Charlie Chan at the Olympics

Name: Charlie Chan at the Olympics
Genre: Mystery
Released: 1937-05-21
Duration: 1 h 11 min
Rating: 7
Cast: Warner Oland, Katherine DeMille, Pauline Moore

1937
Approved
1h 11m

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

1.9K

YOUR RATING

Katherine DeMille, C. Henry Gordon, Warner Oland, and Andrew Tombes in Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937)

Mystery

When a strategically important new aerial guidance system is stolen, Charlie traces it to the Berlin Olympics, where he has to battle spies and enemy agents to retrieve it.When a strategically important new aerial guidance system is stolen, Charlie traces it to the Berlin Olympics, where he has to battle spies and enemy agents to retrieve it.When a strategically important new aerial guidance system is stolen, Charlie traces it to the Berlin Olympics, where he has to battle spies and enemy agents to retrieve it.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

1.9K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
While several views of swastika flags were blotted out, other instances of Nazism were missed, e.g. as the German torch bearer turns left into the grand stadium avenue, in the lower left corner of screen can be seen four militarily-clad males giving the Nazi salute; plus as the same torch bearer descends the stadium steps all the youths lining the way are giving the Nazi salute, even with four outstretched arms in very front of the camera.

Goofs
The radio direction finder used by the German Police is clearly marked as made by an American Company and sports a compass rose marked in English ('E' for East and so on, instead 'O' for Osten). Even if the German police would operate imported equipment, the markings would be in German. And it is unlikely that the Nazi regime would allow import of anything the German industry was able to produce, not to mention that German radio equipment of the time was among the best in the world.

Quotes
Charlie Chan Jr: Gee, Pop, they're having as hard a time finding that plane as we are catching fish.
Charlie Chan: Fish in sea like flea on dog - always present but difficult to find.

Connections
Edited into Who Dunit Theater: Charlie Chan at the Olympics (2015)

User reviews39

Review

Featured review

7/10

`This cannot happen in Berlin!'

Another well-directed Warner Oland Chan filmmaking full use of stock footage from 1936 Berlin Olympics and the dirigible Hindenburg. Chan is on trail of stolen aircraft autopilot and killers who will make an attempt on his life and again kidnap No. 1 son Lee. Keye Luke is allowed to play his part without disguise and too much oriental racial humor. Good supporting cast and great shots of the game ceremonies and Jesse Owen in the relay race. For those who want to view more of these games, without Chan, see Leni Riefenstahl's Olympia 1. Teil - Fest der Völker and Olympia 2. Teil - Fest der Schönheit (1938). Continuity with other films suffers when Layne Tom, Jr. is introduced as #2 son Charlie. We have seen much older sons in his family at the circus and we will later see Victor Sen Yung as #2 son Jimmy and even later as Tommy Chan.

This is a good mystery, but once again it is impossible to share in the clues that only Chan can see and from that catch the thief and murderer. `When all players possess suspicious cards, good idea to have joker up sleeve.' Story line is somewhat believable enough for a good afternoon's watching. Concluding scenes have oriental detective admit he is willing to risk loss of son and self in order to maintain honor and loyalty to United States. One of the best in the series. Recommended.