Charlie Chan Carries On

Charlie Chan Carries On

Fox Film Corporation
Distribution: Fox Film Corporation, April 12, 1931
Production: January 3 to late January 1931
Opened: Roxy, New York, N.Y., the week of March 20, 1931
Copyright: Fox Film Corporation, February 11, 1931; LP2031
Sound
Film: Black and white
Length: 8 reels, 6,200 feet
Running Time: 69 minutes
Passed by the National Board of Review
Source: Based on the novel Charlie Chan Carries On

by Earl Derr Biggers (Indianapolis, 1930)

Director: Hamilton MacFadden
Assistant Director: Sam Wurtzel
Screenplay and Dialogue: Philip Klein and Barry Conners
Photography: George Schneiderman
Settings: Joseph Wright
Film Editor: Al De Gaetano
Costumes: Sophie Wachner
Sound Engineer: George P. Costello

CAST:

Warner Oland: Charlie Chan
Marguerite Churchill: Pamela Potter
John Garrick: Mark Kennaway
Warren Hymer: Max Minchin
Marjorie White: Sadie Minchin
C. Henry Gordon: John Ross
William Holden: Patrick Tait
George Brent: Captain Ronald Keane
Peter Gawthorne: Inspector Duff
John T. Murray: Doctor Lofton
John Swon: Elmer Benbow
Jason Robards: Walter Honywood
Lumsden Hare: Inspector Hayley (billed as Inspector Hanley)
Zeffie Tillbury: Mrs. Luce
Betty Francisco: Sybil Conway
Harry Beresford: Kent
John Rogers: Martin
J.C. Davis: Eben
James Farley (not credited)

J. Gunnis Davis (not credited)

Inspector Duff of Scotland Yard receives a call about the murder of the wealthy Hugh Morris Drake, who was strangled with a suitcase strap while on an around-the-world tour with a party of other Americans. Dr. Lofton, the tour conductor, discovers that the strap came from his bag. Duff interrogates Walter Honywood, a theatrical manager occupying the room next to Drake's, who hopes to meet his estranged wife, actress Sybil Conway, at San Remo and persuade her to join him on the trip. Duff then realizes that he cannot hold the twelve remaining tourists because he has no motive or evidence.

After they leave for Paris, Duff learns that Honywood paid a hotel servant not to reveal that he and Drake had exchanged rooms on the night that Drake was murdered. That night, as the Lofton party stops over in Nice, a gloved hand fires a shot from some bushes and places the gun in the hand of the deceased - Honywood.

When Duff arrives the next day, he learns that Honywood is dead, apparently a suicide. Duff calls Honywood's estranged wife Sybil, who meets him at San Remo and tells him that the murderer is someone named Jim Everhard, a jewel thief to whom she had been unhappily married. Years earlier, she and Honywood had run away together, taking with them two bags of diamonds. Everhard had vowed to kill them both. Sybil agrees to point out the killer, but the figure with the gloved hand kills her as she rides in an elevator with Duff.

During the next leg of the trip, Mark Kennaway, the traveling companion to Patrick Tait, an elderly criminal lawyer, becomes fond of Drake's granddaughter, Pamela Potter, who is continuing the trip intent on tracking down her grandfather's killer. In Hong Kong, Pam and Mark, while in a shop, hear a street merchant say the name Jim Everhard, motioning toward a group of men from the tour who are passing by. Pam, trying to determine which member of the group is Everhard, calls out his name. However, they all turn around at the same time. Mark realizes that this move has placed Pam in great danger, and as she sends a cable to Duff, the gloved hand fires a shot at her, but Mark pulls her aside in time.

Duff travels to Honolulu, which is the Lofton party's next destination. While visiting his friend, Inspector Charlie Chan, in his office at the Honolulu Police Department, he is shot in the back through an open window. Outraged, Chan vows to find Duffs assailant. He prepares to join the party on their voyage to San Francisco, and asks his chief to tell Duff that "Charlie Chan carries on."

In his cabin on the ship, Chan notices movement by his window and, grabbing a gloved hand that is reaching for a briefcase containing important evidence, pulls the glove off as he attempts to hold on to the intruder. After clues implicate various members of the party, the ship approaches San Francisco. However, the detective is at a loss as to the identity of the killer. With a flash of inspiration, he writes identical letters to all suspects.

At a party, as the ship has nearly reached its destination, Chan explains to the guests, all members of the Lofton tour, that Drake was murdered by mistake, for Everhard had intended to kill Honywood. Charlie says that in order to save Everhard embarrassment, he has informed him in a note that he will not arrest him until the ship docks at San Francisco.

