User reviews

I've been a Charlie Chan fan since the early 70s when, as a 9 year old, I can remember watching the movies on the Late Show. While I can find something to enjoy in every one of these films, Charlie Chan in London is one of my favorites of the series. In this one, Chan is in a race against time as he's only got three days to save the life of a man wrongly accused of murder. It's got everything a Chan fan could ask for - an interesting mystery, a boatload of suspects, actually good comic relief, nice production values, and, of course, Warner Oland. By the time Charlie Chan in London was made, Oland seems to have hit his stride playing the title role. He's confident, polite, and brilliant - all the personality traits I've always associated with Chan. The supporting cast is as good in this one as you'll find in any of the Chan films. Ray Milland may be the most recognizable name, but it's the performances of Alan Mowbray and the incredible, scene-stealing E.E. Clive that really standout. The mystery at the center of the plot is well thought and the clues lead to a logical conclusion. Charlie Chan in London is a good one to play along with. It doesn't "cheat" as much with the reveal as some of the other Chan films.

Paul Gray is going to die for a murder he has been sentenced for. Only one person believes he is innocent - his sister. His sister enlists the aid of honorable Honolulan detective Charlie Chan, who just happens to be in London for a brief stay. Chan is convinced to help the young lady secure her brother's freedom. This is a fine, creaky mystery with Warner Oland in top form as #1 detective Charlie Chan. The cast has several names in it with a very young Ray Milland as sister's boyfriend standing out the most. Veteran Character actor E. E. Clive gives a nice hammy performance as a police inspector unable to call Charlie Chan but rather Chang. Alan Mowbray also adds his distinguished persona to the mix. The mystery has a lot of red herrings, but I figured it out based on who had no herrings aimed at him/her. See if that helps you. Quite enjoyable!

Warner Oland may work best under pressure as Charlie Chan In London shows. About to leave London he is moved by the pleas of Drue Leyton who is trying to save her brother Douglas Walton from the hangman. She has used her appeal up with the Home Secretary David Torrence and even Ray Milland, Walton's lawyer says he thinks his client probably did it. But apparently Charlie Chan is moved by a woman in distress.

The murder was of an RAF officer and it took place in the stables of Alan Mowbray's estate during fox hunting season. Oland who is without the assistance of any of his kids, starts turning up clues and another murder of the groom Perry Ivins and an attempt is made against Mona Barrie and twice on Oland himself.

To say Charlie Chan was under the gun in this film was putting it mildly. He has about 65 hours to find the real killer. Do you doubt he will succeed.

The original motive if Walton were the killer is said to be personal, but it turns out to have far reaching implications when the real killer is apprehended.

Charlie Chan In London is one of the best of Oland Charlie Chan films and holds up nicely today.

Chan is in London returning a suspect he has captured to British authorities when he receives an appeal from Pamela Gray concerning her brother Hugh, who has been condemned to hang in three days for a murder she believes he did not commit. Chan takes the case and goes to the estate of Geoffrey Richmond (Alan Mowbrey), where the murder was committed. People at the estate say that Hugh and the victim, who never liked one another, were heard arguing about some unknown issue, and then later the body of the victim was found near the stables and Hugh was found walking from the stables towards the house. Does Charlie Chan solve the case? Of course he does! What a downer if he did not!

On top of the usual red herrings tossed into such detective films - the one person sneaking around menacingly, another protesting too loudly about the entire follow up investigation being a waste of time and so on, the maid is a piece of work. She's a shrieker plus she likes to hover over people even when they make it clear they want to be left alone. This film would have been more enjoyable without the barbaric practice of fox hunting being central to the plot, but then hindsight is 20/20.

The tension of the time ticking down to Hugh's execution is an added boost, and then there is a very young Ray Milland in a supporting role and E. E. Clive as a befuddled police inspector. And you have to wonder why law enforcement didn't ask the same basic questions that Chan asks during his investigation. Recommended.

Of the first four Chan films in the Fox series, Charlie Chan Carries On (1931), Charlie Chan's Chance (1932), and Charlie Chan's Greatest Case (1933) have been lost; only the 1931 THE BLACK CAMEL remains to show the series in its early developmental stage. By the time of CHARLIE CHAN IN London the series has reached the standards that made it so widely beloved, a neat mixture of comedy and mystery, good production values, and solid acting.

As is typical of the Chan series, the cast is first rate, offering an early glimpse of future Oscar-winner Ray Milland as well as a memorable performance by character actor E.E. Clive, who graced such films of the era as THE INVISIBLE MAN and DRACULA'S DAUGHTER. In this episode, Chan has traveled to England to bring a criminal captured in Hawaii to British justice--and is on the point of departure when he asked to intervene in a notorious murder case. With a man already convicted, Chan has but sixty-some hours to unmask the real killer before the wrongly convicted Paul Gray (Douglas Walton) is sent to his death.

