Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo (1937)

To me, this movie is perfection.

Purely Joyful Movie!

A Disappointing Continuation

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

Charlie Chan and "Number One Son" Lee are visiting Monte Carlo when a bank messenger is murdered and some bonds stolen. Sadly, this was Warner Oland's last Charlie Chan film. He's good in this, though he does seem a little 'off.' Whether this is my imagining things because I know about his problems offscreen, I don't know. He just doesn't seem as happy in this one as earlier films. Keye Luke is great, as always. Harold Huber, who appeared in Charlie Chan on Broadway as a different character, is fun here as a French police chief. It's not the best of the series, but still enjoyable. All of the Fox Chan films were at least watchable, whether Warner Oland or Sidney Toler were Chan. After the series moved to Monogram, quality declined greatly. The worst moments of Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo are better than anything in the Monogram series.

The famous Chinese detective is in Monte Carlo with eldest son Keye Luke in Charlie Chan At Monte Carlo for a little relaxation before going on to Paris. Of course Warner Oland was already there several pictures ago.The murder of bank manager Georges Renavent and later of chauffeur John Bleifer and the theft of bank bonds of Sidney Blackmer is the case that Oland gets involved in. Later on an American gangster George Lynn is also murdered. Lynn's got his own little racket going concerning Blackmer's wife Kay Linnaker.Blackmer's rival in another competing banking house also has much to gain. He's got a mistress played by Virginia Field who sends out her come hither glances and those are ultimately responsible for all three of the murders.Not one of the better Charlie Chans from Warner Oland. There is however a funny scene with Charlie and number one son trying to order breakfast in French and see what Charlie gets. This was also the last film for Warner Oland.Nice, but not as good as other Chan features.

Charlie and Enumerated Son Number One visit Monte Carlo in this one. There is a complicated scheme of murder and theft that follows and Charlie solves same with help of the Chief of Police. It's difficult to say much that's new about the movie because the series was so much the same from one episode to another. Any differences were accidents, not due to any change in essence. Warner Oland, as Charlie, doesn't really seem to have much to do here except observe the goings on. And Number One son contributes some humor, as when, for example, the seat of his pants catch fire. Ha ha. Anyway, the series being as repetitive as it was, any comments have to be either discursive or trivial.The Chief of Police in this instance is Harold Huber. He may have a fancy French name -- Jules Etienne Joubert -- but this guy was born in New York. You can tell from his marked American accent when he speaks French. It's even worse than mine, and that's saying a lot. He and the uvular "r" are strangers to one another. And his enactment of the role is out of vaudeville but he does resemble Fernandel a little.Two performances stand out. Edward Raquello is magnetic as the continentally unflappable, self-possessed, untrustworthy gambler. Man, has he got arrogant politesse down pat. His name notwithstanding, he was born in Poland. Can't imagine what happened to his career.Virginia Field is memorable too. Well, not so much for her performance as for her attractiveness -- not quite beautiful but more than just ordinary features. When it's disclosed that she is a former model, it's believable.Sidney Blackmer, as a wealthy suspect, does right by the role. He's pretty unpleasant. He had a long career and, when he tried being affable, as in "Rosemary's Baby", you could hear the agonized creak of joints long unused. In "The High and the Mighty" he was the angry passenger named Humphrey Agnew. That was in 1954 and came to be pretty funny later on. Kids, in the 1960s, Vice President Humphrey was succeeded by Vice President Agnew.One can lose a good deal of money without trying in the casinos of Monte Carlo. The roulette wheels don't have the double zero of American casinos but that's no help. When I was there I squandered almost one fifth of my entire travel budget. Okay. Sneer if you like, but ten dollars was a lot of money in those days.There's some comic bit that Keye Luke does that succeeds. It's not slapstick and it's not some dumb thing like his wearing disguises. I can't remember what it is now. I should have taken notes. But it's there, and worth a smile.

I must agree with the previous comment concerning how weak this movie is compared to some of the other earlier Chan movies.The plot stumbles along and seems to move in aimless directions. There are one or two good moments such as the breakfast scene, the waffles, and crossword puzzle book.Overall, however it's the only Warner Oland dud I've seen thus far.