Charlie Chan in Shanghai (1935)

Instant Favorite.

How sad is this?

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

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.

Warner Oland (Charlie Chan), Irene Hervey (Diana Woodland), Jon Hall (Philip Nash), Keye Luke (Lee Chan), Russell Hicks (Andrews), Halliwell Hobbes (Colonel Watkins), Frederick Vogeding (Marloff), Max Wagner (taxi-driver henchman), Neil Fitzgerald (Dakin), Gladden James (Forrest, the valet), David Torrence (Sir Stanley Woodland), Guy Usher (president, chamber of commerce), Sun Wong (Moy Ming), Colin Kenny, Jimmy Phillips, Pat Somerset, Phil Tead, Luke Chan, Jack Chefe (reporters), Lynn Bari (2nd hotel switchboard operator), James B. Leong (Shanghai police operator), Harrison Greene, Frank Darien (tourists in café), Charles Haefeli (crook on boat), Russell Hopton, Eddie Hart ("G"-men), Eddie Lee (servant), Torben Meyer (French diplomat), Pat O'Malley (Belden), Harry Strang (chauffeur), Walter Wong, Sammee Tong (waiters), Jehim Wong (rickshaw boy at dock), Charles Stevens (beggar), Francis Pierlot (missionary), Hamilton MacFadden (reporter at stern of launch), Regina Rambeau.Director: JAMES TINLING. Original screenplay: Edward T. Lowe and Gerard Fairlie. Based on characters created by Earl Derr Biggers. Photography: Barney McGill. Film editor: Nick DeMaggio. Art directors: Duncan Cramer and Lewis Creber. Costumes designed by Alberto Luza. Wardrobe master: Sam Benson. Camera operator: Rudolph Maté. Music director: Samuel Kaylin. Stunts: Chick Collins, Bob Rose, Dick Stoney. Assistant director: Aaron Rosenberg. Music recording: Vinton Vernon. Sound recording: Albert Protzman. Western Electric Sound Recording. Associate producer: John Stone. Executive producer: Winfield Sheehan.Copyright 11 October 1935 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation. Presented by Fox Film Corporation. New York opening at the Roxy: 13 October 1935. Australian release: 27 November 1935. 6,300 feet. 70 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Charlie Chan bests an opium ring operating in Shanghai. NOTES: Number twelve of the 48-picture series.COMMENT: Another highly enjoyable excursion for Chan fans. In this one, Warner Oland not only makes with the usual aphorisms, but speaks in Chinese and even sings! Keye Luke makes an engaging number one son. The other players are likewise well served by the script (despite the fact that it's packed with inside jokes): Russell Hicks has the role of his career as a G-man; the heroine is a really attractive little lass; and the hero is most ingratiatingly played by Jon Hall (under his real name, Charles Locher). Director James Tinling takes excellent advantage of some eye- catching sets and production values, keeping the action moving at a smart pace and staging one or two really spectacular stunts. Other technical credits, including Barney McGill's attractively atmospheric black-and-white cinematography, are likewise highly appealing.

Charlie Chan in Shanghai (1935)** 1/2 (out of 4) Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) is in Shanghai where he's about to receive an award but at the ceremony and man is murdered in a very clever way. Soon Chan and Lee Chan (Keye Luke) are investigating the murder, which leads to several attempts on their own lives.CHARLIE CHAN IN SHANGHAI is certainly the weakest film in the series up to this point. That's not to say that this isn't an entertaining entry in the long-running series but it seems a lot of different things were asleep at the wheel including the story and the characters. It seems that they tried to make up for the lack of story by throwing more bits of humor surrounding Chan's son but even this doesn't quite pay off.Again, the biggest issue is certainly the story itself, which is pretty routine from start to finish. Outside the clever way the first man is killed, there's really nothing too interesting here. The lack of any real villain is another thing that doesn't work and the lack of any good supporting players is another issue. This here really shocked me because you could say that the earlier films had enough stories for two movies yet this one here isn't given one or any good supporting players.Where the film does work is the greatness of Oland in his role of Chan. Once again he manages to really build this character up and there's no doubt that he's working hard trying to make up for the lack of a plot. Luke is also good in his supporting role, although the screenplay gives him a tad bit too much comedy that doesn't always work. The rest of the supporting cast give decent performances but no one really stands out.CHARLIE CHAN IN SHANGHAI isn't a bad movie per say but it's certainly lacking the script and characters of previous entries.

This is an engaging whodunit with a particularly charming back and forth between Warner Oland and Keye Luke. A good bit of action as well, with some some fisticuffs and bang bang. I was intrigued by several occasions where Chinese is spoken, although it appears none of it was critical to the plot. Certainly it is appropriate considering the locale in Shanghai. Some good little surprises here and there, with Charlie always ahead of everyone else in spite of a couple of perilous encounters.If you like this series in general, you should be quite pleased with this entry. Warner Oland is, at least I think, the best Chan, showing warmth and wit and a playfulness his antecedents seem to lack.

The original "Star Wars" had lots of weaknesses of imagination, but when it hit a sweet idea, we made up for all the inadequacies in our imagination. One of these is a roughneck bar where beings from all over the galaxy hang out. In the movie itself, the rubber masks and puppets are unforgivably cheap and lacking in imagination. But we allow it because the idea of such a place is fascinating.This movie features such a place, the "Cafe Versailles." It is a French Cafe in Shanghai, owned by a German drug smuggler. The entertainment is a Turkish belly dancer and many customers are sailors from all over the world. There's an overlord, an American in secret agent mufti. The police bosses are British and the unraveler is a Scandinavian pretending to be Chinese.This cafe features opium, which we are under the influence of, I'm sure; because I think we saw the very same set in one of the Basil Rathbone Holmes where he battles Moriarty, the Victorian equivalent of Vader, nay his superior.You might want to check out this entry in the Chan series just for a visit to this place. Otherwise, this is just one of a dreary parade, At least this one has an uncharacteristic twist at the end — in the cellar of the cafe.Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.