CHARLIE CHAN CARRIES ON
US, 1931, 76 minutes, Black-and-white.
Warner Oland, John Garrick, Marguerite Churchill.
Directed by Hamilton Mc Fadden.
This is one of four lost Charlie Chan film starring Warner Oland. It was the first of a series which lasted for eight years until Oland’s illness and death and the taking on of Sydney Toler as Chan in the number of films from the late 30s to the later 1940s.
However, the Spanish-language version of the film exists, using the screenplay from the English-language version but with a new cast, Hispanic in appearance, Hispanic in expressions and emotions despite the rather British setting is. And, a Mexican actor appears as Chan, not particularly convincing in appearance or manner. While audiences can imagine how Warner Öland might have played Charlie Chan after seeing the other films, the performance here highlights how dignified Öland was in presence, bearing, movement, delivery of lines, especially his aphorisms.
The story actually comes from a novel by the creator of Charlie Chan, Earl Dear Biggers, whereas most of the succeeding films were written by and screenwriters based on his character (and very effective in their way). In fact, Charlie Chan is mentioned at the beginning and a photo of his family seen, but he does not appear until 40 minutes into the film and has something of a subsidiary role.
The plot is basic, a tour group in London finds of one of their members is murdered, Scotland Yard intervenes, a wide range of suspects. Motivations are suggested. There is also a subplot of romance with one of the tour members and the granddaughter of the man who is murdered.
There is nothing to hold the group in Britain so they continue on their travels, with some sequences in the south of France where there is another murder, an indication of who the murderer is, the estranged husband of an actress who has eloped stealing his bags of diamonds. But, the authorities do not know who the actual identity is. There are suggestions are further travels, including Hong Kong from where they sailed to Honolulu. The English Inspector arrives, engages Charlie Chan in the investigation, there are interrogations, suspicions, attempted murder is, Chan not knowing who exactly the killer is so writing the same letter to each of the suspects forcing the killer into action and his being caught.
A pity that the original is lost, the Spanish-language version being a curiosity item.
CHARLIE CHAN FILMS
Charlie Chan was the creation of novelist Earl Deer Biggers, creator of the popular novel Seven Keys to Baldpate (adapted for the stage in the early 20th century and the plot of many films of the same name and variations). Biggers saw the beginning of the popularity of the films of Charlie Chan in the silent era but died at the age of 48 in 1933, just as the series with Warner Land was becoming more popular.
20th Century Fox was responsible for the early Charlie Chan films with Warner Oland and gave them more prestigious production values than many of the short supporting features of the time. After Oland’s death, Fox sold the franchise to Monogram Pictures with Sidney Toler in the central role. They were less impactful than the early films. There were some films later in the 1940s with Roland Winters in the central role.
The films generally ran for about 71 minutes, and similarities in plots, often a warning to Charlie Chan to leave a location, his staying when murders are committed, displaying his expertise in thinking through situations and clues. He generally collaborates with the local police who, sometimes seem, characters, but ultimately are on side.
Warner Oland was a Swedish actor who came with his family to the United States when he was a child. Some have commented that for his Chinese appearance he merely had to adjust his eyebrows and moustache to pass for Chinese – even in China where he was spoken to in Chinese. And the name, Charlie Chan, became a common place for reference to a Chinese. In retrospect there may have been some racial stereotype in his presentation but he is always respectful, honouring Chinese ancestors and traditions. Charlie Chan came from Honolulu.
Quite a number of the film is Keye Luke appeared as his son, very American, brash in intervening, make mistakes, full of American slang (and in Charlie Chan in Paris mangling French). Luke had an extensive career in Hollywood, his last film was in 1990 been Woody Allen’s Alice and the second Gremlins film.
Quite a number of character actors in Hollywood had roles in the Charlie Chan films, and there was a range of directors.
Oland had a portly figure and the screenplay makes reference to this. His diction is precise and much of the screenplay is in wise sayings, aphorisms, which are especially enhanced by the omission of “the� and “a� in delivery which makes them sound more telling and exotic.
There was a Charlie Chan film the late 1970s, Charlie Chan and the Dragon Queen with Peter Ustinov in the central role.