In some respects the film shows its era: it is very distinctly of the early sound period, and the camera is static and the performances often broad. But it captures all the essential elements of the Chan series as it starred Warner Oland, and (like THE BLACK CAMEL before it) it very specifically sets up Chan to use the racist attitudes of others to crime-solving effect. Warner Oland's Chan, and to a lesser extent Sidney Toler's Chan, would often encourage others to dismiss him as a "stupid Chinaman" all the better to trick the killer into carelessness--and the plot device is particularly apparent in the earliest Chan films.

While CHARLIE CHAN IN London will never make a critic's short list of great films, it is quite a bit of fun, and Chan fans will enjoy it. Unfortunately, the film is not available on either VHS or DVD in the United States, and since it is considered "politically incorrect" it is rarely broadcast; Chan fans will have a hard time tracking it down.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Charlie Chan In London Is the second oldest surviving film with Warner Oland in the role and is very entertaining. The story moves along at a pretty fast pace for this era in films. A young man is accused,and convicted of murder. He,s only days from execution when by chance his sister{portrayed by Drue Leyton} encounters Chan and convinces him to try and clear her brother. Charlie then begins a brisk investigation into the crime,which brings him to a country estate..there he is faced with the harrowing task of trying to

identify the real killer. With only about 48 hours to complete his investigation, Charlie moves quickly and eliminates several suspects... As he brings the case to a close..It is very surprising to find out the identity of the actual murderer..This is a film well worth

watching if you can get a copy..It,s never been released commercially. Also appearing in this entry are Alan Mowbray and Ray Milland, both give excellent performances...also included in the cast is E.E.Clive another great character actor of this era.

Chronologically it's the 2nd Chan film extant after Black Camel, 4 others remain lost - Charlie is either getting into his stride in this or had already done so previously! The formula was in place, all they had to do from now on was reprise it with variations a couple of times a year. Whenever on TV in the past it always appeared murky to me but the copy I've just seen was pristine, with an astonishingly clear soundtrack.

Paul Gray is incarcerated in Pentonville for murder but in a few days time is to hang – his sister believes him innocent, and apparently so does Charlie as he postpones his voyage to Honolulu to help them out. When arriving at the country house in Retfordshire where the deed was done he finds himself up against a wall of suspicious British stereotypes, ranging from Cockney idiots and brusque snobs to out and out racists, which of course he continually uses to his advantage in his unravelling of the case. And he unravels it perfectly, with a plethora of marvellous aphorisms and red herrings, but as so often had to happen also with a fool-the-murderer-into-finally-exposing-him/herself denouement.

Swedish Warner Oland gave a wonderfully urbane performance as usual as the Chinese detective. Sadly as time goes on it's shown less and less on TV, partly because the schedulers who may not want to offend Chinese sensibilities also prefer to show violent and deviant films to the public instead, and partly because the public want it that way too. Hunt a copy down and revel in it!

This movie set in London has some great actors including Alan Mowbray whom I had first seen in Abbott and Costello Meets The Killer Boris Karloff and I love the way he plays very posh characters. In this outing, Charlie had already brought a criminal to justice when he is asked to take on the murder case of Paul Grey by Paul's sister Pamela. One of my favorite characters was Bunny Fothergill. Charlie reenacts the crime with the help of E.E. Clive and Ray Milland and there was tense moments because Charlie had to find the real murderer within 65 hours or if not, Paul Grey would be executed. The solving of the murder by a person whom you would least expect added more mystery plus some persons that were at the country estate were not whom they say they were. This is definitely a must see!!!!

You have to understand that I love these mystery movies from the 30's and 40's, hence the 8/10. It's fun to just suspend disbelief and watch the films for what they are. Get a bowl of popcorn then sit down in your comfy place and let your mind go back to a time before all of the special effects and CGI, before political correctness, and enjoy the show. There are terrific gems to be found in these old films. If you are like me then pick up the DVD; you won't be sorry. "Charlie Chan in London" is a good'un. The digital restorations are excellent. Same ol' cheezy sound and dialogue centric script but without the audio and visual noise. The shakiness of the original is gone as well.

Sure you can criticize some of the ham acting but I find the characters and the dialogue fascinating. Although IMHO Elsa Buchanan is wonderful as the distraught maid who is shocked by the evil oriental skulking about the place, others would likely be less kind.

E.E. Clive as the more than a little thick Detective Sergeant Thacker is perfect, especially his uncorrected references to Charlie as "Mr. Chang".

