L'occhio d'oro

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.

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.

Charlie Chan heads to Arizona to investigate a gold mine mystery. A typically cheap Monogram movie starring Roland Winters, the worst of all Charlie Chans. Mantan Moreland returns as unfunny comic relief character Birmingham Brown. Victor Sen Yung is back as Tommy Chan. The western locale allows both to dress like cowboys. So it's trying to be like a Bowery Boys comedy or something. Except the Bowery Boys were funny. The once-great Charlie Chan series had fallen pretty far by this time. Winters is absolutely terrible as Chan. Poorly written, directed, and acted -- it's a really a stinker of a movie. The one positive thing I will say about it is that actor Ralph Dunn, who plays the mine superintendent, has a pretty cool head of hair.

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.

A gold defunct gold mine is mysteriously profitable. The owner of the mine thinks he is being targeted and soon to be dispatched. He thinks this is right up Charlie Chan's alley.

Charlie poses as a jade dealer and with help from his standard entourage, must sort out the dastardly doers and find out what it is they are doing. Can he save the mine owner in time or is it curtains? If the mine owner goes is his daughter next?

"Ain't that something? Good gracious of me. That's Mr. Chan allover. When you think it is, it ain't and when you think it ain't, that is just what it is." - Birmingham Brown (Mantan Morland).