The Golden Eye

I watched it because it was available and also because I had never seen it before. But I don't crave for Charlie Chan series, or maybe the Twentieth Century Fox films, starring Warner Oland, far better than those produced by Monogram Pictures and starring Sidney Toler. I am not a specialist of this movie series, so I won't describe details seperating both productions, but this very one is so lousy, so lame, that the best way to appreciate it would be to make a fun of it. Unlike concerning the Twentieth Century Fox features, made with greaat more care in directing and story telling. If you crave to mystery thriller and involving investigation, so, maybe it is for you.

This is one of the last of the Monogram series of Charlie Chan films. By 1948, the series had been around for many years--since the late 1920s. Through the decades, Warner Oland and Sidney Toler had made a ton of these fun murder mysteries. By the death Toler in 1946, it was obvious that the series had been gasping for life for several years. However, instead of calling a halt to the films, Monogram plodded along with several more Chan films that starred Roland Winters. Now Winters wasn't too bad--after all, with makeup he was able to look like Chan and his delivery was rather Chan-like (though a bit rapid). However, the wit of the Sidney Toler version was noticeably absent. Another problem is that by 1948, the movies just weren't as interesting and were usually written in such a hasty manner that plot holes abounded--and this one looked rather Swiss cheesy at that! I know this to be so because I have seen all of the Fox Charlie Chan films that are in existence and almost all the Monogram ones--the slide is obvious.

Charlie is out west to investigate how a supposedly played out gold mine is suddenly brimming with gold. During the investigation, the man who hired Chan is supposedly hurt and his entire face is wrapped in gauze and doctors won't let anyone in to see him. It's so completely obvious to anyone with half a brain that either this isn't the man or he's being drugged. Oddly, Chan allows this ruse to continue for some time--even though someone's life might be at risk. Even when the nurse/nun who is caring for him reveals she's an idiot and practically knows nothing about medicine, Chan does nothing.

In addition to lots of inaction, the film is brimming with dull and awkward performances. About the only one who comes off reasonably well is Tommy Chan--who oddly was re-named Tommy even though he'd been Jimmy in the earlier films and was still played by the same actor (Victor Sen Yung). Even the usual comic relief from Mantan Moreland seems very subdued in this film. There simply is no energy or life to this film and a few really broad performances sink the film further.

The bottom line is that there isn't much of a mystery and Chan could easily get to the bottom of it. Instead, the amazingly subdued Chan sits back and lets the film go on for some time until the conclusion. Dull and uninspired.

Charlie Chan (Roland Winters) agrees to investigate the strange happenings at an Arizona (or is it New Mexico - I really can't be bothered to check) goldmine. Along for the ride are son Tommy (Victor Sen Yung) and chauffeur Birmingham Brown (Mantan Moreland).

I have seen all of the Sidney Toler and Warner Oland Chan films - most multiple times. But oddly enough, this is my first experience with Roland Winters. I'm not impressed. Maybe it's my personal bias, but he seems all wrong for the role. Instead of the measured, deliberate Chan played by both Toler and Oland, Winters is too quick in both speech and action. And, if it weren't for the yellow-face, I'd swear Winters was trying to pull off some kind of European, maybe Italian, accent. It was all so distracting.

As for the film itself, you know you're in trouble when the credits begin with the words Monogram Pictures and end with the name William Beaudine. That pretty much says all you need to know. Honestly, it's just a bad movie and not really worth dwelling on.

On a positive note, The Golden Eye doesn't feature an overdose of Tommy and Birmingham. Their comedy bits are limited. And thank goodness because as much as I like Moreland, his Birmingham Brown schtick gets old pretty quick.

Finally, there were two things that bothered me while watching The Golden Eye and both are related to Victor Sen Yung. First, why is he named Tommy in this movie? If you've seen any of his previous Chan films, you know he's Jimmy. Second, in 1948, he was 33 years old - way too old to be playing the bumbling son. In fact, he's way too old to be playing Winters' son. Winters would have been 44 when this movie was made - a difference of only 11 years.

3/10.

Charlie Chan's old friend from Arizona thinks that someone is trying to kill him. Chan travels to the friend's dude ranch and digs into the mystery, which he quickly discovers is tied up with a nearby gold mine.

Roland Winters is solid if unexciting as the famous detective in this passable series entry. Victor Sen Young and Mantan Moreland are featured in sizable roles this time around; as number two son Tommy and chauffeur Birmingham Brown, they liven up their portions of an otherwise rather bland production.

Tim Ryan attempts to add color as a tipsy ranch guest whom Chan quickly recognizes as his friend Lieutenant Mike from San Francisco. Lieutenant Mike, it turns out, is undercover at the ranch and investigating the same funny business at the mine.

Other story elements include a smuggling ring, a suspicious mine shaft accident, a miner's shack with a trap door in the floor leading to a secret tunnel.... It really doesn't make much sense but it's mildly entertaining.

Instead of taking precautions to aid a man who is in grave danger, Charlie again waits to do anything. He is approached by an old friend who says that someone is trying to kill him. It has something to do with an old gold mine, The Golden Eye, that has begun producing after many lean years. The gang find themselves on a dude ranch where things aren't' as they should be. The old friend supposedly falls down a shaft and is left a broken man, fighting for his life. Once again, there are a couple bodies that need to be dealt with. Charlie pretends to be a jade merchant and exposes his identity to an old detective friend who seems to be aware of the goings on. The problem, as it often is in these poorly done old films, is the slipshod work of everyone as they do nothing to protect those in danger. It was good that this series slowly plodded to an end.