Chinatown Squad

Chinatown Squad is a 1935 American mystery film directed by Murray Roth, written by Dore Schary and Ben Ryan starring Lyle Talbot, Valerie Hobson, Hugh O'Connell, and Andy Devine, and featuring Leslie Fenton and Bradley Page. The film was released on May 31, 1935, by Universal Pictures.

Chinatown Squad
Directed byMurray Roth
Screenplay byDore Schary[1]
Story byLawrence G. Blochman[1]
Starring
CinematographyGeorge Robinson[1]
Edited byMaurice E. Wright[1]
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures Corp.
Release date
  • 20 May 1935 (1935-05-20)
Running time
66 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States[2]

Cast

Production

Chinatown Squad was shot was developed under the working titles of Frisco Lady and Frisco Nights.[2] It was shot on location in San Francisco between March 18 and April 6, 1935.[2]

Release

Chinatown Squad was distributed by Universal Pictures on May 20, 1935.[2]

Reception

From contemporary reviews, Variety declared the film as "Usual whodunit pattern" and that the "cast works nicely for common good without gaining much personal distinction. Direction neat."[3] Motion Picture Herald stated that the film was "a lively combination of mystery, aptly set in atmosphere of San Francisco's Chinatown, and melodrama [...] this picture has those elements which are salabale in that they appeal two basic and perennial interests of the motion picture going public, action and mystery."[3] Film Daily found the film to be a "fair murder mystery" noting "nothing very pretentious, but a generally entertaining Chinatown melodrama that ought to satisfy the not too meticulous murder mystery fans."[3] A review in Harrison's Reports concluded that the film's plot was "somewhat complicated and far-fetched. But because of the fact the identity of the murderer is not made known until the end one's attention is held fairly well."[3]

From retrospective reviews, Michael R. Pitts in his book Thrills Untapped described the feature as a "speedy affair" that was "hampered by mediocre direction but enhanced by a good cast."[4]

References

Footnotes

  1. Pitts 2018, p. 52.
  2. "Chinatown Squad". American Film Institute. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  3. Pitts 2018, p. 54.
  4. Pitts 2018, p. 53.

Sources

  • Pitts, Michael R. (2018). Thrills Untapped: Neglected Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films, 1928-1936. McFarland. ISBN 1476632898.


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