Behind That Curtain is a 1929 American Pre-Code mystery film directed by Irving Cummings and starring Warner Baxter, Lois Moran and Gilbert Emery.[1] It was the first Charlie Chan film to be made at Fox Studios. It was based on the 1928 novel of the same name. Charlie Chan, who is played by the Chinese American E. L. Park, gets one mention early in the film, then makes a few momentary appearances after 75 minutes. Park, in fact, was the first Chinese American to play Charlie Chan on-screen.[2] Producer William Fox chose this film to open the palatial Fox Theatre in San Francisco on June 28, 1929. It was a sound film.
| Behind That Curtain | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Irving Cummings |
| Written by | Sonya Levien George Middleton Wilbur Morse Jr. Clarke Silvernail |
| Based on | Behind That Curtain by Earl Derr Biggers |
| Produced by | William Fox |
| Starring | Warner Baxter Lois Moran Gilbert Emery |
| Cinematography | Conrad Wells Vincent J. Farrar Dave Ragin |
| Edited by | Alfred DeGaetano |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Fox Film Corporation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Synopsis
editIn London, fortune hunter Eric Durand is romancing the wealthy Sir George Mannering's niece Eve. He murders the solicitor who is hired by Mannering to investigate him, but is thwarted when explorer and old family friend Colonel John Beetham takes Eve away to British India. Later she leaves Beetham and goes to San Francisco, where she is followed by the dogged Sir Frederick Bruce of Scotland Yard, who has Durand in his sights.
Cast
edit- Warner Baxter as Col. John Beetham
- Lois Moran as Eve Mannering Durand
- Gilbert Emery as Sir Frederick Bruce
- Claude King as Sir George Mannering
- Philip Strange as Eric Durand
- Boris Karloff as Beetham's Manservant
- Jamiel Hasson as Sahib Hana
- Peter Gawthorne as British Police Inspector
- John Rogers as Alf Pornick
- Edgar Norton as Hilary Galt
- E.L. Park as Police Insp. Charlie Chan
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Progressive Silent Film List: Behind That Curtain". Silent Era. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
- ^ Salisbury, Katie Gee. "The Man Without a Face". The Believer. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
Bibliography
edit- Backer, Ron. Mystery Movie Series of 1930s Hollywood. McFarland, 2012.
- Solomon, Aubrey. The Fox Film Corporation, 1915-1935: A History and Filmography. McFarland, 2011.
External links
edit
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