Story: Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) is set to return to Shanghai, but before he can even arrive, he receives a warning not to come back. Of course, he continues on his journey despite the threat, though he plans to look into the matter once he settles in. Meanwhile at a ceremony to honor his work as a detective, Chan is approached by an official who has a dire need to speak with him as soon as the two can find some privacy. Before that can happen however, the official is murdered and now Chan has to investigate the mysterious death, as well as the threats to his own person. As Chan and his son are stalked by criminal forces and even kidnapped, can the master detective figure out the mystery before its too late?

Entertainment Value: I wouldn’t rate this Charlie Chan installment as a mystery classic, but it is more than solid and quite an enjoyable watch. The narrative isn’t complex, but it builds a competent story that held my attention and had some fun moments. I think the highlight for me was a sequence where Chan and an associate think they have found someone hiding in a cabinet, only to discover a hidden cache of kittens. A cute scene with some nice comic relief, another aspect where Charlie Chan in Shanghai succeeds, knowing when to be serious and when to lighten the mood a little. The pace is also brisk and the film clocks in well under eighty minutes, with no real issues with filler or slower stretches. A straight forward, solid murder mystery, Charlie Chan in Shanghai is worth a look if you appreciate the era and genre.

He might have been a questionable choice for the role of Charlie Chan, but Warner Oland would play the part numerous times and with good skill. He brings a good sense of humor to the role and knows when when to pull back on that, to allow more dramatic moments to stand out. His interactions with his costars are also quite good and even routine exchanges have a little more life, as Oland seems to be able to get a little extra out of his fellow cast members. I don’t think his performance here will be remembered as one of the all time best detective turns, but Oland is more than competent and anchors the picture well. The cast also includes Irene Hervey, Keye Luke, Jon Hall, and Russell Hicks.

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