My own reply to Steve H...

To rate the Chan films on a 10 point scale is a huge undertaking and raises all sorts of subjective questions. I usually find it easier to rank them in order (Camel and Broadway at the top with the Trap at the bottom).

Since you seem to be most concerned with learing how good the Tolers are as well as the Monograms, I'll throw in my 2 cents worth.

Of the 11 Fox Tolers, I consider 10 of them to be very good to excellent films. Only CITY IN DARKNESS doesn't quite work for me, primarily to Harold Huber's hammy over the top (think Adam West on steriods) performance. Others like it a lot so you will need to make up your own mind. Reno, TI, Murder Cruise, DMT, Wax Museum, and Castle are my favorite Tolers.

With regards the last 5 Toler Monograms ..Dark Alibi is generally quite well regarded and Red Dragon probably comes in next. The Trap and Dangerous Money are close to being Ed Wood productions. :)

As for the Winters...I've always felt he was underrated. My biggest problem with these films is the changing of Jimmy to Tommy and dumbing down of Sen Yung's character. He was a great actor in the Fox films, but comes across as a buffoon in the Monograms. Docks of New Orleans is a great little film with a good mystery and an entertaining script. Golden Eye also is quite entertaining.

Keep the faith on those Warner releases. Good things happen to those who believe :)

Steve

Thank you for the analysis. This is true -- even having to rate the 20 films I have seen was an endeavour, but a fun one because most of them (with the exception of "Behind That Curtain") I quite enjoyed.

Just looking at the numbers given by the honorable Russell, it looks like I will not have any major disappointments like "Behind That Curtain" was. Might be a bit of a test to watch the Winters Chans, but none were as horribly painstaking as BTC is. Even a 4 is a bit tolerable, compared to the 2 that I gave to BTC, which would have been a 1 had it not been for it's significance in bringing the Chan films of the '30s and '40s that we all love. It looks like the Fox Tolers are really going to be something to look forward to.

Yes, I am primarily interested in seeing how the rest of the series is, as I either do not remember most of them, or have never seen these films. Most of the ones I have copies of are good to excellent, and well worth the time to sit down and watch.

Thank you for the analysis.

Dear Steve,

I, too, think that Russell's means of rating the films was interesting, and I don't think that I've ever really seen it done in quite this way before. As with Steve O., I format my choices in the order of preference. It would be difficult for me to assign points to my choices, but, a ten-point system, as was used by Russell, would simplify things a bit.

Sincerely,
Rush

Ordinarily I would have listed the films in order of preference as well. Following Steve H's lead I continued with his point system, which worked out pretty well as it gave him the information he was seeking. Its pleasing to note the consistent quality of the Chan films. I don't believe any of them a unwatchable. You have several excellent entrees, several more very good, good and then a few "decent" ones. None are what I would call awful or simply horrible. Behind That Curtin is an anomaly. Although it has a character named Chan it is not the Charlie Chan we all know and love. Almost a stranger with the same name.