La croisière meurtrière

A little more than ten years ago, I read the novel "Charlie Chan Carries On" when I was also watching various Charlie Chan movies and reviewing them here on IMDb. Because it's been so long since then, all I really remember from the book was that Chan didn't appear in it until it was in the middle of it. So while watching this movie version (the second, after the previous filmed version which was the first time Warner Oland played the role. That version is lost), I didn't remember the characters that were now depicted from that novel. Anyway, this was another enjoyable film in the series with Sidney Toler doing fine in the role of the famous detective. Ditto Victor Sen Yung as his son Jimmy who's always in over his head but also always well meaning. So that's a recommendation for Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise.

Producer John Stone and Director Eugene Forde's last Chan films. By now Stone had done over a dozen and Forde had directed four. Sidney Toler (who appears to be ill in portions of the movie) is supported by #2 son Jimmy and #7 son Willie (Layne Tom, Jr. who was once cast in `Charlie Chan at the Circus' as #2 son Charlie Jr. and in `Charlie Chan in Honolulu' as #5 son Tommy). Lionel Atwill and Leo G. Carroll both add to the drama but Charles Middleton is best remembered in the Flash Gordon films as the Emperor Ming. Cora Witherspoon provides great comic relief. Don Beddoe is credited as playing `James' Ross but introduces himself to Chan as `Frederick' Ross, weight 168 lbs, 5'10', and he will admit to being 35.

Fast-paced who-done-it set primarily aboard a ship bound between Honolulu and San Francisco. A 'round the world cruise by ten travelers has been beset by a series of deaths by strangulation. It is clear from the beginning of the film that the guilty party is a man dressed in a dark hat and raincoat with dark classes and a full beard. But none of the passengers look like that.

Scotland Yard Inspector Duff is sent to investigate only to die as the film opens. Interesting subterfuge will keep the viewer off balance and probably unable to keep up with Chan until all is revealed at the end. `Man can more safely search for gold if world think he dig ditch.' Recommended.

Now this is a movie RIGHT after every real murder mystery fan's heart - no wonder, because it's based on one of Earl Derr Biggers' original novels, "Charlie Chan Carries On" (which had already been adapted in 1931 as the - now lost - first film starring Warner Oland in the role, bearing the book's title), and can clearly be identified as a crime novel brought to the screen. A plot with so many twists and knots that it's almost impossible to follow, a whole bunch of suspects to 'choose' from, dark connections with the past...

And it was adapted in a really MASTERFUL way, with a perfect direction (the atmosphere on board the ship is wonderfully genuine, and the foggy night scenes on deck are pretty creepy), an illustrious cast including mystery specialist Lionel Atwill, Leo Carroll, Robert Lowery (who later would become famous in westerns), Marjorie Weaver (the heroine of many a good B movie), and Cora Witherspoon, and many gags included to lighten up the murderous atmosphere - as usual, mostly provoked by, or involving poor Jimmy Chan.

It all starts in Charlie Chan's office in Honolulu, where he is visited by his old friend Inspector Duff from Scotland Yard, who tells him about a strange case he's on incognito: a cruise ship started four months ago on a world tour from New York, and on the first night one of the passengers, a judge, was strangled. In Liverpool, Duff joined the cruise, and he's convinced that among the passengers must be a dangerous criminal, and it's very probable that he'll strike again. And so he does: Charlie's superior next door is informed over the telephone that a Mr. Kenyon, another one of the passengers, was murdered in his hotel room - and when Charlie gets back to his own office, he finds his friend strangled; and that makes him feel obliged to take on the case himself...

He goes on board, and is introduced to the passengers by group leader Dr. Suderman: there's archaeologist Professor Gordon, Dick Kenyon, the nephew of the murdered man, Paula Drake with whom he's in love and who's the secretary of slightly hysterical Susie Watson, Susie's admirer Freddie Ross, the strange spiritualist couple Mr. and Mrs. Walters - and Mr. Pendleton, who seems to be afraid to death that HE's the intended victim! Then there's a mysterious beggar with a huge beard creeping around, there are stories from the past involving Mrs. Pendleton, there are little bags containing exactly 30 silver dimes (...) - and of course, there's a stowaway: who else but... Jimmy Chan?

And then unfolds a plot before our eyes which is not only almost too complicated to describe, but it would also be a shame to give away too much of it - because it really has to be SEEN to be believed! An absolute 'must' for every mystery fan, equal (if not superior) even to many of the very best 'whodunits' that were ever brought to the screen!

This is a tight little entry in the Charlie Chan series concerning the tracking down of a serial killer on a cruise ship. Sidney Toler and Sen Yung are in good form as Charlie and his impetuous son, Jimmy. The supporting cast would be outstanding for an A film. With Lionel Atwill on-board as (I kid you not) cruise director you know you're in for a good, scary time. The Chan series was at its peak when this one got made. Warner Oland, whose dour presence had put Charlie on the map, so to speak, was but a memory by 1940. Toler was a more jovial Chan, and his good humor set the tone for the rest of the series. The actors in the film, which include Charles Middleton and Claire Du Brey, as a stuffy religious couple, do their deadpan best to keep the story afloat and suspenseful, adding just a touch of the diabolical. There's a festive air in this one, and a neat game of shuffleboard with Don Beddoe.

From 1940, "Murder Cruise" sports a nice cast, with Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan, Sen Yung as his son Jimmy, Leo Carroll, Lionel Atwill, and Cora Witherspoon, who is very funny.

Charlie seems to have a tough time with this one -- after his friend from Scotland Yard is killed, he joins a cruise from Honolulu to San Francisco to help find a suspected murderer. There are no less than four more.

The murderer is obvious the second he's introduced for reasons having nothing to do with the plot.

Inspector Duff has been on a case case undercover. He's a passenger on a cruise ship going on a world tour from New York. One of the passengers was strangled the first night.

Duff joined the cruise in Liverpool, and he is sure the criminal is on board, and he's afraid that he will strike again. You can say that again - he strangles Duff right in the office while Charlie takes a call about another of the passengers being murdered.

Jimmy shows up, naturally, and gets into all kinds of trouble. Charlie puts up with it, Toler's Chan always being on an even keel and exhibiting dry humor.

Very enjoyable. The young Chan, Willie, is played by Layne Tom, Jr. Tom is on a 2006 interview about the Chan films and became a very well known architect, dying at age 87.

Good fun.