MEETING AT MIDNIGHT is the reissue of the Charlie Chan Monogram flick BLACK MAGIC. Chauffeur Birmingham Brown's(Mantan Moreland)services are no longer needed by the Oriental detective Chan(Sidney Toler)so a friend gets him a job at a couple's home where séances are held. A murder has been committed at a midnight séance and of course Mr. Chan is still in town and called upon to investigate. The honorable mystery solver is surprised to find that his daughter Frances, played by Frances Chan...totally coincidental I presume...is in attendance at the summoning of spirits. The victim is shot to death, but no bullet can be found in the corpse, let alone a gun be found in the room of the shooting. A room full of suspects plus two in the basement; a befuddled Police Sgt. Matthews(Joseph Crehan)surely needs the crime solving prowess of Chan, who actually gets some beneficial help from his daughter. A crisp moving who-done-it with plenty of comic relief provided by Moreland. Other players include: Helen Beverly, Jacqueline deWitt, Ralph Peters and Frank Jaquet.
Review of Black Magic
