CHARLIE CHAN AND THE CURSE OF THE DRAGON QUEEN
US, 1980, 95 minutes, Colour.
Peter Ustinov, Lee Grant, Angie Dickinson, Richard Hatch, Brian Keith, Roddy McDowall?, Rachel Roberts, Michelle Pfeiffer.
Directed by Clive Donner.
Charlie Chan, hero of the movie quickies of the '30s and '40s, was the equivalent of a TV series hero - now a nostalgia cult figure. Already effectively parodied by Peter Sellers in Murder by Death, now enjoyably impersonated by Peter Ustinov and surprisingly aided by Richard Hatch, effective as the accident-prone, romantic hero grandson. Often silly, often (especially with Ustinov or Hatch) funny but boasting a star cast of Lee Grant, Brian Keith, Rachel Roberts, Roddy McDowall? and Angie Dickinson as the Dragon Queen and making considerable use of San Francisco and, especially, its colourful Chinatown, it is a pleasant, if not remarkable, tribute to the good old days of Charlie Chan.
Direction is by Clive Donner who made striking films in England in the '60s - Pinter's The Caretaker, Frederick Raphael's Nothing But The Best as well as Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush, Woody Allen's What's New, Pussycat and Alfred the Great. During the '60s in Hollywood he made flamboyant colourful parodies: Vampyra, The Thief of Baghdad, The Nude Bomb.
1. The popularity of the '30s detectives and private eyes? The memories of these B-film? Their entertainment value? The persona and style of the detective? Nostalgia, the 170s and 180s parodies and tributes?
2. The film's homage to the original: the black and white flashback sequences and the re-creation of the old styles? The festival of Charlie Chan films screening - and incorporation into the plot? Presenting the same characters, situation parallels? Mannerisms? The blend of humorous nostalgia and parody?
3. The use of San Francisco and locations, Chinatown, the affluence of San Francisco society, the police? Flamboyant costumes and decor? Special effects especially the chase? The bizarre murders?
4. The quality of the humour - silliness, raucous laughter, subtlety and parody? The proportion of each - and their success?
5. The atmosphere of the Dragon Queen as the deadly arch enemy? The credits sequences and her fingers, cigarettes, breathing smoke? Her place in the flashbacks about Bernie's murder? The confrontation with Charlie Chan and her imprisonment? Her release and the new confrontation, her threat to Chan? Her presence in the gardens? The long chase? The kidnapping of Lee Chan Junior? Her not being the murderess? Angie Dickinson's style as the arch enemy?
6. Charlie Chan and his reputation, manner of solving murders, his being saved by his son (and by his incompetent grandson), coming out of retirement? The helicopter arrival in New York, the admiration of the police? His white clothes, hat, appearance, humorous Chinese sayings? His love for his family and helping his grandson? The antagonism with the Dragon Queen? His detective skills, the chase sequences, hurrying to the theatre and avoiding the assassination attempt? Rescuing his grandson, resolving the murder? Peter Ustinov enjoying himself in the impersonation?
7. Lee Junior and his awkwardness and ambitions? Taking so long to get up, Cordelia on tape, the breakfast awkwardness with Gillespie and his grandmother, his old office and trying to answer the phone, the little girl attacking him for not finding her cat, his sending people into the water at the helicopter terminal, his love for Cordelia? The awkwardness and bumbling - successful comedy? The chase in Golden Gate Park to the beach? The marriage, his being kidnapped? The ingenuity to get the fierce dog to blow out the candle when hearing the song 'Happy Birthday to You'? His recognition of the clue about the scarf? The happy ending? The romantic bumbler hero? Cordelia and her Goldie Hawn style and her association with Lee in the adventures?
8. Lee Grant's style as Grandma - at home, her reaction to Bernie's murder and the revelation about the Dragon Queen? Her talking to Bernie's urn and the love sequences with it? Her dependence on Mrs. Dangers? On Gillespie? The oddball sequences at home with them? Her devotion to her grandson? Her dislike of Charles? The scenes in the hotel, the scarf strangling? Her hurrying to the theatre and the revelation of the truth? Her attempted escape - and dialogue with Charlie Chan on screen? Her going off arrested to the asylum at the end?
9. Mrs. Dangers and the parody of the eccentric housekeeper of 'Rebecca'? Rachel Roberts' skill in suggesting madness and loyalty? The particular comic sequences? Gillespie in the wheelchair and the parody of Dr. Gillespie? His keeping an eye on Grandma? His chasing the group in the wheelchair, the revelation that he could walk?
10. Baxter and his assistant - exasperation, parody of police films, his hypochondria and the various medicines?
11. The well-educated chauffeur and his being unmasked as a prince and Oxford graduate.
12. The set pieces and their enjoyment - the breakfast and Gillespie's taking the uneaten courses, the walk through New York's sleazy atmosphere and the bizarre murder in the nightclub, at the acupuncture clinic, the long chase with the carriages, the sequences in the cinema attic, in the theatre itself, in Chinatown? The happy ending? A light enjoyable parody highlighting the popularity of detectives throughout the difference decades of the century?
