Charlie Chan at the Olympics

With Olympics fever currently raging, it seemed like an appropriate time to re-visit “Charlie Chan at the Olympics” (1937).

Historically, it’s a fascinating document in many ways, much more so than the “whodunit” aspects of the story.

Let’s quickly get the story out of the way. While undergoing a test flight in Honolulu, an experimental remote control airplane is hijacked. Honolulu’s Chief of Detectives Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) is on a fishing vacation with his young son when they spot the wreckage of a plane. Calling the authorities, they determine it is the missing plane and the plane’s new technology, a revolutionary new guidance system, has been stolen. The pilot’s corpse is found stuffed in the plane’s closet, a victim of murder.

Charlie and the plane’s inventors are sent to Germany to trace their main suspect, the plane’s mechanic. By a coincidence, Number One son Lee Chan (Keye Luke) is on his way to Berlin across the Atlantic via steamship as a member of the U.S. Olympics swimming team.

Charlie isn’t concerned his quarry has a jump start on them. Here we get a fascinating glimpse into 1937 global travel times, as described by Charlie Chan.

“Race not always won by man who start first. Please – will leave tomorrow in company with Hopkins and Cartwright on Clipper. Honolulu – 18 hours to mainland. Then transcontinental plane from San Francisco – 13 hours across country to New York. Take Zeppelin Hindenburg from Lakehurst, New Jersey across Atlantic Ocean to Friedrichschafen – 61 hours.”

Yes, THAT Hindenburg, and “Charlie Chan at the Olympics” was already dated before it opened. The Hindenburg exploded in Lakehurst, NJ on May 6, 1937 and “Charlie Chan at the Olympics” was released on May 21, 1937.  There is some very interesting footage of the Hindenburg as it soars above New York City.  I wonder how many people went to see “Charlie Chan at the Olympics” because they heard there was footage of the Hindenburg in the movie? I’m sure interest in the disaster was still very strong in the weeks after the explosion.

 

 Who else would have gone to see “Charlie Chan at the Olympics”? Chan fans, of course, and mystery buffs. And, most likely, Olympics fans, who got the rare opportunity to see footage of the historic 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

In those pre-television days, only newsreels shown in theaters would have had footage of the Olympics. Olympics junkies would have read all the newspaper coverage of the Olympics, but only those newsreels offered actual footage.

But by going to see “Charlie Chan at the Olympics”, Olympics fans could see footage of the arrivals, the opening ceremonies, and Jesse Owens and team win gold medals in the 4 x 100 meter relay.

I wonder how many Olympics devotees went to see the Charlie Chan film just to glimpse that precious footage? I would suspect quite a few. (Leni Riefenstahl’s “Olympia”, her propagandistic look at the Berlin Olympics,  did not come until 1938, but I don’t know what kind of distribution it got here).

What’s also interesting about the documentary footage is what it does not show. No swastikas and no Hitler to be seen anywhere, though it’s hard not to miss the upraised arm salute in the front row as the Olympic torch is carried into the stadium. (There’s no swastikas to be glimpsed on the Hindenburg either, though I don’t know if it was airbrushed out or it’s just not seen from those angles).

Many Hollywood films of the mid-1930s were neutral about Hitler and the rise of Nazism, and the studios did not want to risk a German boycott of their product if even one film from their studio gave offense to the German government. “Charlie Chan at the Olympics” is no exception. Even a glimpse of a swastika in a Chan film may have been seen by some as an endorsement, or as an affront by others.  

Indeed, the local police inspector, Strasser (Frederick Vogeding) wears a Kaiser-style hat, as do his men, like something out of an operetta.  No Gestapo-style outfits here, as 20^th Century Fox was doing everything it could not to offend Germany. At the end of the film, Charlie even makes it a point to thank the Berlin police for their cooperation.

We can laugh now, but it was a real dilemma for the studios at the time. In his book Charlie Chan at the Movies (McFarland & Company, 1989), Ken Hanke writes about how the German government threatened a wholesale boycott of Universal Studios movies if changes weren’t made to James Whale’s World War I film “The Road Back” (1937). The resultant changes shred Whale’s vision into an almost unrecognizable state.

Back to the movie. Not only is there the murder of the pilot in Honolulu to be solved, but the return of the guidance system, which is being peddled to an unnamed foreign power. Again, no mention of Germany at all.

