SECRETS OF CHINATOWN (1935) Nick Stuart & Lucile Browne | Crime, Mystery, Thriller | B&W

Secrets of Chinatown is a 1935 Canadian-American mystery thriller film directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and starring Nick Stuart, Lucile Browne and James Flavin.

SYNOPSIS
A private detective is brought in by the police commissioner to investigate the reasons for a major outbreak of crime in Chinatown.

Private detective Donegal Dawn, is summoned by the police commissioner to solve the reasons for a crime wave in Chinatown, and scoffs at the official ruling on tong-killings. His friend, Robert Rand, has has fallen for Zenobia, a clerk at Chan Tow Ling;s curio shop. Dawn tells Robert that their live would be in peril if he tries to take Zenobia away from Chinatown. That night, Robert breaks into the shop's cellar where he hears strange music and voices, and sees a weird ceremony in which (the mesmerized) Zenobia officiates as a priestess. Robert is captured by the worshipers.

CAST & CREW
Nick Stuart as Robert Rand
Lucile Browne as Zenobia
Raymond Lawrence as Donegal Dawn
James Flavin as Brandhma
Harry Hewitson a Chan Tow Ling
James McGrath as Commissioner
Reginald Hincks as Dr. Franklin
John Barnard as Doverscourt
Arthur Legge-Willis as Yogi of Madrada

Directed by Fred C. Newmeyer
Written by Guy Morton
Produced by Kenneth J. Bishop
Cinematography William Beckway
Edited by William Austin
Production company Commonwealth Productions
Distributed by Excellent Film Exchange (Canada), Syndicate Pictures (US)
Release date February 20, 1935
Running time 63 minutes
Countries Canada, United States
Language English

NOTES
The film was shot at the Willows Park Studios in Victoria, British Columbia and on location in Vancouver by Kenneth J. Bishop's Commonwealth Productions. It was not able to qualify for the British Quota which was a blow to its commercial prospects. Commonwealth went out of business before the film was released, and it was used as part of the arrangement to pay off creditors. When Bishop relaunched production with a new company two years later, he signed a distribution contract with Columbia Pictures and too much greater care to make sure his films were eligible for the British Quota