941. People gather for a treasure hunt via ship to an island, based on a map an elderly woman, Patience Nodbury, inherited from her ancestor, a pirate named Black Hook. Since someone has attempted to steal the map, she's divided it into four pieces and gives three pieces to three passengers.Patience says that Black Hook visits each relative before they die, and Black Hook visits her, all right, but in this case, he kills her. Charlie and Jimmy want to solve her murder, and they have plenty of suspects. There's a man posing as a reporter, Bill Lydig (George Reeves), a neurotic man, Gene LaFarge, who has a psychiatrist with him, and the captain, Captain Kane, whose ex-partner left him to do on a deserted island.Dark, atmospheric film with Jimmy (Victor Sen Yung) in trouble most of the time. Toler has an authoritative presence as Charlie. He's less whimsical than Warner Oland, and his gruff voice gives his line readings a nice sarcasm. He tells Jimmy "Save alibi for your autobiography." One thing I noticed is, though these films have been criticized for not being politically correct, in the bar scene, no one calls Jimmy derogatory names. They make fun of him, but no one acts as if he looks different. In fact, I have never picked up anything like that in any film, directed at Charlie or one of his children. It seems to me that these are films of their time, which make them un-p.c. by today's enlightened standards, but the writers never meant to be deliberately insulting. Just an interesting thought, as the days of casting someone Chinese as Chinese were a long way off.

admjtk1701 This is an often overlooked Chan film that deserves more attention! It is short at an hour running time. But it is loaded with great atmosphere and a good cast of interesting and eccentric characters. This is a good mystery and has many humorous parts, too. Sen Yung is quite good in this one. How can you get better than a ghost pirate named Black Hook on a treasure hunt? Another one that's lots of fun. TV Superman, George Reeves is in it too. This is one to see and see again!