There are quite a few familiar faces on hand here, including some who had made, or will make, appearances in other Charlie Chan films. There’s Mr. Dithers, I mean Jonathan Hale, who was also a suspect in “Charlie Chan at the Race Track” (1936). A particular favorite of mine, C. Henry Gordon, whose final film would be “Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum” (1940), is here in all his beady-eyed glory.

Cecil B. DeMille’s adopted daughter Katherine is one of those dastardly foreign agents. Representing All-American wholesomeness on the U.S. Olympics team is Allan Lane, future B cowboy star and later the voice of Mr. Ed.

 

 

Very easy on the eyes is cute-as-a-button Pauline Moore, shown modeling what the best-dressed American athletes wore at the 1936 Olympics. Pauline Moore also appeared in my personal favorite Chan film, “Charlie Chan at Treasure Island” (1939). See, the miracle movie year of 1939 also produced a great Chan title.

While I enjoy “Charlie Chan at the Olympics” for the reasons cited above, I’ve always found it ludicrous that Lee Chan is made part of the U.S. Olympics swim team, and winning the Gold Medal!. Surely there could have been other ways to include him in the story? It always seemed very clumsy to me.

 

To the best of my recollection, Lee he is never shown training in any of the previous Chan films, and in later entries, he is never referred to as a Gold Medal winner.

Only for this movie is his incredible swimming prowess revealed.

Still, “Charlie Chan at the Olympics” is most enjoyable, even though it would have been nice to spend more time at the Olympics. While the mystery is negligible, as a historic document, it continues to hold interest. And even an average Charlie Chan film makes for a satisfying evening’s entertainment.

Daughter of the Dragon

Before he was Charlie Chan, Warner Oland essayed the role of Fu Manchu in three movies from Paramount Studios in the early talkie days: “The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu” (1929), “The Revenge of Fu Manchu” (1930) and “Daughter of the Dragon” (1931). (Oland also played Fu Manchu in a skit in “Paramount on Parade” (1930), a film I’d love to see someday).

I had never seen any of these until last night, when I pulled out a tape of “Daughter of the Dragon”, which TCM ran several months ago as part of their examination of Asian portrayals in cinema.

It was a lot of fun. It’s deliriously pulpy in a way that so many early 1930s movies can be. Unfortunately, Oland’s Fu Manchu checks out early, about the 20-minute mark, leaving daughter Ling Moy (Anna May Wong) to carry out his vengeance against the Petrie family. Fu Manchu holds Dr. Petrie (Holmes Herbert) responsible for the death of his family, and is going to return the favor with Petrie’s son (Bramwell Fletcher).

In the series of Fu Manchu novels by Sax Rohmer, Fu Manchu’s opponents were the imitation Holmes and Watson characters of Sir Nayland Smith and his assistant Dr. Petrie. Nayland Smith makes no appearance in “Daughter of the Dragon”, which is disappointing to followers of the books. In fact, it’s been years since I read “Daughter of Fu Manchu” but nothing in “Daughter of the Dragon” looked familiar to me so I suspect that, like the much more elaborate “Mask of Fu Manchu” produced by M-G-M a year later, only the title of the book survived.

“Daughter of the Dragon” is eminently watchable for its 70-minute running time, but it really kicks into high gear during the last 20 minutes, what with kidnappings, poisonings, secret passageways, dramatic last minute rescues and a (potential) eye torture scene that had me squirming.

I would like to see Oland’s other Fu Manchu performances. He’s OK here, but not the gloriously evil Fu Manchu I remember from the books. Here he’s too easily dispatched; the Fu Manchu of the books is more of a mysterious, unstoppable presence. I also prefer my Fu Manchu creating elaborate plans to take over the world, rather than a mere revenge story told here.

Interestingly enough, the hero of the film is not whiny Bramwell Fletcher, but a Scotland Yard detective played by the Japanese actor Sessue Hayakawa. He becomes immediately smitten with Ling Moy – who wouldn’t? – but doesn’t forget that she is carrying on her father’s wishes. Their final scene is quite poignant and moving, and a good reminder that the more these Pre-Code gems are unearthed, the more we see that Hollywood did allow minorities to play roles beyond the stereotypical servant. Not often of course, but enough to say that not ALL Hollywood movies dealt in stereotypes.

For fans of Universal horror films, we get Bramwell Fletcher, unforgettable in his opening mad scene in “The Mummy.” (1932). His Petrie Jr. is stunningly ineffectual; it’s a good thing Hayakawa is around to take care of Ling Moy, because Petrie isn’t up to the task. Petrie’s romantic interest, before Ling Moy enters the picture, is played by Frances Dade, who played Lucy to Lugosi’s Dracula the previous year.

