Charlie Chan in Honolulu (1938)

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

A Masterpiece!

A Disappointing Continuation

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

This was slightly worse than "Charlie Chan At The Opera" but way better than "Behind That Curtain". This is mostly enjoyable because it features one of Charlie Chan's kids (the one featured before) trying to directly solve the case on his own. I can't help but thinking I was more aware of this character when I was younger. Now, there is something that could have been done a lot better. Despite the fact that the movie is titled "In Honolulu" it mostly takes place on a cruise ship. It still manages to have interesting characters and a good plot. It reminds me of that awful "Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan". This was infinitely better as it was not horribly acted and disappointing.I find it odd how one of the characters thinks he sees a ghost which everyone questions. Later, one of the characters claims he has a living brain and numerous others in store, but nobody questions that. The most amusing moments in the film are with the guy and his lion. Yeah, he finds a lion on the ship and they end up becoming friends. It makes little sense, but is very fun. I appreciate the mystery and it is pretty unexpected. ***.

In this Charlie Chan movie there is a murder on board a freighter that is carrying six passengers. One of them has $300,000 in cash that she is suppose to deliver to one of her bosses clients. The money gets swiped and is hidden in a lifeboat where another passenger discovers it. The guy who finds it is a crook on his way back to Frisco with a detective. This detective is actually his accomplice. Charlie has that figured out and both will go to jail at the end of the voyage. Chan's number two son goes on board before Charlie gets there and tries to solve the case. He doesn't of course but it is a funny enough scenario. When things finally settle it turns out that the ship's captain is the guilty party. He was trying to get a huge windfall through murder and theft. If you are old enough to remember "Death Valley Days" the captain is played by the narrator of that show. Sydney Toler is Chan for this movie but there were actually two who played the role. Each brought different aspects to the role. Both were white guys and both spoke pigeon English. In today's climate of political correctness that would never fly.

Sidney Toler makes his first appearance as the Oriental sleuth Charlie Chan. The honorable detective is at the dinner table with his brood eagerly awaiting the birth of his first grandchild. While at the hospital a call comes from headquarters for Charlie to investigate a murder aboard a Shanghai freighter bound for Honolulu. Number Two Son Jimmy(Sen Yung)takes the call and immediately sets out to prove that he has the makings of a detective and is mistaken for his father at the murder scene. Charlie arrives in time to keep Jimmy from being thrown overboard and to his surprise finds one of his younger sons Tommy(Layne Tom Jr.)on board as a stowaway. With more than enough possible suspects; Chan goes about finding a murderer and a thief, if not one in the same. His choices are an odd assortment of crew members, a real crook, the ship's captain and an heiress. Also in the cast: Phyllis Brooks, George Zucco, Claire Dodd and Robert Barrat.

This Charlie Chan, (Sidney Toler) keeps you busy seeing plenty of comedy performed by Jimmy Chan, (Victor Sen Young) oldest son to Charlie Chan who takes over an investigation of a murder which occurred aboard a freighter and claims he is Charlie Chan and gets himself deeply in trouble with his father. George Zucco, (Dr. Caredigan) appears in this film wearing glasses that look like the bottom of coco cola bottles and is very mysterious especially when he transports human brains along with him on his travels. Wild animals like tiger's, and lions also appear in this film and there are plenty of women who act very suspicious and one gal has in her possession $300,000 dollars which seems to disappear and more people are involved with this investigation. At the same time, Charlie Chan is expecting his first Grandchild and the entire family of fourteen all can be seen visiting the hospital room. You will never be able to figure out just who the killer is, because the film goes around like a Merry-go Round. Enjoy this 1938 B Film.