To most fans, Warner Oland is THE Charlie Chan. He was the first and in many ways, the best. However, when he died, the series picked up pretty well with Sidney Toler. While to me he wasn't quite as good, I did like his attitude. He tended to be a lot more sarcastic and perhaps a bit surly--and I liked hearing the creative ways he insulted his dopey son. However, when Toler died, things really started to go down hill quickly. Roland Winters, to put it bluntly, just wasn't very good as Chan. His characterization wasn't as good as either of his predecessors and the films were getting a bit tired. After all, there'd been more than 40 for the series already and so they couldn't help but seem a tad old. Fortunately, while this film IS one of these lesser ones, it is the best of the three I've so far seen--and may see, as I don't think any more are available at this time on DVD, video or on television.
The film begins with Birmingham (Mantan Moreland) working at the Chan residence. There's a knock on the door and in rushes a woman who won't identify herself and insists she MUST see Mr. Chan immediately. The only identification she provides is a ring. When Chan sees the ring, he's able to read its Chinese writing and sees the woman is a princess. But, when Birmingham and Chan return to the room to see the princess, she is dead--killed by some sort of poison dart! Leave it to a Charlie Chan movie to come up with completely atypical ways of killing people! Just once, I want someone to be shot--something that actually doesn't happen all that often in one of these films.
The rest of the film involves Chan and a really, really, really stupid local detective trying to solve the murders. In addition, a stereotypically pushy female reporter is on hand as well--a standard cliché of the day. The only thing I really liked about this female character was when she belted the dumb detective--he really had it coming. However, in spite of these less than stellar characters, the film had a reasonably involved plot and the end kept you guessing. Plus, for once, Chan's son wasn't all that dumb--other than letting a prisoner escape! All in all, not exactly a glowing endorsement, but a decent little time-passer.
The film begins with Birmingham (Mantan Moreland) working at the Chan residence. There's a knock on the door and in rushes a woman who won't identify herself and insists she MUST see Mr. Chan immediately. The only identification she provides is a ring. When Chan sees the ring, he's able to read its Chinese writing and sees the woman is a princess. But, when Birmingham and Chan return to the room to see the princess, she is dead--killed by some sort of poison dart! Leave it to a Charlie Chan movie to come up with completely atypical ways of killing people! Just once, I want someone to be shot--something that actually doesn't happen all that often in one of these films.
The rest of the film involves Chan and a really, really, really stupid local detective trying to solve the murders. In addition, a stereotypically pushy female reporter is on hand as well--a standard cliché of the day. The only thing I really liked about this female character was when she belted the dumb detective--he really had it coming. However, in spite of these less than stellar characters, the film had a reasonably involved plot and the end kept you guessing. Plus, for once, Chan's son wasn't all that dumb--other than letting a prisoner escape! All in all, not exactly a glowing endorsement, but a decent little time-passer.