Charlie Chan at the Circus

This is a diverting, pleasantly enjoyable Charlie Chan film with WARNER OLAND as CHARLIE CHAN AT THE CIRCUS. In this outing, he takes his entire family to the circus while they're all on vacation and has to put up with the fumbling assistance of #1 son KEY Luke, who serves as comic relief.

Even more so than in most Chan entries, every utterance from Oland sounds like a Chinese fortune cookie--non-stop. And none of them sound authentically Chinese. That's the main quibble I have with the screenplay. But for the most part, it moves at a fast pace while it examines a group of suspects, all of whom had a motive for wanting the murdered man (the financial manager) out of the way.

The circus dancing team of midgets GEORGE and OLIVE BRASNO opens the story with some neat ballroom dance steps, but most of the plot focuses on an angry ape locked up in his cage but sometimes set loose. The murderer even makes it appear that the ape might have been responsible.

The only attempt on Chan's life comes from a poisonous snake that his son dispatches with a shotgun. Other than that, he's never in any real danger and that's where the plot falters slightly.

Meantime, we hear lots of his clichés and they don't sound very Oriental: "Size of package does not indicate quality within." "Give man plenty of rope and he will hang self." "Troubles rain on man already wet." And when he has a plan to catch the murderer, he says: "Silent witness sometimes speaks loudest." Enjoyable stuff for any mystery fan of the Chan series, but the material is all too familiar even for most Chan fans.

Warner Oland is Charlie Chan in "Charlie Chan at the Circus," a 1936 entry into the series. This time Charlie brings his wife and 12 kids to the circus and runs into murder.

While Lee Chan (Keye Luke) is off trying to romance the pretty contortionist, the co-owner of the circus asks Charlie to look into some threatening letters he's gotten. Then the man is murdered, and it turns out that even though he gave Charlie 14 free passes to the circus, he's not beloved. The man had enemies including his own partner, a snake charmer, and a gorilla!

Very entertaining, and one of the things neat about the film is the presence of the Brasnos, a brother and sister midget team, who play Colonel Tim and Lady Tiny. The Brasnos were vaudevillians and successful enough that Olive Brasno could turn down the role of a munchkin in The Wizard of Oz because she was too busy with their act. They bring a lot of charm to the film. As a bit of trivia, Olive lived to age 80 and died within two days of her husband of 38 years.

Warner Oland is a terrific Chan, much livelier and more cheerful than Sidney Toler and less sarcastic (though I like Toler's characterization and lots of those episodes). Keye Luke as Lee is always delightful. The circus atmosphere made for a fun atmosphere. This is one of the better films in the series.

Charlie and all 13 members of the immediate family are given passes to the Kinney and Gaines traveling circus, compliments of Joe Kinney, who wants Charlie to investigate some threatening letters he's been receiving. Anyone at the circus could have sent them, since Kinney is as popular as cancer, driving partner Gaines to bankruptcy and using violence on other performers at the circus. Naturally he is found murdered in the business wagon, which Charlie and Lee believe was done by the wild ape Ceasar. Tiny, one half of a man and wife midget sideshow, asks Charlie to work further on the case, which Mrs. Chan, Lee, and the other 11 children plead with him to do. Charlie and Lee travel with the circus and find out that one performer, Nellie Farrell, married Kinney in Mexico, which drives the rift with Marie Normand, trapeze artist and Kinney's fiancé. Marie doesn't believe that Kinney was with Nellie on the marriage date, but.... well that's her own secret and that may cost her life from the mysterious killer. Above average entry in the Chan series, and probably the most humorous entry (especially from the Fox series). The mystery angle is prevalent throughout the movie but is played down because of the humor which by the 50 minute mark does seem to get old and have the audience wanting the mystery we expect from the series. The circus setting really does look authentic giving the audience of being at the big top. Lachman uses plenty of low and high angle shots to create suspense and character interpretations, but in the context of the film itself it wasn't necessary. It was nice to see all 14 members of the family in an appearance rather than the photograph used in previous entries. Rating, 7.

All 14 Chans go to the circus and the fun starts from the very beginning. But you know Charlie must find a case there, too. Charlie sleuths while enjoying the circus and number one son Lee (Keye Luke) gets into everything in a vigorous way, including some romance with a cute contortionist.

This film has more entertainment value than most other Chan films in my opinion. Featured are the talented Brasno dance team, trapeze action, a lot of circus animals and loads of circus atmosphere.

You also get several crooked subplots, an ape on the loose, good Chan aphorisms and a briskly directed, fast-moving film in general. Its great to see all 14 Chans in an outing with a fun atmosphere- you can't help but enjoy "Charlie Chan at the Circus".

Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) shows up to the circus with his rather large family. He got complimentary tickets from co-owner of the circus, Joe Kinney who wants to talk to Charlie about some threatening letters he has received.

Before Kinney can talk to to Charlie more about it, he is found strangled and the circus gorilla is blamed.

Kinney was not popular with the circus performers and was abusive to the animals. So there are lots of other potential suspects apart from the frenzied ape.

'Number One Son' Lee (Keye Luke) seems to be more enchanted with the contortionist Su Toy.

Charlie Chan has to take a break from the family and his holiday to help solve the case. The two performing midgets and a trapeze artist gives this a circus feel.

The mystery is deepened as Kinney was unlikeable, he was in a dispute with his co-owner and might also be secretly married. So his widowed wife might inherit his half of the circus.

Entertaining and also humorously silly. The solution to the mystery makes a monkey out of the whole audience.