Charlie Chan in Honolulu *** (1938, Sidney Toler, Phyllis Brooks, Victor Sen Yung, Eddie Collins, John King, Claire Dodd, George Zucco) – Classic Movie Review 6131

Director H Bruce Humberstone’s strongly cast 1938 B-movie thriller finds that it is up to Sidney Toler to take over as Charlie Chan from series star Warner Oland, who died in 1937.

Toler proves an unexpectedly effective substitute, giving the 20th Century Fox series quite the little boost. Charles Belden’s screenplay provides another story about death aboard ship – this time in Hawaii harbour – as passenger Chan investigates the murder aboard a freighter bound for Honolulu.

Victor Sen Yung is an asset in this first appearance as Number Two Son, Jimmy, and so is George Zucco as Dr Cardigan. Layne Tom Jr plays young Tommy Chan.

All in all, it proves an amusing episode.

Also in the cast are Phyllis Brooks, Eddie Collins, John King, Claire Dodd, Robert Barrat, Marc Lawrence, Richard Lane, Philip Ahn, James Flavin, Arthur Loft and Paul Harvey.

It is shot in black and white by Charles Clarke, produced by John Stone and scored by Samuel Kaylin.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6131

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