Charlie Chan aux courses

An interesting film with much in its favor, especially the team of Oland and Luke. I particularly like the scenes aboard ship en route from Honolulu to the mainland. Keye Luke has many funny scenes. A fair portion of the beginning of the film involves the other characters before Chan gets involved in the mystery. This makes it seem more like one of the Earl Derr Bigger's novels. This film makes a good double feature with the Marx Brothers' film, "A Day At The Races".

Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) and son Lee Chan (Keye Luke) become involved "At the Race Track," from 1936.

When a friend of Charlie's is murdered by his race horse on board ship, Charlie is asked to investigate when the ocean liner stops in Honolulu. Looking at the horse's stall, Charlie doubts the horse had anything to do with it -- this was a human's doing.

His investigation continues, and Charlie and Lee board ship and travel to Santa Anita raceway to continue their investigation. He soon discovers fraud and a nefarious gambling ring, and he has to ferret out a murderer.

This is a very lively and fun Charlie Chan, with Lee posing as an attendant on the ship to find the typewriter on which threatening notes were typed; and later, at a crucial point, he drives a Chinese laundry truck. Charlie, meanwhile, is shot in the leg and laid up for part of the film.

Some excellent racing footage and beautiful horses are also shown.

It's not perfect. A horse falls, and I absolutely hate seeing that. They would trip them with chicken wire, and it was quite cruel. The second and more egregious thing, particularly by today's standards but I think it might have been embarrassing even then, was the role of the black stable boy, done as a Stepinfetchit type character. Cringe-worthy.

Frankly, I liked it much better when Mantan Moreland came on as Birmingham. First of all, he was hilarious, and secondly, he was treated as an equal. Yes, he had some scenes where he was supposedly afraid of his shadow, but it was better than what is in this film.

Oland is a warmer Chan than Sidney Toler, though both brought a great deal to the role. There is something a little less intimidating about Oland.

"Charlie Chan at the Race Track" is very enjoyable, somewhat reminiscent of the Sherlock Holmes story "Silver Blaze" -- so that's probably why the story is so good.

The tragic story of Phar Lap the great Australian thoroughbred who was imported to the Northern Hemisphere and poisoned by gamblers seems to be the basis for this Charlie Chan film. It's a bit happier an ending for the horse Avalanche who is the focus of the investigation.

Which starts in Charlie Chan At The Racetrack in Melbourne where Avalanche has just won the Melbourne Cup as did Phar Lap. Despite threats from a gambling syndicate, owner George Irving is bringing him to America to race at Santa Anita. On the ship bringing Avalanche and his stablemate Gallant Lad to America, Irving is kicked to death by his horse when he visited him in his shipboard stall. When the ship docks in Honolulu Warner Oland goes on board along with son Keye Luke to investigate.

Oland establishes that the horse was not the guilty party pretty quickly, but the problem of the gamblers and whatever nefarious scheme they have in mind is still there. They've even got a backup plan which almost works when it is put into play. Let's say like the real life Phar Lap, Avalanche is a game horse with a great heart.

Charlie Chan At The Racetrack is one of the best of Charlie Chan features. Other than the patronizing stereotypical portrait of the black groom the film holds up well for today's audiences.

Like a breath of fresh air, director H. Bruce Humberstone breathes new life into the Warner Oland Chan series. A good murder mystery, and one that the viewer might actually solve if s/he is very observant, we are treated to Chan and No. 1 son Lee crossing swords with a gambling syndicate and ultimately unmasking their leader. `No man is poor who have worthy son.' We know that a horse has been manipulated and abused by its trainer Bagley but we still do not know who is the brains and money behind it all even after the gang is arrested. Chan outsmarts and outwits the leader who is tricked into revelation. Although this final exposure is initially unseen by the audience, there is a major clue played out earlier that should lead the viewer to suspect the right person – if you are watching. And of course there are many misleading clues: `Roots of tree lead in many directions.' Chan and son escape assault and kidnapping and Lee again gets to demonstrate his ability at disguise – this time as a Chinese laundry man. Lee gets to drive the laundry truck much as we have seen in earlier Mack Sennett comedies. Like in many Chan movies, portrayal of black stable boy with monkey must have been more acceptable to audiences of the time but today should simply be cut. Similarly Chan says at end: `Good wife best household furniture' brought a remark from my wife. Perhaps that too should be cut for today's audience. Minor note is that the director appears as one of the gang. Much better than most of this series. Recommended.

... not that the other Charlie Chan films had simplistic plots, but this one was involved yet not confusing.

Charlie Chan gets word that an old friend of his, Major Kent, has been trampled to death by his horse Avalanche, onboard a ship bound for America, where Avalanche is to race at the Santa Anita racetrack. The fact that the major had sent Chan a wire about his suspicions about an illegal gambling ring, asking Chan to meet his boat when it docks in Honolulu to discuss the matter, makes Charlie initially suspicious. When he investigates the stall where the major was killed and notices that the blood spatter patterns do not match the story of how the major was killed, he becomes even more suspicious. So much so that he boards the boat to America so that he can further investigate.

This one has it all - a multitude of suspects, a very good plot, and plenty of Keye Luke as Charlie's oldest son, Lee. This time Lee is not just chasing girls. Instead he helps his dad quite a bit with the actual case. Of course, an involved plot requires involved investigation techniques by Chan, but his every move is explained to the audience as he is making them so that you can understand the approach taken. With Frankie Darro as an unfortunate jockey who gets in over his head, I'd recommend this one as the very best of the Warner Oland Charlie Chan films.