Rumors abound that TCM is negotiating with Universal, holder of the rights of the pre-1948 Paramount library, to show more early 1930s Paramount titles. I hope so, and I hope that package includes the earlier Fu Manchu movies. I bet they’d be fascinating to see.

Rating for “Daughter of the Dragon”: Two and a half stars.

Charlie Chan in Honolulu

An ongoing argument among film fans is who is the better Charlie Chan, Warner Oland or Sidney Toler? Myself, I’m going to take the coward’s way out and say I prefer them both equally well, but if I had a gun to my head I would give the nod to Oland.

The arguments can begin anew with the DVD release of “Charlie Chan Vol. 4,” the first four Chan titles produced by 20th Century Fox and starring Sidney Toler as the famous Chinese detective.

Last night I watched the first one, “Charlie Chan in Honolulu” (1938), a respectable enough offering, but one where we can see Fox was tentatively feeling their way with their new Chan.

Warner Oland’s Charlie Chan series was an exceptionally popular one with audiences, and he would likely have gone on playing Chan much longer, but personal problems and an ongoing struggle with alcohol caused a premature death in 1937. The Chan series was too popular to let die, so a replacement was sought. Many were tested, but eventually American actor Sidney Toler was chosen for the role. He played the role 22 times, 11 films for Fox. When the studio lost interest in 1942, he purchased the rights to the character and continued the role at 11 low budget mysteries at Poverty Row studio Monogram Pictures until his death from cancer in 1947.

Oland is a more personable, warmer Chan, but Toler adds personal touches to make the character his own. I’ve always enjoyed when he smiles and nods politely at people, but when they turn away the smile instantly disappears. He wants the murder suspects to think he’s too polite for words, but we know there’s a keen mind at work.

Fox took no chances with their first Sidney Toler title and assigned H. Bruce Humberstone to direct “Charlie Chan in Honolulu.” Humberstone directed several of the better Oland titles, such as “Charlie Chan at the Opera” (1936), “Charlie Chan at the Race Track” (1936) and “Charlie Chan at the Olympics” (1937). Humberstone always knew how to keep things moving, though the first Toler film does some suffer from some painful comedy relief.

The opening scenes of “Charlie Chan in Honolulu” are a delight, with Charlie eating breakfast with his wife and 13 children. Number Two son Jimmy (Sen Yung) wants to become a detective like his famous father and help him out on his cases, which Charlie is not too keen on. Number One son Lee is off in New York at art school. (Keye Luke had played Lee in the Warner Oland films, but did not return for the Toler series, out of respect, it is believed, for Warner Oland, for whom he was quite fond.)

Charlie and his wife are about to become grandparents for the first time, courtesy of Number One Daughter. When they get the call from the hospital the Chan brood rushes off to the hospital. But a phone call just after Charlie has left informs one of his kids that a murder has occurred on a ship docked outside of Honolulu and for Charlie to get their pronto. Lee decides this is his big break and decides to impersonate his dad and solve the murder. Then an impressed Charlie will have to hire Jimmy as his assistant.

A flaw in the movie is that too much footage is devoted to Jimmy investigating the murder, so it’s a good 20 minutes or so (out of a 68-minute movie) before Charlie starts his investigation. Another irritant is the amount of comedy relief footage given over to a lion tamer, played by vaudeville comedian Eddie Collins and his lion. Fortunately, such long stretches of comedy relief will disappear from the remaining Fox films.

Apart from Collins, there’s a juicy list of suspects aboard, including the great George Zucco as an eccentric psychiatrist studying the human brain (he even keeps a brain in his state room for research). Zucco is a delight here, gleefully talking about the glories of the human brain and we can tell he would love to examine Charlie’s if he ever got the chance.

There are two exceptionally attractive women on board, blonde bombshell Phyllis Brooks and the always watchable Claire Dodd. Heck, I’d sail on that ship in a heartbeat, even with a murderer aboard.

Richard Lane, best known for playing Inspector Farraday in the Boston Blackie movies, is on board impersonating a detective. Marc Lawrence, as his gangster prisoner, looks especially natty in his pinstriped suit. Lawrence had a long screen career, even appearing in two 007 movies until his last credit, the “Looney Tunes” movie (2004). Charlie Chan and James Bond movie appearances - that’s worth more than a couple of Oscars right there.