I didn't realize Ray Milland was in the movie till I heard his unmistakable voice. What a distance from portraying Luke Skywalker's father! While I'm on about it: the quality of the acting in "Charlie Chan in London" is not much different from "Star Wars Episode IV". ;->

The "Charlie Chan" character and its portrayal by non-Chinese actors has come under some heavy, and valid, criticism for stereotyping and for washing over issues of racism. However, I think that such criticism should be noted and should not prevent enjoyment of these wonderful films. We (audiences) are not stupid; we can see plenty of evidence of paternalism, sexism, and racism in these movies. Eh, so what? The story and the script are a product of the time and are a window into the past. Not into real life directly, but the film is enlightening with respect to what was acceptable. Eighty years from now, I'm sure many current films will be condemned for all sorts of things that we take for granted now. Food for thought.

For me, the controversy and obvious difference in cultural values from today just makes these films more interesting. Mr. Chan's quiet approach to life in general and to racism in particular speaks well of his character. We pay attention to what Chan says because he is always interesting and insightful. What may be interpreted as a stereotyped, obsequious and blandly inoffensive "chinaman", is really a thoughtful individual with obviously strong family values and who is so confident that he does not have to try to change all of the flaws in the world around him.

He just has to solve the mystery and go back to his family.

"Contradiction please." Warner Oland is clearly at the top of his game here as he attempts to save an innocent man from the gallows with only hours to spare.Truly one of the better films in this series with the Swedish actor.He is surrounded by a unique cast of English characters.There are a couple of amusing moments with Chan climbing through a window and crawling from beneath a desk in what otherwise is a serious "whodunit." Really well done and a must for a Chan fan.

Warner Oland's sixth appearance in the role and really the first one that most of us will be able to see due to losses of earlier films. This is a mystery but not a who-done-it. You simply cannot know who really killed Captain Hamilton unless you guess. Chan knows more than the audience and not all clues are revealed during the story. If you know that about the Chan mysteries (and who does not?) then this is an enjoyable entry in the series with a good supporting cast. More than one dead body, the obligatory assault on Chan himself, misleading clues, and the ever-present reminder that time is passing keep the action flowing. Chan focuses on uncovering the motive for the original murder – seeking truth rather than disproving lies. He uses the French method of reconstructing the crime. Alan Mowbray is excellent as Geoffrey Richmond and Ray Milland does well in a very small part as fiancé to the sister of the wrongfully imprisoned man. Social inequality and fear of the foreigner are representative of the times and might raise an eyebrow today. All is revealed in the end and Chan declares, `Case now complete.' Recommended.

Really enjoy a well-done murder mystery, and this was a good one. And I always thought Warner Oland was the best Charlie Chan - even though he was Swedish. Lots of reviewers recap the plot so there's no need to rehash, but the plot here is intricate and it's not easy to pick out the murderer.

This film in particular of the Chan series has a lot of dialogue and it pays off to pay attention as the story unfolds. That way you won't get fooled by a red herring, as I did. This picture is pretty old, so old that many in the supporting cast are unknown to modern audiences, except perhaps Alan Mowbray and a very young Ray Milland. The female lead was Drue Leyton, whom I am not familiar with but was very good and convincing in all her scenes. For some reason she made only 10 films, the last in 1939.

This is also the last CC movie made without a number 1 son. Key Luke does not appear until the next picture, "Charlie Chan In Paris (1935). "Charlie Chan In London" is a good, solid whodunit of the type no longer made in Hollywood, or anywhere else for that matter.

I had watched CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA (1936), considered the best of the series, sometime ago on Italian TV - mainly due to the involvement of Boris Karloff, but which I enjoyed a great deal. Last year I managed to get 5 other titles in the long-running series and did get to watch BEHIND THAT CURTAIN (1929) which, incidentally, also featured Karloff in a minor role. I next tried THE BLACK CAMEL (1931) - co-starring another great horror star, Bela Lugosi - but, unfortunately, the disc froze permanently around the 50-minute mark and, consequently, I never bothered with the rest of the films on the disc! However, my interest rose again after the upcoming Fox DVD (containing some of these very titles) was announced...

This is a very enjoyable entry in the series with Warner Oland the quintessential Charlie Chan, delivering a plethora of his trademark witticisms. Though we've seen many a murder mystery with this setting, the plot twists still come off as fresh and quite unpredictable - and the limited time-frame in which it all happens (and around which hangs, no pun intended, the life of Douglas Walton, a convict awaiting execution) makes for a genuinely suspenseful little thriller. The film also features a vivid - and thankfully not too stereotyped - recreation of the aristocratic British way of life, a surprising villain, and an early role for Ray Milland (whose character functions more or less as a red herring).

Warner Oland is "Charlie Chan in London" in this 1934 film and, as others have pointed out, this is a very good entry into the series.

Chan is about to leave London after working for the government when a young woman, Pamela Gray (Drue Layton) begs for his help in saving her brother (Douglas Walton) from being hanged for a murder he didn't commit. And there are only about 2-1/2 days left before his execution.

