Charlie Chan At The Olympics

Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937)

Runtime: 71 minutes

Directed by: The tremendously named H. Bruce Humberstone

Starring: Warner Oland, Katherine DeMille, Pauline Moore, Allan Lane, Keye Luke

From: 20^th Century Fox

Or: At least this movie wasn't a fiasco like the women's figure skating competition was.

I've mostly enjoyed watching the 2022 Winter Olympics, whether it be on television (although the constant commercial breaks are brutal. For practically all the 21st century I've complained about how bad this problem is in the United States-even when people didn't want to listen and admit I was right) or via Peacock. However, the entire week involving that competition was a real circus and of course it'd result in most people not being happy once it concluded. I know, not a stunning revelation that figure skating is a corrupt dirty sport...

On a happier note, I saw a Charlie Chan movie for the first time since '14, when his entries from London and Paris were viewed. Of course it's a stereotypical character who has many “wise sayings” and is played by a Swedish actor, but even then they were fine mysteries which worked as B-movies. This was more of the same. His son Keye Luke happens to be an Olympic swimmer and is competing in the Berlin games. What a shock then that a mystery involving a “robut” takes Charlie to said same games. Actually, it's a “robot”... no wait, it's a magical MacGuffin which allows for “airplanes to be controlled by radio waves”. All of that is hokum yet I went along for the ride as this magical mystery tour involves the expected twists & turns, red herrings and child comic relief... OK that isn't too common. That small tyke is only around for the first act if you don't like small child performers.

What this movie went out of its way to do: avoid mentioning or showing the German chancellor at the time, not to mention certain symbols. Those worried about seeing a damn swastika in this movie don't have to worry there. Of course this is still awkward after the fact as not only was Pearl Harbor mentioned as a Naval base (the first act is set in Hawaii, which is canon to the Chan character), but he flies to Berlin on... the Hindenburg. From what I understand the movie happened to be released right after the Hindenburg Disaster, which yikes.

This was a perfectly fine B-movie mystery from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Not a must-see but an amusing way to spend 71 minutes. The fact that some actual footage of the Berlin Olympics (including the 4x100 meter track race involving Jesse Owens that the United States earned a gold medal in) was shown adds to the authenticity. I did note how at the end when Luke won a race, it was vague on whether it was the final race for the medals or just a heat. I'll presume the latter as I hope the movie wasn't haughty enough to change history and suggest that Charlie's son won the grand prize rather than the actual victor, Hungarian swimmer Ferenc Csik.