Charlie Chan in Rio (1941)

Spoiler Alert: It's interesting that this is listed as released on 5 September 1941, and Charlie's son is drafted into WW2, but the Pearl Harbor sneak attack didn't happen for over 3 months after the movie was released on December 7, 1941, and the US officially entered the war on December 11, 1941. What was it like back then where Hollywood would be grooming us for the war and the draft over 3 months before the war happened? They had actually implemented a peace time draft about a year before, and the US leadership had already picked sides and decided to go to war, so they had over a year build the message - "We are going to war." I knew the US was being propagandized back then, but I had no idea it was this blatant.

If you like Victor Sen Yung as Charlie Chan's "Number Two Son", you'll probably enjoy this film. This time he has one of his largest parts, which includes a couple of very funny scenes (being hypnotized - and "interrogated" by his father, trying to reconstruct the crime and testing his theories), as well as an exciting fight scene with a crook. And he looks quite handsome. The film is rather static (90% of the action takes place indoors, and apart from some music at the start there is nothing else to suggest Rio - it could have been set in any city), but fairly well-paced, and also has the minor novelty of a sympathetic murderer. My favorite Chan line: "Prefer not to walk across before coming to bridge". **1/2 out of 4.

Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) is in Rio de Janeiro to arrest a woman suspected of killing a man in Honolulu. When the woman is murdered, Charlie must investigate along with "Number Two Son" Jimmy (Victor Sen Yung). Pretty much a remake of The Black Camel. Adorable Iris Wong is fun as the murdered woman's maid. Her scenes with Jimmy are the movie's highlights. Harold Huber makes his last Charlie Chan appearance. Toler and Sen Yung are good as usual. Rest of the cast includes Victor Jory, Kay Linaker, and Hamilton MacFadden (who directed The Black Camel, interestingly enough). It's a pleasant and enjoyable entry in the series. Not one of the best or worst. This is the second-to-last Chan film at Fox before the dreadful Monogram series begins.

in Rio, but a really well thought out Chan film. A very interesting and familiar array of characters.One can almost feel the breeze coming in off the S.Atlantic.One of the better films for Jimmy Chan (Victor Sen Yung).It's easy to watch over again.