Wow! Such a good movie.

Must See Movie...

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Charlie Chan in Paris (1935) *** (out of 4)Another good entry in the Fox series has Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) working in Paris trying to crack some fraudulent bonds. He receives a warning to leave town but of course he doesn't but the stakes rise when his undercover assistant is murdered.Up to this point in the series, CHARLIE CHAN IN Paris was without question the best. This is due in large part to the fine performances, a great little mystery and one of the most memorable murder sequences from this period of films. It's clear that the series kept making money for Fox or else they wouldn't have kept making them but it also shows that the studio was willing to treat the series with respect and that includes coming up with a very good screenplay.The story itself is one that works extremely well because all of the twists and turns are nicely done and help build up a very good mystery. The movie will certainly keep the viewer off guard as we get several suspects but the mystery of the killer is never given away early in the film, which just helps keep you more involved with the plot. Another major plus is that we're given one of the more effective murder scenes from any film around this time. We get a terrific shot of the murderer getting ready to throw a knife into the victim and then we get a terrific shot of the victim screaming as she knows what is about to happen. This sequence is extremely well-shot and highly effective.Of course, the performances are another major plus with Oland once again doing a terrific job in the lead. He certainly had everything from the walk to the talk down cold and there's no doubt that he could have done this film in his sleep. He manages to bring the character to life and his line delivery, especially on the comedy, is remarkable. The strong supporting cast includes nice work from the likes of Mary Brian, Erik Rhodes, John Wualen and of course Keye Luke who makes his appearance as the #1 son. CHARLIE CHAN IN Paris really succeeds on all levels making it one of the more memorable films of the series.

I think this is the best of the Chan films that I have seen so far.*Involving mystery.*Some suspense.*Very good lurking in the dark room/sewers scenes.*Engaging banter between Chan and son Lee(Keye Luke).*John Qualen cameo(line in the Searchers-Next time I raise Pigs by Golly!), blink and ya miss him.*Oland very good here.*Check out the pseudo-Astair and Rogers-like opening dance number where Nardi is killed. That was something else.*Amazing how awful later entries ala 'Sky Dragon' got. Wow.*** outta ****, if you like Chan this is one you will wanna see.

Charlie Chan in Paris is another solid entry in the Charlie Chan series. In this one, Chan is hot on the heels of a gang of bond forgers. The criminals' trail takes him from the night clubs of Paris to the cities famous sewers. And the sewers in Charlie Chan in Paris are as uninviting a place as Chan ever visited. There's a real sense of menace and danger in these scenes. Warner Oland is as good as ever. Ably assisting Chan is son Lee played by Keye Luke. He may not have been the only son to come to his father's aid in the series, but Luke was by far the best, least annoying of the bunch. Unlike later Charlie Chan films where the offspring are there for little more than comic relief, Lee actually helps his father and saves his life on more than one occasion. The rest of the cast is good, but nothing outstanding. The mystery elements of the story are enjoyable. The criminals' identities will keep you guessing up to the very end.I suppose that this is as good a time as any to write about my feelings on the racial aspects and controversy surrounding the Charlie Chan films in recent years. Growing up, I'm not sure if I realized Warner Oland wasn't Asian or not, but it didn't matter. Through Chan, Oland taught honesty, self respect, and the importance of education. He taught this young fan of the importance of accepting all people, regardless of race, including Asians. I think these are good important lessons to learn regardless of Oland's ethnic origins. There's an unfortunate scene in Charlie Chan in Paris where one of the characters attempts to make a joke at Chan's expense by speaking to him in pigeon English. Chan quickly turns the table on him with class and grace and makes the would-be jokester the butt of his own joke. Good going Charlie!

Charlie Chan goes to Paris, he says on a vacation, but is investigating the Lamartine bank (the richest and most prestigious bank in France) where several forged bonds have circulated across Europe. Nardi, one half of an Apache dance and Chan's Parisian contact, is killed just before he can get any information from her. Looking through Nardi's room, Chan finds a book of her notes, which point suspicion on Albert Dufresne, a worker in the bank. Dufresne is murdered by a mysterious beggar, Xavier Marcel and the blame is placed on Yvette Lamartine, daughter of the bank's president. Chan, son Lee, and Victor Descartes (Yvette's fiancé) must uncover the counterfeiting ring and discover who is disguising himself as Marcel. This is one of the better Chan's in the series, with plenty of mysterious goings-on throughout the film. Nice set locations in the film giving the audience feelings of the Parisian nightlife, dark alleys, and even sewer system. This is the first film to feature Keye Luke as number one son Lee, which gives Oland to play Chan as the fatherly genial type, which is an improvement over the previous entry, Charlie Chan in London. Rating, 8.