Charlie Chan in Shanghai

This was another very-solid entry in the long-running series that mainly featured either Warner Oland or Sidney Toler as "Charlie Chan." It's generally considered that Oland's films were superior. I enjoy both of them and, after just completing watching the Chan DVD set that were all Toler's films, this return to Oland was a shocker in a way.

I say "shocker" mainly because Chan was so nice and respectful to his kid. In the latter films, Toler's Chan does nothing but insult his son, whichever one accompanies him on various cases. Here, Oland's warmth for his Number One Son "Lee" (Keye Luke) is more than evident and "Lee" helps keep the case alive with a daring rescue of his kidnapped father.

The story is played much straighter, too, than the Toler versions. There is still levity with Chan' many profound-yet-funny proverbs but this is an action-packed short story played more like the mysteries they were supposed to be. Good stuff

While visiting China, Charlie Chan finds himself the guest at a banquet in his honor. At the banquet, a man is murdered. Now Charlie and "Number One Son" Lee must investigate. This is one of the best of the Charlie Chan series. A nice mystery coupled with some humor and more action than usual for the series. Keye Luke is great in his second appearance as Lee. He was sorely missed in Egypt. Warner Oland is pitch-perfect, as always. We even get to hear him sing! Solid support from pretty Irene Hervey, Halliwell Hobbes, Russell Hicks, and Jon Hall in a very early role (billed under his real name Charles Locher). Just a fun story for fans of classic detective movies.

Just to let those who are more prejudice than they think: According to co-star Keye Luke Oland didn't need make-up when he played Charlie Chan; all he would do is curl down his mustache and curl up his eyebrows. In fact, the Chinese often mistook him for one of their own countrymen. He attributed this to the fact that his Russian grandmother was of Mongolian descent. It always makes me angry when people complain about actors who play other races let alone other characters, that is what actors do! Especially back in the 1970s people were always thin-skinned and did not even consider the era nor how people were in those days. They only look at these movies with modern eyes and their own set of prejudices are involved. Little people were in the entertainment business too they were making a living just like all actors do prejudice is not only harsh but rarely check the facts! These movies are awesome and should be watched to be enjoyed as the mysteries they are, I also may add Earl Derr Biggers didn't like the stereo type of the evil oriental. He wrote of a gentle, intelligent, family man, who's job was police detective, I would have loved to have known him. That he happened to be Chinese would have made no difference.

This is one of Warner Oland's best, in my opinion. I found it to have a very clear plot line with a neat twist at the end, albeit somewhat predictable. Oland made a terrific effort and Keye Luke was marvelous, without being "over the top". They could have left the singing out, though.

The Hawaiian detective, Charlie Chan, visits the homeland of his ancestors along with his son, Lee. Once there, not unexpectedly there is a murder and Chan is called into action to solve the crime. It seems that somehow the Opium trade and the US State Department are pulled into the case and it's up to clever Charlie to solve it. Along the way, you get to see Oland sing a cute little song to a group of kids (a rarity in these films) and his son is there to provide some comic relief, though it's much more subdued and less blundering like it was in later films--and this is indeed a relief. Lee isn't the idiot like many of the later Chan clan!

I've long thought that the Charlie Chan films deserve to be remembered far better than they have--particularly the early ones that featured Warner Oland as the brilliant detective. While they clearly were B-movies (lower budget films intended for a double-feature), they were significantly better than nearly all the other detective series films from the same era. Excellent writing and production values compared to the rest of the genre really set them apart. Here, we've got the whole package--Oland in the title role, his best sidekick (#1 son, played by Keye Luke), a very good plot and a less hurried pace than the cheaper series made by Monogram in the 1940s---so it's certainly well worth a look.

By the way, in today's world, the Chan films are not exactly welcome in many circles because they are NOT politically correct. This ISN'T because they portray Asians badly--heck, Chan is seen as brilliant and the rest of the Asians in this film are decent folks and not cardboard stereotypes. However, Chan was played in this and the rest of the films of the next couple decades by Westerners in Asian garb. While insensitive, for the era it was made, this was the norm and I hope that viewers can accept this and just watch the films for their own merits.