Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo (1937)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Eugene Forde

Writers:

Charles Belden (writer)
Earl Derr Biggers (characters)

Release Date:

21 January 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Triple murder for high stakes! A new high in mystery excitement! And laughs, too!

Plot:

Although Charlie and Lee are in Monaco for an art exhibit, they become caught up in a feud between rival financiers which involves the Chans in a web of blackmail and murder.

Plot Keywords:

Monte Carlo | Financier | Monaco | Murder | Casino

Cast

Warner Oland	...	Charlie Chan
Keye Luke	...	Lee Chan
Virginia Field	...	Evelyn Gray
Sidney Blackmer	...	Victor Karnoff
Harold Huber	...	French Police Inspector
Kay Linaker	...	Joan Karnoff
Robert Kent	...	Gordon Chase
Edward Raquello	...	Paul Savarin
George Lynn	...	Al Rogers
Louis Mercier	...	Taxi Driver
George Davis	...	Pepito
John Bleifer	...	Ludwig
Georges Renavent	...	Renault
George Sorel	...	Gendarme

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Warner Oland's last film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The architecture of Rogers' room clearly suggests it abuts a steep staircase, but there is no sign of it when Chan is in the hallway outside.

Quotes:

Charlie Chan: [to Lee at dining table] Can assist in negotiating one order of waffles without danger of arrest?

Movie Connections:

Followed by The Shanghai Cobra (1945)

I liked this one more than most of the other reviewers

As usual, Charlie and Number One Son are visiting when coincidentally there are murders. This time they seem to have something to do with stolen securities which seem to vanish and re-appear like magic. Unlike many of the films, though, Chan and Son seem to be caught up more in the action instead of passively investigating after the fact.

Many of the reviews seem to feel this is one of the weakest of the Warner Oland Charlie Chan films, though I liked it quite a bit and felt it stacked up well with the earlier films from the series. Why did I like it? Well, the stolen bonds angle seemed pretty interesting, Harold Huber (who had just played a New York police inspector in CHARLIE CHAN ON Broadway) was pretty good as a French cop and the film certainly kept my attention. It's not great, but still is a very competent part of a series of excellent and enjoyable detective films and a cut above similar series.