Charlie Chan at the Race Track (1936)

"Pop, I've got another hot clue!", 18 July 2015

Charlie Chan at the Race Track is a very solid entry in the series. In this one, one of Chan's old friends is killed on a ship sailing from Australia to Honolulu. The doctor rules the death an accident resulting from a kick to the head by his prize race horse. Chan notices some things that don't quite add up and is able to convince his superiors that the death was not an accident, but murder. Chan is soon caught up in a world of race horses and gambling syndicates as he looks for a killer.

I really can't complain about much of anything. The plot here is interesting with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very end. It helps that son Lee Chan is on hand to shine the light of suspicion on all of the characters at every opportunity. Speaking of Lee, Keye Luke is one of the real stars of this episode. Luke was never funnier than in Charlie Chan at the Race Track. Warner Oland is as solid as ever. He probably as more physical moments than in any Chan film I can remember, getting shot at twice and throwing a punch of his own. The supporting cast is generally quite good. I've gotten to where I could watch Jonathan Hale in just about anything - he's always good. The less said about the character Streamline, the better. The sets and costumes (high hats included) look nice, the cinematography sparkles, and the direction is snappy. Overall, a very solid effort.

8/10