bsmith5552 "Charlie Chan in Honolulu" (1938) is notable as the first Chan film to star Sidney Toler in the title role. He had been chosen by Darryl F. Zanuck to replace Warner Oland who had passed away earlier that year. It also introduces (Victor) Sen Yung as No. 2 son Jimmy Chan. Layne Tom Jr. who had appeared in "Charlie Chan at the Olympics" the previous year as Charlie Chan Jr. with Oland, appears here as No. 5 son Tommy.The story is set in Honolulu but most of the action takes place on a freighter where a murder has been committed. We first meet Toler's Chan at home with his wife and umpteen children awaiting the birth of the family's first grand child. Charlie is called to investigate a murder aboard the aforementioned freighter but as Charlie has gone to the hospital to await his grand child's birth, No. 2 son Jimmy goes in his stead accompanied by No. 5 son Tommy. Jimmy attempts to investigate the murder but as always gets himself into trouble. Charlie arrives just in time to prevent Jimmy from being thrown overboard.Judy Hayes (Phyllis Brooks) is the only witness to the murder having been present when it occurred. She had been trying to transfer a mysterious $300K to the victim when he was struck down. Several persons of interest are placed under suspicion. First we have Judy Hayes, the mysterious Dr. Cardigan (George Zucco), Carol Wayne (Claire Dodd) who may not be who she seems, Dectective Joe Arnold (Richard Lane) and his prisoner Johnny McCoy (Marc Lawrence), the ship's Executive Officer Randolph (John King). Captain Johnson (Robert Barrat) assists Charlie and Jimmy in their investigation.The money disappears, another murder happens and an attempt is made on Charlie's life. Finally Charlie concocts a plan to fool the murder into revealing himself and........................................Sidney Toler takes a bit of getting used to as Chan but would fit comfortably into the role that he would play for the next decade. Yung makes an excellent foil for Toler and he too would continue on in the series. This film is enhanced by the presence of the ever sinister George Zucco in the cast. He was always a suspect. The comedy relief provided by Eddie Collins and his lion would fit better into a Three Stooges comedy rather than here.Just an added note, Philip Ahn who plays Charlie's son-in-law had a connection with Keye Luke who had appeared in the Oland Chans. Both appeared in the 70s TV series "Kung Fu" as Chinese mentors to star David Carradine.

SanteeFats In this Charlie Chan movie there is a murder on board a freighter that is carrying six passengers. One of them has $300,000 in cash that she is suppose to deliver to one of her bosses clients. The money gets swiped and is hidden in a lifeboat where another passenger discovers it. The guy who finds it is a crook on his way back to Frisco with a detective. This detective is actually his accomplice. Charlie has that figured out and both will go to jail at the end of the voyage. Chan's number two son goes on board before Charlie gets there and tries to solve the case. He doesn't of course but it is a funny enough scenario. When things finally settle it turns out that the ship's captain is the guilty party. He was trying to get a huge windfall through murder and theft. If you are old enough to remember "Death Valley Days" the captain is played by the narrator of that show. Sydney Toler is Chan for this movie but there were actually two who played the role. Each brought different aspects to the role. Both were white guys and both spoke pigeon English. In today's climate of political correctness that would never fly.

Neil Doyle Upon Warner Roland's death, it was SIDNEY TOLER's turn to play the Chinese detective with the huge family. This time his son is played by Victor Sen Yung, who would go on to play the role of Jimmy Chan in many future Chan films.This time the plot involves $300,000 of stolen money and a slew of passengers aboard a freighter, several of which are suspicious enough to be questioned by Chan about their associations. RICHARD LANE, MARC LAWRENCE, PHYLLIS BROOKS, EDDIE COLLINS and ROBERT BARRAT are the chief suspects but it's GEORGE ZUCCO, a mad doctor with thick glasses carrying a live brain in a suitcase, who makes the most vivid impression and, at one point, actually seems to be the killer when a couple of murders occur.Not the best of the series, but it does make a good start for Sidney Toler who would go on to keep playing Chan until the mid-'40s. The comic relief from Eddie Collins is sometimes painful and Chan's quotations are a bit much, as usual. He gathers the passengers together for the final scene and stages a bit of detective work that gives the story a nice finish.Summing up: As usual, the viewer is given almost no way to solve the crime.

ccthemovieman-1 This has to be the wildest of the Charlie Chan movies I've seen. It was Sidney Toler's first effort in the lead role, replacing Warner Oland, and it featured more comedy than any other Chan film to that point.In this film, Chan and his number two son Tommy, his number five son Charlie Jr., and others including a doctor who keeps a live brain in his suitcase, all provide laughs. Along the way is a funny-faced lunatic animal keeper and a lion on the loose. They provide a lot of laughs.As far as suspects go, there is a strange psychiatrist (the one with the portable brain), two pretty women, two ship's captains, a guy disguised as a cop and his suspect. I told you it was wild. It's too difficult to figure out "whodunnit," so you just sit back and enjoy the wild action and humor.Yeah, it's silly.....but it''s tremendously enjoyable.