CHARLIE CHAN SIDNEY TOLER SET #4

A collection of 4 Charlie Chan movies! These are
all starring Sidney Toler!! These all of them have
their own containers!! And all the movies have
closed captioning!!

CHARLIE CHAN IN HONOLULU(1938):

With Warner Oland having passed away, Sidney
Toler takes over as the new Charley Chan!! Also
gone is Keye Luke(Charlie's #1 son)! According to
the special on the previous set(of Warner Oland's
Charlie Chan), Keye didn't feel he could go on
playing the part without Warner!! So instead here
we get Jimmy, Chan's #2 son, along with more
of the kids!!

Now for the story: There's been a murder aboard
a freighter and they have called upon Charlie to
solve this as quickly as possible, as they want to
get under way! However, Charlie and the rest of
the family are at the hospital awaiting the birth
of his first grand child! So, Jimmy, and Tommy, go
in his stead, without his knowledge!! Charlie
gets wind of the situation and immediately
goes to investigate himself!! As usual in the
Charlie Chan movies, many suspects, many
clues!!

This has a little too much humor for my
taste!! Too bad too, cause this has a pretty
good story to it!! A-

SPECIALS ON DISC:

RE-INVENTING CHARLIE CHAN:
With input from Scott McIsaac(Film Historian),
and Ken Hanke(Author, Film Critic) they discuss the
process of replacing Warner Oland in the role
of Charlie Chan with Sidney Toler!! Ken makes
a phopaux here in saying that this film is the first
time the entire Chan family is shown in the
movies, however, the entire family was seen
in the Warner Oland movie "Charlie Chan At
The Circus"!!

SIDNEY TOLAR: THE MAN WHO BECAME CHAN:
This has input from Miles Kreuger(President Of The
Institute Of The American Musical, Inc.), David
Lewis(Author) discuss Sidney Tolar's stint as
Charlie Chan!!

CHARLIE CHAN'S COURAGE:
Like on the previous set, this is a re-creation of
one of the "lost" Chan movies! This uses the
original screenplay, and voice actors doing
the parts of the cast, much like a radio broadcast!
This also utilizes stills from the actual movie as
it goes through the movie! These are really
interesting!!

The story, a woman with a very valuable pearl
necklace decides to sell it cause she is very low
on money!! The purchaser, a rich dude with
strange ways!! Charlie is called upon to be the
one who completes the deal!! B+

RESTORATION COMPARISON

STILL GALLERY

A review from IMDb.com:

Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) is called to investigate
a murder aboard a freighter docked in Honolulu.
There's pressure on Charlie to solve the case quickly
so the freighter can leave, as well as waiting on
news about the birth of his first grandchild and
dealing with meddlesome son Jimmy's attempts
to be a detective.

It was nice to see Charlie's family again, especially
Charlie Chan, Jr. (Layne Tom, Jr.). This is also the
first appearance of "Number Two Son" Jimmy Chan
(Victor Sen Yung). He's not as charming as Keye
Luke's Lee Chan, but he's fun and enjoyable in
his own way. Supporting cast features Robert
Barrat, Richard Lane, and the great George Zucco.
This is Sidney Toler's first Charlie Chan film. Toler's
Chan was different from Oland's. A little more snark
from Charlie and more comic relief from sidekicks.
While I prefer Warner Oland, Sidney Toler was
an admirable replacement and most of his Chan
movies are good. At least until the series moved
to Monogram. - utgard14

An acquaintance of the Chan's is charge with the
murder of her husbands betrothed!!! They're in
Reno to get a divorce and then get married!! He
lets his son know that he's headed to Reno, so of
course Jimmy heads there too!! Unfortunately for
him, he gets shanghaied on the way and loses his
car and clothes!! Charlie arrives to save him, and
to look into the murder!!

This is MUCH better than the first movie with
Toler!! A

SPECIALS ON DISC:

WELCOME TO RENO: AMERICA'S DIVORCE RESORT:
A look at the history of Reno as the divorce capital
of the world, as told by Mella Harmon(Curator Of
History, Nevada Historical Society), William L. McGee
(Author, "The Divorce Seekers"), Pat Ferraro(Founder
Of: Historic Reno Preservation Society), & Judge Peter
I. Breen

RENO MEMORIES:
Memories shared by William L. McGee(Author,
"The Divorce Seekers")! Very interesting!! A

CHAN'S KILLER ACTRESS KAY LINAKER:
As told by Kay Linaker!! Again, quite interesting!!

RESTORATION COMPARISON

TRAILER

STILL GALLERY

A review from IMDb.com:

The films Charlie Chan films that Sidney Toler
made for Fox were very good--much better than
the later cheaper series from Monogram Pictures.
In fact, these Fox films were good enough that
the public warmly embraced the actor who took
over the role following Warner Oland's death.
Now this doesn't mean that Toler was exactly
like Oland--there were definite differences in
the characterizations. First, there were less of
the wise Chinese sayings and more cranky
comments (usually directed at #2 Son, Jimmy).
Second, Toler seemed less passive and more
like a real detective. Still, I missed Oland but
must admit that Toler was the right man to
fill in for him.

