An Exercise In Nonsense

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Review - The Wax Museum, released 9-6-40 A seven, on a one-to-ten scale, is as far as I go downward in value for a rating of any Charlie Chan movie, then the film reviewed presently is a definite seven; no consideration of improving either. Almost the entire movie is set at the subject wax museum, where Charlie Chan solves another case, without the help from really anybody, but using his own gift to analyze events, results and rely upon his own deductions. Son Jimmy is no help at any given time, but then what else is new. Reference to the automat brings one back to the days of the vending of meals from the small glass portals. Toothpicks were available at these automats for all diners. The wider toothpicks could be placed to the lips in such a way to cast something a few feet away, thus the mention of the usage to propel a poison dart. A wax museum filled with criminal figures and some law enforcement images worked to hide some of the guilty parties and suspects. There were secret panels, trap doors, cellar laboratories and a not too bright night watchman showing up in the activity surrounding the case. We are about midway through the Fox productions with this movie starring Sidney Toler. No comedic chauffer, but enough of the son that would not obey any order from his father. When your father asks you to do something, do it, instead of delaying the crime solving. The premise is for Charlie Chan to expose the same physician to the reputed surgeries he was performing to alter the faces of known murderers. These criminals could then continue their evil deeds while invisible to the law. Charlie suspects a certain Dr. Cream of altering the face of a recent killer and being responsible for other criminals' appearances. Further, the premise is to exonerate an innocent man, convicted and hanged. Charlie is determined to see justice prevail by putting the bad guys away for good and clearing the name of the innocent man, Joe Rocke, wrongfully sent to the gallows. The museum is a front for the laboratory where the crooked Dr. Cream has surgically changed the faces of two ruthless criminals wandering about the museum as a radio broadcast discussion between Charlie Chan and Dr. Otto von Brum is to take place.Dr. von Brum doesn't make it away from the broadcast, and the chase is on to find his killer. Unfortunately, von Brum wasn't the only killing that took place before the murderer was apprehended. Charlie follows his suspicions, tricking the killer, getting his confession in front of the group, namely the Homicide Inspector. A most peculiar manner is chosen to murder. A blow-dart used to kill had been an effective way of killing for the eventual perpetrator throughout his crime history. The method was effective and was known to Charlie as the modus operandi of the gangster. Catching the perpetrator by means of a pseudo-dart was genius by Chan. Mrs. Joe Rocke thanks Mr. Chan for clearing her husband's name, for which she is deeply grateful. Chan replies, justice is like virtue, brings its own reward.

A convicted murderer is sentenced to die. As they are taking him out, he easily escapes. He then goes to a wax museum where a doctor performs plastic surgery on criminals to change their faces. Each week a radio broadcast on famous crimes is done at the museum. Charlie is the guest detective one evening. Meanwhile, all sorts of intrigue is going on. To make matters worse, Jimmy Chan finds a way into the museum. One of the problems, however, is we have a hard time keeping up with all the mistaken identities. There are secret rooms, passageways, wax figures and real figures. You name it. When a person is murdered, it sets things off. Chan was the intended victim but another man changed places at a table. Lots of real fun. Oh, they have scenes where the lights go out and things are taken and people leave the room. I'm waiting for a Charlie Chan movie where they don't do that. Action is very quick here and it makes the whole thing a lot of laughs.

One of the more interesting in the Charlie Chan mystery series. The honorable Chinese-American detective played by Sidney Toler uses his astute powers of deduction to solve two murder cases at once. A recently convicted killer(Marc Lawrence)hides out Dr. Cream's(C. Henry Gordon)wax museum and house of criminal horrors. The diabolical doctor does plastic surgery in the basement to change the faces of criminals and puts their likeness in his museum. Number Two Son Jimmy(Victor Sen Yung)actually offers some fruitful advice to his "pop" for a change. Chan also helps clear the name of a falsely condemned man by revealing the real killer in an older case. Terrific atmosphere and scenery for a mystery. The strong supporting cast includes: Joan Valerie, Ted Osborne, Joe King, Hilda Vaughn and Michael Visaroff.

This is my third review in a series of them for these days for the films of the Charlie Chan mysteries. It's also my first for the ones starring Sidney Toler as the famed detective with Victor Sen Yung (then billed as simply Sen Yung) as "Number 2 Son" Jimmy. In this one, Chan is a target for execution from a hood that escaped Death Row-which, of the latter, was due to Charlie's testimony-years earlier. I'll stop there and just say that while there's plenty of compelling atmospheric touches and some good humor concerning Jimmy's sneaking around the wax museum's exhibits, the way the whole thing gets revealed at the end seemed a little convoluted for my tastes (it probably didn't help that I almost fell asleep during some of the parts). Still, for the most part, I liked what I saw and I'll probably watch this again someday just to try to sort things out from what I remembered on previous viewing. Oh, and that female reporter (as many such parts in '40s movies tend to be) sure was stunning...