It's a troubling case, due to the evidence and the fact that Pamela's fiancée (Ray Milland, very young) doesn't believe in her brother's innocence.

Chan goes to the country home where the murder took place; after another murder (made to look like a suicide) he's sure that one of the people he's encountered is the true murderer.

Oland is in top form here, and the film boasts not only a fine cast of British actors (Alan Mowbray, E. E. Clive) but a great atmosphere. Though I'm more used to Sidney Toler for some reason (I was introduced to the Chan films in Boston, and apparently that's what was shown), Oland is very good in the role.

Toler is an older, more sardonic Chan. Oland, crawling through windows and coming out from underneath a desk is definitely sprier! Very enjoyable.

"Charlie Chan in London" is the first Chan film I've seen and I'm very impressed.

This movie should be studied in film classes because it's so nicely paced and well edited. There isn't one wasted scene or extraneous action - every step of the plot happens at just the right moment, making the film a very satisfying experience. Add Warner Oland's wonderful depiction of Chan (even so early in the series), an intriguing story, the fun of seeing a young Ray Milland, and the great architecture, clothing, and cars of the period, and you have one fine film.

Enjoy!

Charlie Chan In London is the movie than bought Charlie to London. This was recently released on VHS in the UK and I was pleased I purchased a copy.

A woman who's brother has been wrongly convicted for murder gets Charlie Chan to investigate this and try and find the real culprit. He only has 65 hours to do this in as her brother is facing execution. The case takes Chan to a mansion where he is nearly murdered himself. It is confirmed that the woman's brother is not the murderer when more killings take place and after gathering clues and reconstructing the crime, the real murderer is caught and her brother is saved.

Warner Oland plays Charlie Chan well and is joined by Ray Milland (The Man With X-Ray Eyes), Drue Leyton, Madge Bellamy (White Zombie) and Alan Mowbray.

If you like a good old mystery, I recommend this movie. Enjoyable.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5.

CHARLIE CHAN IN London is a good example of a well-produced, lower budget "B" film from Fox studios in 1934. Three earlier films seem to be lost, so this is the first in the line-up that remains today. As such, it stars Warner Oland, Swedish by birth, as the Chinese detective, Charlie Chan. Today's film historians grant Oland much credit for creating the screen persona of Chan. This film lends support to their belief. Oland presents Chan as a detective who looks for even the smallest of clues in his search to find the killer. His euphemisms during the hunt are so engaging that they draw the viewer in even closer until, by the end of the film, one is convinced that Chan is without peer in his chosen profession.

CHARLIE CHAN IN London also stars Drue Layton as the distraught woman who pleads with Chan to save her brother from execution for a murder she believes he never committed. Layton only made ten films in her entire career. She is well cast in this one.

Ray Milland supplies the star quality as Layton's fiancée. Milland bear's that quality of sincerity that characterized him in later years.

Not to be overlooked is that fine British actor, Alan Mowbray. Mowbray excelled at comedy and, in fact, became quite a favorite with audiences of the 30s and 40s. This is an example of his earlier work where he excelled in straight dramatic roles.

The action takes place in a British mansion. Included in the goings-on is a fox hunt, an attempt on Charlie's life, and other events guaranteed to keep the audience guessing. Missing is Charlie Chan's number one son, Keye Luke. Luke makes his first appearance in the next production, CHARLIE CHAN IN Paris.

Twentieth-Century Fox pulled these programs from their broadcast schedule because of the political pressure exerted by today's Asian-American actors in Hollywood who object to a non-Asian playing an Asian character. Accordingly, you will not find CHARLIE CHAN IN London, nor any other Chan film for that matter, on your television set. It's a shame, for this is an authentic piece of motion picture history. However, CHARLIE CHAN IN London can be purchased as a DVD release from Fox in the retail stores. This motion picture is well worth the purchase price.

I have seen all of the Charlie Chan films which FOX released in the talking era, i.e. with Warner Oland and Sidney Toler except "The Black Camel" which I have just ordered in VHS from Canada. It is my favorite Oland "Chan" and one of my favorite 2, the other being the Toler "Charlie Chan at Treasure Island". I understand that this film was thought lost for many years, but was recently rediscovered. Key Luke as number 1 son, Jimmy, is notably absent (I believe that he debuts in the next film, "Charlie Chan in Paris.") This film is better than the three other notable films, "Charlie Chan at the Opera", Charlie Chan on Broadway", and "Charlie Chan in Egypt" which are among the critics top choices.

Only watched this fick after seeing R. Altmans Gosford Park. One member of the hunting party is a Hollywood producer reseaching for his upcoming production "Chaly Chan in London".

So, that's a good double feature. Still funny and entertaining.