Highly Overrated But Still Good

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) is called to investigate a murder aboard a freighter docked in Honolulu. There's pressure on Charlie to solve the case quickly so the freighter can leave, as well as waiting on news about the birth of his first grandchild and dealing with meddlesome son Jimmy's attempts to be a detective.It was nice to see Charlie's family again, especially Charlie Chan, Jr. (Layne Tom, Jr.). This is also the first appearance of "Number Two Son" Jimmy Chan (Victor Sen Yung). He's not as charming as Keye Luke's Lee Chan, but he's fun and enjoyable in his own way. Supporting cast features Robert Barrat, Richard Lane, and the great George Zucco. This is Sidney Toler's first Charlie Chan film. Toler's Chan was different from Oland's. A little more snark from Charlie and more comic relief from sidekicks. While I prefer Warner Oland, Sidney Toler was an admirable replacement and most of his Chan movies are good. At least until the series moved to Monogram.

This was the first Charlie Chan movie to star Sidney Toler (following the death of Warner Oland). Along with a new Chan came a new Chan Child, as Victor Sen Yung (Jimmy Chan--also called #2 Son) took over from Keye Luke. In the case of Toler, he was a bit different from Oland--less servile and passive--more cranky and physical. I liked the jobs both men did as Chan and couldn't help but laugh at Toler's cranky comments about the bumbling Jimmy.The plot involves a murder on a freighter bound for Hawaii. When the police call the Chan household to ask him to investigate, one of the Chan children (Layne Tom Jr.) takes the call but instead of telling his father, tells Jimmy. Jimmy, like #1 Son, wants to be a detective and decides to investigate on his own. Later, fortunately, Charlie arrives to extricate Jimmy from the mess he created! The plot is okay though not great by Chan standards. The biggest fault I had with it was that some of the characters acted so stupidly you wish Chan had just arrested them all! For example, when he tells everyone to stay on the ship when it arrives so he can complete the investigation, one of them runs from the ship anyways! Also, George Zucco's character is just bizarre and crazy--like he should be in one of his B-horror films--yet he's supposed to be a psychiatrist! Despite these and other writing gaffs, the film is entertaining enough to watch and enjoy as well as not miss Oland's talents all that much. A good, but not great first effort from Toler.

Fairly good blend of comedy and mystery. There's been a murder aboard ship in Honolulu and Charlie must leave his clan and expectant daughter-in-law to investigate. Highlight for me is George Zucco doing his mad scientist routine with usual straight face. Here he collects human brains in bottles, and when he grabs Jimmy Chan (Sen Yung) to measure his head, it's funnier than all the other antics combined. Fine cast, including fast-talking Dick Lane, sinister Marc Lawrence, Kewpie-doll Phyllis Brooks, and the much-underrated Claire Dodd with a force to her that's good enough for A-pictures. Also, it's a sprightly Sydney Toler in his first turn as the Chinese detective. For me, the rotund rubber-faced Eddie Collins is a matter of taste, but he does have his moments with the pet lion (likely left over from another production). Anyway, it's a good fast 60 minutes with a well-developed array of suspects and a number of chuckles.

Upon Warner Roland's death, it was SIDNEY TOLER's turn to play the Chinese detective with the huge family. This time his son is played by Victor Sen Yung, who would go on to play the role of Jimmy Chan in many future Chan films.This time the plot involves $300,000 of stolen money and a slew of passengers aboard a freighter, several of which are suspicious enough to be questioned by Chan about their associations. RICHARD LANE, MARC LAWRENCE, PHYLLIS BROOKS, EDDIE COLLINS and ROBERT BARRAT are the chief suspects but it's GEORGE ZUCCO, a mad doctor with thick glasses carrying a live brain in a suitcase, who makes the most vivid impression and, at one point, actually seems to be the killer when a couple of murders occur.Not the best of the series, but it does make a good start for Sidney Toler who would go on to keep playing Chan until the mid-'40s. The comic relief from Eddie Collins is sometimes painful and Chan's quotations are a bit much, as usual. He gathers the passengers together for the final scene and stages a bit of detective work that gives the story a nice finish.Summing up: As usual, the viewer is given almost no way to solve the crime.