Re: Charlie Chan at Monogram: "Shadows Over Chinatown"
Dear Russell,
Thank you "so much" for the wonderful insights. I think that new fans of Charlie Chan can benefit from your thoughts on these often overlooked Chan films.
You are not alone regarding you higher opinion of the Toler Monogram Chan films. Nearly all of us who attend our weekly Chats and Film Viewings enjoy these films whenever whe "show" them. This past Monday, in fact, we featured "Shadows Over Chinatown," which you mention. I am beginning to believe that there is no "good" copy of that film availabe, as most everyone mentions the darkness of many scenes, myself included.
My personal favorite Monogram Chan is "The Shangai Cobra." However, I truly enjoy viewing them all, including the Winters versions. There is a saying that a few of us share: "The only bad Charlie Chan movie is NO Charlie Chan movie." (Of course, we refer to the films in the series, proper!) Yes, even in his "darkest hour," as you say, Charlie Chan is, indeed, Number One.
Re: Re: Charlie Chan at Monogram: "Shadows Over Chinatown"
Good takes.
Although I prefer the Fox films ("Charlie Chan's Secret" is indeed my all time favorite), IMO the personality and feel is still there in the Toler Monogram films.
If I had to choose from the Monograms, I'd say Toler's last film "The Trap" is my favorite of those later post-Fox films.
To be honest though, can't say I care much for the Winters films. The ingenuity's still there, but Winters' acting seems pretty stilted with absolutely none of the easy humor of the earlier films.
