L'artiglio giallo

This time, Charlie Chan pays a visit to China, the home of his honorable ancestors - and lands, of course, in Shanghai, the biggest and most infamous (and most dangerous) port in the world, an Eldorado for crimes of all kind, and especially for opium-smuggling...

The officials give a big banquet in Charlie's honor - where his old friend and colleague Sir Stanley Woodland, who'd been after the smuggling ring, is murdered in front of everybody's eyes. From that point on the story becomes more and more complicated, the suspects more and more, until even the most seemingly honest man - and woman - isn't above suspicion anymore...

Charlie's son Lee once again - when he's not busy flirting with girls on the telephone - gives his father VERY valuable assistance, until the whole intricate puzzle is solved in a shady shack on the waterfront...

Magnificently acted and photographed, with lots of moments of great suspense - and of great surprise, when it comes to revealing the identities of the 'heads' behind this big smuggling ring... An absolute 'must' for fans of classic crime in general, and of course of Charlie Chan in particular!

While visiting China, Charlie Chan finds himself the guest at a banquet in his honor. At the banquet, a man is murdered. Now Charlie and "Number One Son" Lee must investigate. This is one of the best of the Charlie Chan series. A nice mystery coupled with some humor and more action than usual for the series. Keye Luke is great in his second appearance as Lee. He was sorely missed in Egypt. Warner Oland is pitch-perfect, as always. We even get to hear him sing! Solid support from pretty Irene Hervey, Halliwell Hobbes, Russell Hicks, and Jon Hall in a very early role (billed under his real name Charles Locher). Just a fun story for fans of classic detective movies.

Just to let those who are more prejudice than they think: According to co-star Keye Luke Oland didn't need make-up when he played Charlie Chan; all he would do is curl down his mustache and curl up his eyebrows. In fact, the Chinese often mistook him for one of their own countrymen. He attributed this to the fact that his Russian grandmother was of Mongolian descent. It always makes me angry when people complain about actors who play other races let alone other characters, that is what actors do! Especially back in the 1970s people were always thin-skinned and did not even consider the era nor how people were in those days. They only look at these movies with modern eyes and their own set of prejudices are involved. Little people were in the entertainment business too they were making a living just like all actors do prejudice is not only harsh but rarely check the facts! These movies are awesome and should be watched to be enjoyed as the mysteries they are, I also may add Earl Derr Biggers didn't like the stereo type of the evil oriental. He wrote of a gentle, intelligent, family man, who's job was police detective, I would have loved to have known him. That he happened to be Chinese would have made no difference.

This was another very-solid entry in the long-running series that mainly featured either Warner Oland or Sidney Toler as "Charlie Chan." It's generally considered that Oland's films were superior. I enjoy both of them and, after just completing watching the Chan DVD set that were all Toler's films, this return to Oland was a shocker in a way.

I say "shocker" mainly because Chan was so nice and respectful to his kid. In the latter films, Toler's Chan does nothing but insult his son, whichever one accompanies him on various cases. Here, Oland's warmth for his Number One Son "Lee" (Keye Luke) is more than evident and "Lee" helps keep the case alive with a daring rescue of his kidnapped father.

The story is played much straighter, too, than the Toler versions. There is still levity with Chan' many profound-yet-funny proverbs but this is an action-packed short story played more like the mysteries they were supposed to be. Good stuff

This is one of Warner Oland's best, in my opinion. I found it to have a very clear plot line with a neat twist at the end, albeit somewhat predictable. Oland made a terrific effort and Keye Luke was marvelous, without being "over the top". They could have left the singing out, though.