The Chinese Cat [DVD] [1944]

Phil Rosen's Charlie Chan thriller The Chinese Cat (1944) arrives on DVD in a slightly flawed but enjoyable edition. As with others in MGM's regrettably named "Chanthology" box, the audio is clean but mastered at a very low volume, and the image is fairly sharp -- not quite as good as the preceding movie in the series, Charlie Chan in the Secret Service, and showing an occasional, momentary digital artifact. The full-screen (1.33:1) transfer is easy to watch, and the movie has enough entertainment value even after 60 years, so for that it's worth the 65-minute viewing time. The 16 chapters are very generous and well chosen. There are no other bonuses or special features, other than a selection of English, French, and Spanish subtitles. The menu opens automatically on startup.