As for this film in particular, Toler and Jimmy
are just fine and I have no complaints about
their acting or characters. However, when it
comes to the murder plot, this one was much
more convoluted and tough to believe than
most. When they find the actual murderer at
the end, you are left feeling like they just
picked that person at random--especially
since the motivation this person had seemed
tenuous at best. Still, not a bad film at
all--enjoyable throughout. - planktonrules

While flying into San Francisco a friend of the
Chan's dies on the plane they're flying in, after
reading a message about the zodiac sign scorpio!
There is much more to this than just the sign, as
there is a dude that is calling himself Dr. Zodiac,
who masquerades as a psychic!!

This guest stars Cesar Romero(Batman[as the
Joker])!! A

SPECIALS ON DISC

THE REAL TREASURE ISLAND:
With the input of Richard Reinhardt(Journalist/Author),
Claire Isaac Wahrhaftig(President, Treasure Island
Museum Association), Gladys Hansen(San Francisco
City Archivist, Emeritus), they talk about the 1939/40
San Francisco World's Fair(Which was held at Treasure
Island- a man made island just for this fair!)! Buyer be
ware, surprisingly, this actually has nudity in it, as seen
at the Nude Ranch that was showcased at this fair!!

CHARLIE CHAN & THE ZODIAC:
In this we have Michael Kelleher(Criminologist, Author,
"The Is The Zodiac Speaking"), & Ed Neil(Zodiac Researcher),
Howard Davis(Zodiac Researcher) discussing the Zodiac
Killer that was terrorizing the city of San Francisco in the
late 1960s!! A

RESTORATION COMPARISON

STILL GALLERY

A review from IMDb.com:

Fast-paced Sidney Toler who-done-it set at
and around the Century of Progress Exhibition
in San Francisco harbor. The exhibition was
the West Coast's parallel to the 1939 New York
World's Fair and the man-made Treasure Island
existed and some of its building survived as
parts of a naval station for many years. A
new writer and producer contributed to
the successful direction of Norman Foster
who also excelled in his previous Chan effort.
The use of close-ups and lighting contribute
to the success of this film: Charlie Chan at
Treasure Island is simply the best of the
Sidney Toler Chan films and runs neck
and neck with Charlie Chan at the Opera
done by Warner Oland.

The author of 'The Secret of the Pigmy Arrow'
dies aboard an eastbound 4-engine flying boat
China Clipper and the manuscript disappears
as the passengers and crew disembark. 'Suicide
induced by blackmail is murder.' The story line
is believable and aided by Cesar Romero whose
role as Fred Rhandini is reminiscent of a modern
James Randi, exposing fraudulent faith healers
and spiritualists. Pauline Moore returns for her
third Chan film and is believable as a psychic
who cannot resist the stronger mind of Dr. Zodiac.

Clues and suspicious characters abound. It is
possible to figure out the mystery along with
Chan who shares most of what he uncovers
with the viewer. 'Obvious clues like tricks in
magic – usually prove deceptive.' Comic relief
is provided by Victor Sen Yung as No. 2 son,
Jimmy, to include a hilarious scene wearing
a magician's coat. Only one racial slur directed
his way 'A chip off the old chopstick.' Other
supporting cast members are excellent in
their roles.

Highly recommended. - Jim Tritten

This is not the greatest of Chan movies, as he plays
a second fiddle to a dofus French cop who is constantly
blundering!! If that weren't enough, it's pretty slow
developing!! Chan just happens to be in Paris for
a reunion of soldiers that had fought in WW I!!
The murder doesn't take place til about 30 minutes
into the movie!! But it does take off pretty good
after that!!

This has many overtones of the impending war!!
In fact, the actual crime itself has everything to do
with it!! More of an espionage movie than a murder
mystery!

Chan's final words are very prophetic, and chilling!! B+

SPECIALS ON DISC:

THE MAKING OF CHARLIE CHAN IN CITY IN DARKNESS:
With Rick Jewell(Professor Of Cinema, USC), Scott
McIsaac(Film Historian), John Cork(Producer, Charlie
Chan Series Special Features), Marje Schuetze-Coburn
(Feuchtwarnger Librarian, USC), Cornelius Schnauber
(USC Professor, Director Max Kade Institute For Austrian-
German-Swiss Studies), on the world unrest at the
time this movie was made!! This is very interesting!! A

WRITING CHAN: ROBERT ELLIS AND HELEN LOGAN:
RESTORATION COMPARISON

TRAILER

STILL GALLERY

A review from IMDb.com:

This is 20th Century Fox's one poor Chan film.
it is slow moving and boring. It is dominated,
not by Chan, but Harold Huber as a bumbling,
and very annoying, French policeman. I enjoyed
Mr. Huber in his other Chan films. But he is just
terrible in this one. This is also the only time that
Sidney Toler's Chan was not assisted by one of
his offspring. It is also the only time that Toler's
Chan goes to Europe. (Should have stayed home,
Charlie!) The city of the title is Paris and reflects
that the "City of Light" has been affected by the
black out imposed by the coming of the Second
World War. But it just isn't fun. Too bad. - admjtk1701

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