Charlie Chan aux courses

... 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.

I always enjoy the byplay between Charlie Chan and his kids. Warner Oland was more loving to them in the early Chans while Sidney Toler was more insulting (but not in a mean-spirited way.)

In this episode, Oland lets Keye Luke get very involved in the case and Luke provides a number of laughs along the way.

This was an interesting script and had a decent number of action scenes along with it during the 70 minutes. There are some inventive twists to the story, regarding the crooks, too.

This is another Charlie Chan winner, and I am pleased to see it will be out on DVD in December.

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.

Thank you to RETRO TV for re-running the CHARLIE CHAN films with Warner Oland, the very best of the lot, and after many years in retirement. They deserve to be seen, especially for mystery buffs, young and old.

The perfect storm. It has it all; an exceptional plot, entertaining characters and Charlie's wise old sayings, best known as "Chan-O-Grams," to carefully weave the story together. Credit the famous team at Fox, Robert Ellis (a former silent film actor and director), and his wife, Helen Logan, for writing the bulk of these priceless whodunits.

The story starts on a ship, leaving Honolulu, on its way to California, with prize race horses set to compete in the famous Santa Juanita challenge. One of the horse's owners is killed (believed to have been kicked to death in the stall), setting off the mystery. A crafty ring of gamblers is behind the homicide, also pulling a clever switch with the horses. It's fun to see Charlie size up each of the suspects, and not to give too much away, but watch him closely as he seizes every move, every slight mannerism, which is fascinating.

Viewing this film a second time, actually fills in some holes. The dialogue, especially Charlie's wry exchanges with suspects, is priceless.

Keye Luke returns, always fun as Number One Son, actually helpful at times to Charlie, as you will see. Rounding out the cast are some fine actors; Alan Dinehart as Chester, Thomas "Tommy" Beck (as Bruce), Helen Wood (Alice), Gavin Muir and Jonathan Hale, playing Fenton. Hale would appear in three of the Chan films. Young Frankie Darro plays "Tip" Collins, a role he would become famous for (but really didn't play that many times), the jockey caught up in the deadly scheme.

Exceptionally directed by H. Bruce Humberstone, referred to as the father of the series, who also played a large part in keeping Warner Oland into character. Notes indicate he actually encouraged Oland to drink, who was in fact an alcoholic, to relax him --which apparently worked! It was often said Oland's very best performances were due to Humberstone, known as "Lucky." On the other side of the story, Oland subsequently fell asleep a lot, so to keep him alert, Bruce surrounded him with noisey extras!

Beautifully filmed at Santa Anita Race Track in Aecadia, CA. A historical note by itself.

Dedicated to all us ultimate mystery fans. Super dvd box set by Fox, also featuring "Charlie Chan at the Circus," "... at the Opera," and "... at the Olympics." Released 2006, rich with background material, remastered comparisons and interviews. Again, thanks to RETRO TV and their Friday afternoon mystery series.

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.