Summaries

Synopsis

Retired detective Charlie Chan (Peter Ustinov) is summoned to San Francisco to investigate a series of bizarre killings that have been plaguing the city and remain unsolved by the local police. Chan is met by his helplessly clumsy grandson, Lee Chan, Jr. (Richard Hatch), who dreams of becoming a great detective like his grandfather, and the San Francisco Police Chief (Brian Keith), who has developed a variety of ailments due to the stress of the continuing murders.

Reporters hound Chan upon his arrival, who answers their questions with cryptic replies. Police escort Chan to a hotel, where he is reunited with Lee's maternal grandmother, Sylvia Lupowitz (Lee Grant), and her household staff. Charlie also meets Cordelia (Michelle Pfeiffer), Lee's fiancee, who asks how he solved the mystery of the Dragon Queen. Years before in Hawaii, Charlie investigated the murder of Lupowitz's husband, Bernie, and determined the killer was Bernie's mistress, the Dragon Queen (Angie Dickinson). Before being hauled off to jail, the Dragon Queen put a curse on Charlie and his family to the third generation. Charlie explains that the Dragon Queen is the most "diabolical woman" he has ever known. As Charlie heads to his hotel room, unbeknownst to him, the Dragon Queen moves across the hotel lobby. Moments later, an elevator door opens and a flood of water and people rush out. The Police Chief arrives and examines the drowned victims lying on the floor.

Later, Cordelia takes Charlie to visit Lee at his office. Lee's only client, a young girl, shows up to demand her lost cat, Lala, and becomes physically abusive toward Lee. After she leaves, Lee explains to Charlie that his detective business is not going so well. As Charlie investigates in San Francisco, the killings continue, hitting close to home when Lupowitz is nearly strangled in her bedroom with a knotted purple scarf.

One day, Charlie, Lee, and Cordelia, receive an anonymous note announcing that the next murder will occur that afternoon at Mallard Lake in Golden Gate Park. The three go to the designated spot, where they encounter the Dragon Queen. After a long and chaotic pursuit in horse-drawn carriages, the Dragon Queen escapes Charlie and the police.

The next day, while getting dressed for his wedding, Lee receives a call from the Dragon Queen, who tells him Charlie has been kidnapped. The Dragon Queen warns Lee he must go to a local movie theater to rescue his grandfather. In their wedding attire, Lee and Cordelia go to the theater, where they are then drugged and taken hostage. Meanwhile, at Lupowitz's house, Charlie learns Lee and Cordelia are in danger. Charlie, the police, Lupowitz, and her household staff, go to the theater to rescue them. Charlie and the rescue party find and release Lee and Cordelia. They are then cornered by the Dragon Queen, who tells Charlie she plotted her revenge the entire time she was in jail. She points a revolver at Charlie, but Lee knocks her down.

The police take the Dragon Queen into custody but, to the chagrin of the Chief, Charlie explains that she is not the bizarre killer but was only trying to enact her curse. As the police take her away, the Dragon Queen renews the curse. Charlie then considers the potential guilt of everyone in the room and identifies the killer as Sylvia Lupowitz. Although Lupowitz denies it, Lee notices the knot in her scarf matches the knot in the purple scarf with which Lupowitz was nearly strangled. Lupowitz finally relents and admits she committed the murders as a way to exact revenge on Charlie for exposing her late husband's infidelity and making her a social outcast. She was sure Charlie would never be able to solve the killings, thereby ruining his career and turning him into a joke.

Lupowitz tries to escape by running through the movie theater, which happens to be screening classic Charlie Chan films, but is apprehended. Back at the Lupowitz house, Lee and Cordelia are married. Charlie presents the bride and groom with a present, Lala, the lost cat. As they drive off to begin their honeymoon, Lee and Cordelia are followed by a police car, which transports Lupowitz to jail.