Docks of New Orleans

A chemical company executive visits Charlie Chan: He's being followed, he says, and suspects a plot to intercept his company's shipments. While Chan listens politely, Birmingham Brown and Tommy Chan eavesdrop from the hall, hoping to get in on this case from the beginning.

Sure enough, the executive dies mysteriously. Charlie Chan and team investigate.

Roland Winter looks comfortable and confident in his second outing as the famous detective. The famous Chan aphorisms flow regularly--some good, some bad. ("Patience! Must harvest rice before can boil it.")

The plot is okay but there's not much to it....it's never real clear just who these suspects are or how Chan sorts them all out. The murder device is ingenious if far-fetched: a radio tube that bursts and releases poison gas at the sound of a particular musical note.

Mantan Moreland as chauffeur Birmingham and Victor Sen Yung as number three son Tommy are amusing as assistant detectives. Overall it's a minor series entry but hard to dislike too much.

One great scene: Birmingham and Tommy do a piano-and-violin boogie woogie duet.