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BEHIND_THAT_CURTAIN

                                             January 19, 2015

The third, "Behind That Curtain" (1928)

This book is clearly showing the corruptions of
the movies: Biggers knew what the real market
for this story was.  Consequently, it's view point
is oddly unfocused and floating-- the POV of the
first chapter turns out to be a very minor character,
and it immediately switches to another in the second
chapter, and after that it all but goes away, save
for The Camera.

    In one scene, after Chan learns something
    from someone he sends the guy away, then he
    immediately picks up a book and looks
    *something* up, then gazes off into space
    thoughtfully.

    The audience doesn't know what Chan is thinking,
    there is no Watson speculating about what Chan
    is thinking-- instead there's an image spelled out
    for use in a movie scenario.

The mystery elements in this story work out tolerable well,
though there's this gruff cop that's in over his head and
always wants to lock people up-- that business gets old...

    More interesting is it's rather heavy-handed, weak
    attempt at anti-sexism: there's a pretty young female
    lawyer who is working in the DA's office, and no one is
    ever willing to believe she's a lawyer.

    They talk about this incessently, and she's determined
    to prove she can do the job-- how does she do it?
    She acts helpless, and begs Charlie Chan to stick
    around and do it for her.


        There's a bunch of nice details about
        SF's Chinatown in the 1920s...

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