Charlie Chan in Panama

This is an extremely timely Charlie Chan movie as although the US was not yet at war, storm clouds were on the horizon and this film anticipated the importance of the Panama Canal to the future. Although the film never said that the Germans were planning on blowing up the canal, that's exactly what was very strongly implied--with a vicious foreign agent named 'Ryner'. The problem is that Chan and the military authorities have no idea what this agent looks like as well as exactly what this enemy agent's intentions are as well as how they'll go about doing it. So it's up to Chan and #2 Son to investigate.

This film is better than average for the Fox version of Charlie Chan. Mostly this is due to the timeliness, the use of non-grainy and relevant stock footage as well as a dandy plot and mystery. It keeps you guessing up until the end--and I liked this very much.

In his last making of a Chan film, director Norman Foster re-makes the 1934 film `Marie Galante' with good success. Sidney Toler by now has five of the Chan series under his belt and he has clearly hit his stride in the role. Good supporting acting by Lionel Atwill and Sen Yung. George Zucco did much better as the suspicious scientist in `Charlie Chan in Honolulu` than does the Lionel Royce in this film. Jean Rogers is better remembered as Dale Arden in the `Flash Gordon' films.

By 1940, American audiences were being conditioned to the threat from saboteurs, such as Ryner, and a nation in arms. Chan exclaims `Intelligent defense of nation best guarantee for years of peace.' There are sufficient clues, cleverly disguised, and lots of misdirection, but the keen observer will be able to keep up with Chan during this case. Recommended.

We don't see Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan until ten minutes into this entry in Fox' long-running B series. First we are treated to a group taking a plane to the Canal Zone, talking about how it is a city of spies. As a result, when we see Lieutenant Chan of the Honolulu Police selling hats under an assumed name to one of the plane's passengers, exchanging recognition codes, we know we're in a spy thriller. When the buyer drops dead, we're happy to see familiar territory.

The pleasures of the old Charlie Chan series are many. Victor Sen Yung plays one of the great detective's innumerable offspring. Charlie speaks in proverbs. And, of course, there's the pleasure of the many character actors: Lionel Atwill and Jean Rogers and Mary Nash are near the top of the credits. Further down, we get Chris-Pin Martin and Kane Richmond. Even the uncredited payers include interesting names like Franklyn Farnum and Edward Gargan. That's because Charlie Chan pictures were a sure money-maker for Fox, and they spent their money cannily.

People nowadays think that the Charlie Chan series were an exercise in racism. I see them as just the opposite. Charlie is world-famous in the pictures, always the smartest man in the room, and his kids are thoroughly Americanized. How less racist can you be?

This spy adventure is one of Sidney Toler's best Chan films. It is a very clever and exciting mystery with a lot of local atmosphere including a crypt. The supporting cast is excellent. There is a lot of humor, action, and suspense through out. The story was filmed before as "Marie Galante" in 1934 with Spencer Tracy. This is a much better version.

As the title implies, the famous detective is in the country of Panama disguised as a hat salesman in order to expose a spy in the vicinity. Along for this ride is his son Jimmy (Victor Sen Yung) who, as usual, gets into some scrapes but, as always, is once again willing to help his Pop along on a case. I'll just now say this was quite exciting to watch during the hour and seven minutes it was running. So I say, give Charlie Chan in Panama a chance.