I Cover Chinatown (DVD)

Gloria Watkins arrives in San Francisco's Chinatown to find her sister Myra. Myra's husband Clark informs her that her sister has gone missing. With the help of Eddie Barton, an aspiring detective, Gloria discovers that Myra was murdered by her husband. Gloria finds herself on the run from the killer while trying to convince the police of Clark's guilt.

Norman Foster, director and star of I Cover Chinatown, began his career as a leading man in romantic comedies such as It Pays to Advertise (1931) and Professional Sweetheart (1933). I Cover Chinatown marked his first time behind the camera, and he would soon segue completely from acting to directing. From 1937 to 1940, he directed multiple entries in the popular Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto series from 20th Century Fox. By the 1950s, Foster would find success working in television, directing episodes of Davy Crockett and Zorro. Pretty co-star Elaine Shepard had previously played the heroine in the Republic serial Darkest Africa (1936). In 1945 she retired from acting to become a journalist, later gaining renown for her coverage of the Vietnam War. Actor Arthur Lake appears in a small role as an insurance agent, two years before he would find fame as Dagwood Bumstead in Columbia's long-running Blondie series.

• mystery
• thriller