Charlie Chan Message Board

On the Ovation Network on my cable TV provider, a few more episodes of Frankie Drake Mysteries were recently broadcast.  The quality varies by episode.  In general, the story lines seem more simple than the Hallmark Mystery movies (such as the Aurora Teagarden Mystery series) and there is little character development in the supporting roles.  The setting in 1920's Toronto is interesting, and these stories must occur about 20 years after the Murdock Mystery Movies. 

The premise of the stories is also a bit odd.   A female detective agency in the 1920's would have been very unusual.  Also, Frankie has a black woman as her professional partner in the detective agency, and Frankie also has a black boyfriend.  These circumstances are very common today, and are realistic in our time, but would likely have been very unusual in 1920.   Still, I will watch another episode later this week and see what I think.

.   Has anyone else watched these shows?  What is your impression?

Hi John,

Nope went and viewed a pre-view....does not seem to be my type of item. That and I'm stuck watching "It takes a Thief" right now.

While channel-surfing, I noticed a show that I had never seen or heard of before, called Frankie Drake Mysteries.   There was one episode available, called "Mother of Pearl", which turned out to be the first episode in the series.   My wife and I watched it, and we weren't very impressed.  The setting in 1920's Toronto is interesting, but the story line was somewhat shallow and the characters were rather dull.   There are a few more episodes airing next week, which I will record and watch.  Perhaps I may develop an interest in this series.   Has anyone else watched these shows?  What is your impression?

HI John:

Yes, I should rewatch them too as I have not done so for  a long time and I do have the commercial releases although I have not had a chance to watch them! They could have better plots because they are mainly reworking of earlier films including two in the Mr. Wong series (Chinese Ring is a reworking of Mr. Wong in Chinatown and Docks of New Orleans is a reworking of Mr. Wong, Detective) while The Feathered Serpent is a reworking of a Three Mesquiteers western called Riders of the Whistling Skull -- although the screenplay writers can be listed as by different people on these films Scott Dunlop was involved in most.

My only contact with the late Ken Hanke who wrote a book on the Chan films was to provide him with a copy of Riders of the Whistling Skull, which I had sought out to see how it compared with The Feathered Serpent -- he had never seen it. Anyway, I am reminded of someone's comment in one of the mystery movies' books of when Toler took over the role from Oland: Toler was not as good an actor so they tried to make up for it by improving the plots and although I am an Oland fan I do like the plots of films such as Treasure Island, Wax Museum and Castle in the Desert which unlike several other Toler entries, are not reworkings of original Earl Derr Biggers novels.

With that...Sky Dragon (1949) Title card to end the real series....

The Feathered Serpent (1948) Title Card...