Showing 1 results

Archival description
Archives research collection Chinatown (Victoria, B.C.)
Print preview View:

Secrets of Chinatown

The item is a video copy of a feature film. ". . . dealt with a murderous gang of opium smugglers operating in Victoria's Chinatown and the efforts of the local police to track them down. Two men disappear -- Doverscourt, a detective investigating a murder in Chinatown, and Brandham, a ship's chandler involved in the drug trafficking who has offered to tell the police all he knows because things are going too far. Completely baffled by the disappearance, Police Commissioner Parkins reluctantly turns for assistance to Donegal Dawn, a Sherlock Holmes style private detective. Meanwhile Robert Rande, a young friend of Dawn, has been threatened by the Chinese after he has shown an interest in Zenobia, a pretty blonde girl working in a Chinese curio shop, and has discussed the matter with Dawn. The Chinese villains, who invariably wear hoods and long robes, are operating from a temple and Rande now goes to this temple where Zenobia is taking part in a religious ceremony, believing herself to be 'the Eye of Lao-Tsee', and attempts to rescue her. Just as Rande is about to be knifed Dawn appears and shoots the hooded attacker. Rande soon returns for another try, only to be attacked by the missing Brandham who is acting under the influence of drugs. Dawn appears yet again and saves his life but rescues only Brandham, leaving Rande behind. Brandham quickly recovers from the effects of the drug but can remember nothing and so a visit to a yogi is arranged -- to unlock the 'subjective' half of the poor fellow's mind. Brandham reveals another hideout further up the coast of Vancouver Island. Dawn rapidly penetrates this new stronghold, hoping now to extricate both Rande and Zenobia, but this time he is captured. Fortunately Victoria's finest are not far behind and arrive in the nick of time. When the leader's hood is removed he is revealed to be Chan Tow Ling, the owner of the curio shop and a secret police operative to boot. Chan Tow Ling takes poison and Rande gets Zenobia." (Colin Browne, citing D. John Turner)