FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

gridoon2018 The Monte Carlo Casino is a promising location for a murder mystery, but apart from the opening sequence, this film is not set there. It's one of the most tiresome chapters of the series I've seen so far: there is too much "The French, they are a funny race"-type of comedy, and too much of Harold Huber, whose French accent is like nails on a chalkboard. On the other hand, there is not enough of Kay Linaker. I've noticed her in a couple of other Chan films as well, but this time she gets the full glamour treatment, and she looks absolutely stunning. As for the mystery itself, I didn't know who did it until Chan pointed at the guilty person. But it doesn't seem to matter much, because there are practically no clues given to the viewer, and the motivation is more than a bit shaky. My favorite Chan line: "Unfortunately, Mr. Rogers already depart on long journey". ** out of 4.

Spuzzlightyear Another fun Charlie Chan Movie! This time, he's in Monte Carlo, and yes, another poor soul is murdered. He's assisted by the great Harold Huber as Monte Carlo's chief of police while they try to solve the murder. I liked this one more than others, because at least they TRIED for my authenticity this time, a lot of people speak French, which IS what they do in French- Language speaking countries right? Not like his adventure in Shanghai, where everyone Chan encountered spoke perfect English. So there was a bit of fun language barrier comedy. The mystery is pretty easy to guess, all in all, a great addition to the Orland Chan series.

mmhicks Contrary to many of the reviews, I think this is one of the best Charlie Chan movies and one of my my personal favorites. It's wonderfully escapist, taking place as it does, in a fabled location over 70 years ago.The plot is a bit more sophisticated than many of the Chan films - no cigarettes that cause one to drop dead after one puff or poison gasses fabricated by Hollywood writers. The plot remains true to reality as valuable bonds pass from one set of slippery hands to another causing the murder of two people.The production is stylish and most of the actors do a great job. The hyperactive, super energetic #1 son is only minimally so in this film, however Harold Huber as the chief of police overdoes himself in his brash and noisy performance. He is on camera almost as much as Chan and quickly becomes an irritant. His French accented English is almost as bad as his Brooklyn accented French.Interestingly, all of the French characters speak French in the film - something one might expect in an art house film, but hardly in a B-movie. It certainly lends an air of authenticity but might be detracting to those who have not studied French.Automobiles of the era play a big part in the film, the star vehicle being the gorgeous Rolls convertible that is featured in several scenes. There are many scenes of various cars - from beat-up taxis to limos fit for a king. (Watch the limo that pulls up to Karnoff's villa to pick up the bank messenger.) Also it seems that the police ride around in convertibles in Monaco!

classicsoncall "Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo" would be Warner Oland's final turn as the Oriental Detective, as he died during filming of what would have been "Charlie Chan at Ringside" later in the year 1938. Interestingly, Keye Luke remained in the "Ringside" film portraying Number #1 Son Lee Chan, as it was hastily rewritten into "Mr. Moto's Gamble" with Peter Lorre in the title role.As the Oland films progressed, so did the body count of victims who met their demise in the course of the story. In the first half dozen or so Charlie Chan films with Warner Oland, there was only one murder to be solved; in the next four films (Racetrack, Opera, Olympics, Broadway) there were two. More was not necessarily better, as "Monte Carlo" is not as highly regarded as many of the other Oland Chan's.Harold Huber appeared in "Charlie Chan on Broadway" as an ineffective New York City police inspector; in "Monte Carlo", his character is an ineffective French police officer, although his accent passes reasonably well. His presence treads the line between serious noir drama and comedy relief.The story itself involves the repeated theft and reappearance of a series of metallurgic bonds worth twenty five thousand dollars. At the center of the mystery are two wealthy but antagonistic businessmen, Victor Karnoff (Sidney Blackmer) and Paul Savarin (Edward Raquello), seen early in the film at a gaming table - "They play only to visit insult to each other." As commonly seen in Charlie Chan mysteries, there is a host of additional characters to keep track of before the final resolution is worked out by the Oriental Detective, with information not readily made available to the viewer.To keep a light hearted touch in the film, there are a couple of running gags that include a backfiring taxi and Lee Chan's fractured attempt at the French language. When 'Pop' tries to order a breakfast plate of waffles using a hand drawn picture, the waiter brings him a crossword puzzle book. Earlier, Lee's description of a dead body found in an abandoned car resulted in a confession to the murder! Lee's all around legend as a jack of all trades is added to here, as we learn that he has a painting to be shown at a Paris exhibition, adding to his reputation as college student, businessman, and gold medal swimmer. It would be another ten years before Keye Luke shows up again in a Charlie Chan film, co-starring with Roland Winters in the role of Charlie, along with Victor Sen Yung as Number #2 Son Tommy, the only time Luke and Sen Yung would appear together in a Chan film as brothers. Oddly, Luke never appeared in a Chan film with Sidney Toler, who replaced Warner Oland in the next twenty two Charlie Chan mysteries!