The ship’s crew is headed by First Mate John King (later a B western star) and Captain Robert Barrat (“Captain Blood”)

Lots of suspects there, and in true Chan tradition, Jimmy proves a nuisance trying to help his dad. But Charlie traps the killer, as he always does, and discovers he’s a grandfather in the final scene.

The DVD transfer on this title is excellent, and the two documentaries, one called “Re-Imagining Chan” and one on Sidney Toler, are first-rate. I’m looking forward to viewing the other films in Volume 4.

“Charlie Chan in Honolulu” isn’t the best film in the series, thank to too much comedy relief, but that wonderful supporting cast of familiar faces and the always welcome presence of Charlie Chan makes this a pleasant, diverting experience. Toler would grow into the role, and the best films were still to come.

Rating for “Charlie Chan in Honolulu”: Two and a half stars.

Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo

“Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo” (1937) has always been my least favorite of the Warner Oland Chans, and last night’s viewing on DVD did nothing to dispel that notion.

The mystery is perfunctory, the supporting cast is colorless, and it just sits there. Oland is as likeable as ever, and there’s an amusing scene where Charlie tries to order waffles for breakfast to an uncomprehending French waiter, but that’s about it.

The last scene is bittersweet though, as Charlie and Number One Son Lee (Keye Luke) drive off and Charlie waves goodbye. Warner Oland died later that year. This was his last film and it’s almost as if he’s waving goodbye to us.

The recent DVD release does offer a splendid transfer and there’s a very interesting documentary on Warner Oland. He had a drinking problem which led to his premature death, but he was by all accounts a warm and gentle man who genuinely enjoyed playing Charlie Chan and thought Charlie was a good role model. He never objected to the typecasting and looked forward to playing Charlie for years to come. Alas, it was not to be.

Twentieth Century Fox is to be commended for the wonderful job they’ve done with the Chan volumes. Charlie Chan Vol. 4 is in the pipeline which means the introduction of Sidney Toler to the series. While I prefer the warm and human portrayal that Warner Oland brings to the character, I think I prefer the Sidney Toler titles as actual films. The scripts are sharper, the suspects more colorful and the productions more polished. There’s more comedy with Number Two Son Jimmy (Victor Sen Yung) proving to be more of a loving irritation to Charlie than Number One Son Lee ever was.

If Fox sticks to releasing them in chronological order, Vol. 4 will contain “Charlie Chan in Honolulu” (1938), a good one; “Charlie Chan in Reno” (1939), another good one; “Charlie Chan at Treasure Island” (1939), arguably the best Charlie Chan movie; and “Charlie Chan in City of Darkness” (1939), arguably the worst.

Three out of four isn’t bad.

Rating for “Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo”: Two stars.

More Chan Coming This Summer

I was very pleased to hear that Fox Home Video is continuing their DVD releases of the Charlie Chan series. Volume 3, due in stores on August 14, is a particular bonanza as it contains the remaining Warner Oland Chan films, including the long sought-after "The Black Camel" previously available only on bootleg tapes of poor quality. (There are several additional Warner Oland Charlie Chan titles from the early 1930s titles that are lost. It is hoped they will turn up in a dusty corner of some vault somewhere).

One title happily not lost, however, is "The Black Camel."

"The Black Camel" from 1931, was apparently leased by Warner Home Video. I haven't seen it in more than 30 years when a film collector friend loaned it to my dad on 16 mm. If memory serves it's pretty good. Unlike most Hollywood films at the time that were filmed on studio backots, Fox sent cast and crew to Honolulu to film on location. The scenes of 1931 Hawaii are fascinating, and as an added bonus to horror buffs, the film re-teams "Dracula" stars Bela Lugosi and Dwight Frye as suspects. I'm really looking to re-visiting this one.

"Charlie Chan's Secret" was previously released on VHS, and is a good mystery involving a mysterious mansion and a seance. "Charlie Chan on Broadway" has a jaw dropping twist at the end. "Charlie Chan in Monte Carlo" was Warner Oland's last film, and is, sad to say, one of the weakest Chan films of all. The mystery is uninvolving and Oland seems distracted and bored. There is an amusing sequence, however, when Charlie tries to order a waffle for breakfast from an uncomprehending French waiter.

As an added bonus, the set will include the first talkie Charlie Chan film, the 1929 "Behind That Curtain." Though based on a Chan novel, the film only includes Charlie briefly at the very end. The rest of it is pretty dull stuff, though for the completist in us, it will be nice to have.

Augst 14 can't come soon enough.