Charlie Chan in Shanghai (1935)

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.

This is a nice clean mystery. Charlie is in Shanghai to receive some sort of honor. After a couple testimonials, a dear friend of his opens a box. In it is a revolver that goes off and kills him. Charlie has, himself, received a threat to his life. He suspects an attack and evades death when he puts some pillows in his bed which are attacked by the would be killer. Another development is the appearance of his son played by Keye Luke. The son is quite protective of his father. He is also carrying on a relationship with a young woman over the phone, causing consternation to his father who needs to stay in contact with the police. It turns out a couple is at the center of all this and are trying to isolate the two Chans in order to kill them. As is usually the case, Charlie has the ability to see things others don't. From watching the Chan movies in order, I would recommend not opening boxes if you can help it.

Before Charlie Chan was in Shanghai, someone tries to kill Warner Oland on the boat from Hawaii. Even villains can get some unfriendly vibes at times.Charlie Chan In Shanghai, the only time that the famous detective actually was in the land of his ancestors in the film series, finds Warner Oland and Keye Luke going there to help stamp out an opium smuggling ring. They are summoned there by a Scotland Yard Inspector who gets himself shot and killed during a banquet by means of a booby trapped box. The suspect pool was a little thin in this particular movie which doesn't make it quite rise to the level of some of the other Oland and Sidney Toler features from Fox. It was also the last film released under the Fox film banner, henceforth all productions would be under the new reorganized 20th Century Fox.As the villains also seemed to know every move that Oland was making for a while you know they had to have some inside help which also narrows the suspect pool. I think you'll figure it out way before the end.Still Oland is at his inscrutable best in this feature.

Charlie Chan arrives in Shanghai for what seems to be a banquet thrown by Sir Stanley Woodland in Charlie's honor. Sir Stanley has information to give Charlie concerning an opium smuggling ring which is using Shanghai as a distribution point, but Sir Stanley is mysteriously killed by an infernal device and that night Charlie fends off an attempt on his life. Suspicion points on Sir Stanley's secretary Philip Nash (who also happens to be in love with Diana, Sir Stanley's daughter). Charlie receives a telegram from Colonel Watkins of the Shanghai police, but the note was sent by Marloff, foreign head of the spy ring, but Charlie is rescued by his son Lee. Andrews, a US government agent sees Charlie in help with the smuggling case, but is eavesdropped by Nash, who appears to make an attempt on Charlie's life, and is promptly arrested. Charlie, Andrews, and Lee receive a tip to find out where the smuggling ring headquarters ring is, but unknown to them they are walking into a trap, which also concerns Nash, who escaped from jail. This is a disappointing entry in the Chan series, with little mystery and much of the script is predictable. For a film set in Shanghai, there is less international and exotic intrigue as compared to films with the similar setting. Weird to see Charlie singing at the beginning of the film, but that wasn't enough to help the film. Rating, 4.