IMDb RATING
6.4/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
Someone is attempting to steal radium stored in a bank. Death by cobra venom connects a number of murders. Charlie investigates.Someone is attempting to steal radium stored in a bank. Death by cobra venom connects a number of murders. Charlie investigates.Someone is attempting to steal radium stored in a bank. Death by cobra venom connects a number of murders. Charlie investigates.
Andy Andrews
- Patrolman Outside Joe's
- (uncredited)
George Chandler
- Joe, Coffee Shop Owner
- (uncredited)
Cyril Delevanti
- Detective Larkin
- (uncredited)
John Goldsworthy
- Inspector Mainwaring
- (uncredited)
Stephen Gregory
- Samuel Black
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaActual footage of the Japanese bombing of Shanghai is used in the flashback sequence.
- GoofsA building supposedly located in Washington, D.C. has the California state flag flying from its flagpole.
- Quotes
Tommy Chan: Pop, I want to talk to you as man to man.
Charlie Chan: I am ready, but you still have few years to go.
Birmingham Brown: That's right.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Autumn in New York (2000)
Featured review
Charlie Chan on Poverty Row
Sidney Toler is Charlie Chan in "The Shanghai Cobra," a 1945 film. The Chan series by now is in the hands of one of the "poverty row" studios, Monogram.
In this story, Charlie is called by an old colleague to help identify a man named Jan Van Horn,. Charlie arrested this man in Shanghai during the war; van Horn's modus operandi was killing with cobra venom. Van Horn at the time insisted that he was being framed. The man's face had been badly burned, and he escaped during deportation. Now he's probably had extensive plastic surgery. Now four people have been killed with cobra venom, and all of them are involved with a bank that has radium in one of its vaults - radium that will be stolen if Charlie doesn't nab the criminal.
I admit I've always liked Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan, probably because I am most familiar with him in the role. And I admit that I've always loved Chan's relationship with Birmingham and find Mantan Moreland very funny. I know that kind of humor is out today, but as Birmingham the chauffeur, the talented Moreland has wonderful comic timing. He also is treated on the same level as Charlie's son, in this case the number 3 son (Benson Fong). It's obvious that Birmingham has a close relationship with the Chan family.
These films have a certain formula - Charlie always solves the crime, of course, and whichever son accompanies him usually not only gets into trouble but drags Birmingham along with him.
However, no matter the studio, the Charlie Chan series is entertaining and enjoyable.
In this story, Charlie is called by an old colleague to help identify a man named Jan Van Horn,. Charlie arrested this man in Shanghai during the war; van Horn's modus operandi was killing with cobra venom. Van Horn at the time insisted that he was being framed. The man's face had been badly burned, and he escaped during deportation. Now he's probably had extensive plastic surgery. Now four people have been killed with cobra venom, and all of them are involved with a bank that has radium in one of its vaults - radium that will be stolen if Charlie doesn't nab the criminal.
I admit I've always liked Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan, probably because I am most familiar with him in the role. And I admit that I've always loved Chan's relationship with Birmingham and find Mantan Moreland very funny. I know that kind of humor is out today, but as Birmingham the chauffeur, the talented Moreland has wonderful comic timing. He also is treated on the same level as Charlie's son, in this case the number 3 son (Benson Fong). It's obvious that Birmingham has a close relationship with the Chan family.
These films have a certain formula - Charlie always solves the crime, of course, and whichever son accompanies him usually not only gets into trouble but drags Birmingham along with him.
However, no matter the studio, the Charlie Chan series is entertaining and enjoyable.
helpful•131
- blanche-2
- Nov 26, 2010
- How long is The Shanghai Cobra?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Charlie Chan in the Shanghai Cobra
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $75,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 4 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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