Charlie Chan in Panama

Charlie Chan in Panama(1940)

NR

03/01/1940 (US)Crime, Thriller, Mystery, Comedy1h 6m

6.8

"One more minute... and the fleet is doomed!"

Overview

Charlie impersonates an employee of the U.S. government to foil an espionage plot which would destroy part of the Panama Canal, trapping a Navy fleet on its way to the Pacific after maneuvers in the Atlantic.

Norman Foster

Director

Earl Derr Biggers

Characters

John Larkin

Writer

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Part of the Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) Collection

A collection of the Charlie Chan films starring Sydney Toler from 1944 to 1946. Toler took over the role of the brilliant Honolulu detective after the passing of Warner Oland, bringing his own unique charm and dry wit to the character. His portrayal solidified Charlie Chan's place as one of cinema's most iconic detectives. Sydney Toler's take on Charlie Chan was marked by his sharp intellect, calm demeanor, and clever humor. Toler's ability to deliver insightful one-liners while unraveling complex mysteries made him a fan favorite.

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A review by CinemaSerf

6.0

Written on June 23, 2022

This outing for our sleuth finds him working undercover - appropriately in a Panama hat shop - on a mission to help the US Government combat the activities of some spies bent on disrupting the movement of US Naval vessels though the Panama Canal. When a man is murdered in his shop, "Chan" is detained by the unwitting authorities who take him to a local jail where he, coincidentally, encounters no. 2 son "Jimmy" (Victor Sen Yung), who was working on a cruise liner and who is also stranded in Panama. Together, they must identify and thwart the would be saboteur amidst a plethora of suspects led by the always reliable Lionel Atwill ("Compton"). I enjoyed the dynamic between father and son - it works well, and the story is actually quite exciting to watch for the most part with a rather better ending than I was expecting. The constant dialogue in contrived proverbs is a little bit annoying, but then it wouldn't be "Charlie Chan" if he ever actually called a spade a spade...!