The Charlie Chan Family Home
charliechan.org

FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “Theory like mist on eyeglasses – obscures facts.”

THIS WEEK Charlie Chan continues the travel “trilogy” that began with “Charlie Chan in London.” Chan, this time, is making an investigation for the French Archeological Society regarding artifacts recovered from an Egyptian tomb, meant for the Society, that have appeared in other museums. Soon, the equation includes acts of murder!

THE CHAT ROOM: Go to our “Chat Room” page, and, at the bottom of that page, click on the “Charlie Chan Family Chat Room ENTRANCE” link. You may then enter as a “Guest.”

OUR FEATURE PRESENTATION: “Charlie Chan in Egypt” (1935; 72 minutes)

FOR IN-DEPTH INFORMATION on our film, go to “Films” at charliechan.org, then scroll down to “Charlie Chan in Egypt.”

FEATURE SUMMARY:
Charlie Chan travels to Egypt on behalf of the French Archeological Society to investigate Professor Arnold’s excavation of Ahmeti’s tomb, as artifacts from the tomb have been found in other museums, contrary to the agreement that Arnold had made with the Society. When the archaeologist disappears during the excavation of other ancient art treasures, Chan must sort out the stories of the archaeological team to find out why priceless treasures are ending up in the hands of private collectors, while confronting a series of seemingly supernatural events.

FEATURE NOTES:
The American Film Institute Catalog correctly lists the running time for “Charlie Chan in Egypt” as 72 minutes. However, recent sources have stated that it is actually 65 minutes in length. The larger figure certainly relates to the original running time, while the smaller running time may indicate that some surviving prints of this film have been shortened. The music and the appearance of the opening title and credits lend further credence to this probability, as the music and accompanying sound of water splashing can be traced to a scene that occurs 51 minutes into the film. It is likely that the original opening title sequence has been lost and the current version was a reconstruction, possibly owing to the film having been shortened in length at some point in its existence. The present title card credits only Warner Oland, Pat Patterson, Thomas Beck, Rita Cansino, and Stepin Fetchit, and there are no closing credits. It is unlikely that this was originally the case. It is interesting to note, however, that publicity stills for Charlie Chan in Egypt also credit only these same five actors. “Charlie Chan in Egypt” features an early film appearance by Rita Hayworth, who was at that stage of her career still using her birth name, Rita Cansino.

THIS WEEK’S EXTRAS: Please join us earlier before the start of our features for THREE Extra presentations:

Extra 1: The Excavation of Tutankhamun’s Mummy | King Tut in Color
(4:46)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtNodW1vFg0

Extra 2: Luxor Temple - Luxor - Ancient Egypt - History of Egypt - Egypt Travel
(3:20)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CFhsPYTfzU

Extra 3: Luxor City - Egypt ● 4K [2022]
(3:44)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XhoWY8ofNE


PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY IF POSSIBLE so that we can hopefully settle into our new Chat Room together, hopefully resolving any issues before our feature is to start at 8:15 Eastern Time!

OUR MESSAGE BOARD: Please consider regular visits to our Message Board, and feel free to add a message to begin a conversation or state a thought! Please remember, the Message Board has been there for YOU since 2004! (Go to charliechan.org and click the
Message Board” link.)

AS ALWAYS, WE BEGIN OUR EVENING at 7:30 Eastern Time with a 45-minute time for arrivals and greetings, and the sharing of an extra or two. Then, at precisely 8:15 ET, we begin running our feature film simultaneously starting our personal or online copies of this week’s feature!

AT OUR BULLETIN BOARD: THE CHARLIE CHAN FAMILY HOME 2022 NEWSLETTER is now available at our “Bulletin Board” at our Charlie Chan family Home, charliechan.org! Also, at our Bulletin Board you will find a lot more in the form of links to other items of possible interest!

AND, please take a minute to cast your vote on our FEBRUARY POLL, also available on our Bulletin board!

NEXT WEEK: “Charlie Chan in Shanghai”

Take care, and I hope to see you at this week’s Monday Evening Chat at our Charlie Chan Family Chat Room at charliechan.org as we share “Charlie Chan in Egypt.”

Sincerely,

Rush Glick

Oh wise and all-powerful Wizard, with humility and trepidation I ask did you mean "...continues the quartet, quadrilogy (or even tetralogy) that began with Charlie Chan in London?"

Or do you not count "Charlie Chan in Shanghai" as it was 20th Century Fox, vs Fox Film? T.Y.S.M.

Dear Lou,

I apologize for the late answer.

The three films, "Charlie Chan in London," "Charlie Chan in Paris," and "Charlie Chan in Egypt" are literally connected as, after "London," Charlie Chan was hired by British investors to investigate a bond-forgery racket and after "Paris." He is next sent, following his Paris case, to Egypt to help the French Archeological Society with an investigation of an artifact-selling scheme. Charlie Chan arrives in Shanghai with no similar connection to his previous case. It would, however, be reasonable to think that Chan is stopping in Shanghai on his return route to Honolulu, as his next case as seen in "Charlie Chan's Secret" begins with him in Honolulu.

So, we definitely have a trilogy, and perhaps something of a tetralogy!

Sincerely,
Rush

Ah, I see. The three are connected within the films themselves. Whereas, in Shanghai C.C. he is there for an award or something else.

So it is, the pupil remains the student and the master still the master.


T.Y.S.M.
"He who goes out on to the hills to meet the tiger must pay the price."
(C.C. Keeper of The Keys, 1932, Chap15)

Dear Lou,

I still think that an argument can be made for a logical "connection" between "Charlie Chan in Shanghai" to those other three films, particularly "Charlie Chan in Egypt." Charlie Chan is headed home, and it would be known to those in Shanghai that he was "passing through" on his way to Honolulu. This would provide those in Shanghai the opportunity to hold an award banquet for him. Surely Chan would not have made a trip across to China solely for the sake of attending a banquet.

Anyway, some Dim Sum for thought...

Sincerely,

Rush

Good point Rush, then only a hop-skip-n-Jump from Shanghai back home to Honolulu! Plus, it does carry that same title moniker ("in" someplace) as it's three predecessors: "Charlie Chan in London, Paris, Egypt, and...in Shanghai." As you so well put it, definitely some Dim Sum for thought. :slightly_smiling_face:

Thank you so much,
Lou
"The boat can ride on the wagon, and the wagon on the boat"
(Keeper of The Keys, 1932, Chap 20)