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IMDb > Charlie Chan in Honolulu (1938)

Charlie Chan in Honolulu (1938) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   686 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 30% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Charles Belden (original screenplay)
Earl Derr Biggers (character: "Charlie Chan")
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Contact:
View company contact information for Charlie Chan in Honolulu on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
13 January 1939 (USA) more
Plot:
While Charlie is distracted with the birth of his first grandchild, son Jimmy impersonates his father in order to investigate a murder aboard a freighter in the harbor. full summary | add synopsis
User Comments:
Most Enjoyable Charlie Chan more (14 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
Sidney Toler ... Charlie Chan
Phyllis Brooks ... Judy Hayes
Victor Sen Yung ... James Chan (as Sen Yung)
Eddie Collins ... Al Hogan
John 'Dusty' King ... Randolph (as John King)
Claire Dodd ... Mrs. Carol Wayne
George Zucco ... Dr. Cardigan
Robert Barrat ... Captain Johnson
Marc Lawrence ... Johnny McCoy
Richard Lane ... Joe Arnold
Layne Tom Jr. ... Tommy Chan
Philip Ahn ... Wing Foo
Paul Harvey ... Inspector Rawlins
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eugene Hoo ... Chan Son
Frances Hoo ... Chan Daughter
Hippie Hoo ... Chan Son
Florence Ung ... Ling Chan
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Additional Details

Runtime:
67 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)
Certification:
USA:Approved (PCA #4861) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:K-16

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Among other actors considered and tested for the new Charlie Chan were Cy Kendall, Walter Connolly, J. Edward Bromberg, Noah Beery Jr., Michael Visaroff, and Leo Carillo. Kendall and Connelly had played Chan on radio. more
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Charlie refers to the body of water that the ship is in as "the bay." A resident of Honolulu would have called it Pearl Harbor. more
Quotes:
Dr. Cardigan: What a wonderful contribution to science your brain would make, Mr. Chan!
Charlie Chan: Thank you so much, but for present would prefer to keep same for own use.
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Movie Connections:

FAQ

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20 out of 20 people found the following comment useful.
Most Enjoyable Charlie Chan, 28 October 2005
8/10
Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

This has to be the wildest of the Charlie Chan movies I've seen. It was Sidney Toler's first effort in the lead role, replacing Warner Oland, and it featured more comedy than any other Chan film to that point.

In this film, Chan and his number two son Tommy, his number five son Charlie Jr., and others including a doctor who keeps a live brain in his suitcase, all provide laughs. Along the way is a funny-faced lunatic animal keeper and a lion on the loose. They provide a lot of laughs.

As far as suspects go, there is a strange psychiatrist (the one with the portable brain), two pretty women, two ship's captains, a guy disguised as a cop and his suspect. I told you it was wild. It's too difficult to figure out "whodunnit," so you just sit back and enjoy the wild action and humor.

Yeah, it's silly.....but it''s tremendously enjoyable.

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Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
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