Charlie Chan in Egypt *** (1935, Warner Oland, Pat Paterson, Thomas Beck) – Classic Movie Review 9045

Director Louis King’s 1935 comedy crime mystery thriller Charlie Chan in Egypt tells an entertainingly dotty tale of Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) discovering a couple of corpses and preventing a third death as he investigates a case of disappearing Egyptian relics.

Oland’s sturdy star turn plus James Eagles as Barry Arnold, one of the victims, help to compensate for the outlandish comic relief in the fashion of the times from black comedian Stepin Fetchit, as Snowshoes. There is also a glimpse of the 16-year-old Rita Hayworth.

Also in the cast are Pat Paterson. Thomas Beck, Jameson Thomas, Frank Conroy, Nigel De Brulier, Paul Porcasi, Arthur Stone, Frank Reicher, George Irving, Anita Brown and John Davidson.

The score reworks themes from Fox’s 1932 Chandu the Magician, which also featured Nigel De Brulier.

Charlie Chan in Egypt is directed by Louis King, runs 72 minutes, is made and released by Fox Film Corporation, is written by Robert Ellis (original screenplay) and Helen Logan (original screenplay), is shot in black and white by Daniel B Clark, is produced by Sol M Wurtzel (executive producer) and Edward T Lowe Jr, and is scored by Samuel Kaylin (musical director), using stock music, with Art Direction by Duncan Cramer, Walter Koessler and William S Darling.

The 11th of 47 Charlie Chan movies, and the eighth of 16 starring Warner Oland, it follows Charlie Chan in Paris (1935) and is followed by Charlie Chan in Shanghai (1935).

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9045

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