Each of the male members of the Lofton tour then finds a note in their cabin that Chan has left for them, as the detective prepares a dummy in front of the window of his cabin. As he and Mark hide in wait in a lifeboat across from Chan's cabin, a light switch is turned on at the proper moment, revealing Chan's silhouette in the window. As the murderer attempts to shot what he thinks is Chan he is quickly apprehended by Charlie and Mark.

CONCLUSION:

As the others enter, the murderer is revealed to be John Ross, a lumberman who walks with a slight limp. He asks Chan how he knew it was him. Chan reveals that he did not know, and that he had written the notes to all suspects in order to draw the real killer out.

Chan then dictates a cable to Inspector Duff, and, seeing Mark and Pam together, adds, "Honorable Mr. Kennaway and Miss Potter join in best wishes before joining to receive blessings of astonished relatives."

NOTES: This is one of the four "lost" Charlie Chan films. The summary has been made using a script which can be viewed in its entirety among our collection of "lost" Charlie Chan film scripts. Earl Derr Biggers' novel was serialized in The Saturday Evening Post between August 9 and September 13, 1930. Many records refer to the character played by Lumsden Hare as Inspector Hanley. However very reliable information indicates with near certainty that this character was actually called Inspector Hayley in the finished film. Some sourses erroneously include Luana Alaniz in the cast of the Spanish version (Eran Trece). In his autobiography, L. B. Abbott notes that he assisted photographer Sidney Wagner on Eran Trece. Eran Trece was the only Spanish version in the Charlie Chan series. In 1940, Twentieth Century-Fox again filmed Biggers' novel as Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise.

Adapted from: AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE CATALOG - Within Our Gates: Ethnicity in American Feature Films, 1911-1960

CHARLIE CHAN'S APHORISMS:

Each man thinks his own cuckoos better than next man's nightingales. (inscribed on a family photo given to Inspector Duff)

"Always very hard winter when honorable cheese runs after mouse." (quoted by Inspector Duff)

"Only a very sly man can shoot off a cannon quietly." (quoted by Inspector Duff)

"Sitting man must hold mouth open very long time before roast goose flies in." (quoted by Inspector Duff)

Advice after mistake is like medicine after dead man's funeral.

Only very brave mouse makes nest in cat's ear.

Too late to dig well when honorable house is on fire.

Man seldom scratches where he does not itch.

Sometimes dull stone makes very sharp knife.

Talk will not cook rice.

Patience and a mulberry leaf become a silk shawl.

He who feeds the chicken, deserves the egg.

Every man must wear out at least one pair of fool shoes.

Good wife best household furniture.

Man should never hurry except when going to catch flea.

Every maybe has a wife called Maybe-Not.

Big head is only a good place for very large headache.

Woman's heart is like a needle at bottom of sea.

Man who fights law always loses; same as grasshopper is always wrong in argument with chicken.

It is only once in a very long time that man bites own nose.

OTHER WORTHY STATEMENTS:

If I do not have that man before San Francisco, retire forever in sack-cloth with ashes. (to Honolulu Police Chief)

(Max Minchin [who is trying to steal from a fruit stand]: "Oh, hello Chink! How's the laundry business?") Pretty much like yours -- quietly picking up.

Events explode suddenly like firecrackers in the face of innocent passerby. (to Mrs. Chan)

(Captain of the President Arthur: "I'm back of you, Charlie, I hope you get your man.") You invent picture of very happy event.

(Patrick Tait: "I'm simply reminding you that there is such a thing as proper legal procedure.") Which is always criminal's best friend.

(Max Minchin: "You seen what happened to Inspector Duff, didn't you? You better get yourself some iron underwear -- you know B.V.D's.") Oh, I see. B.V.D. - before very dead. Thank you, so much.

I'm trying to hunt rabbit with blind dog. (to Max Minchin)

I imagine I am very clever man -- now find slight mistake. (to Pamela Potter)

Your warning, Mr. Everhard - see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing. Maybe should be 'nother monkey - DO NOTHING! (to the captain of the President Arthur regarding the "three wise monkeys" statuettes left by Ross/Eberhard as warnings)

Kindly providence has sprinkled your contemptible substitute with a shower of luck. (in his message to Inspector Duff)

REVIEW:

Variety, March 25, 1931

In this story of the Honolulu detective, who solves a murder mystery that baffled Scotland Yard and Europe, Fox has a clever box office talker. It is well directed and aptly photographed. Cast shows smart selection.

What aids the film more than anything is that the mystery angle is kept paramount to the romance in it. This is between Marguerite Churchill and John Garrick, both personable. She is the granddaughter of a wealthy American found dead in a London hotel. Garrick is the companion of the old man. This romance is kept mild and gets its film start only after the dead body is found by the police. While the romance ends before the mystery, both follow fast to a happy ending with a wisecrack.

The picture is full of wisecracks. The flippant pieces of philosophy spoken by Chan in almost doggerel English and the more funny lingo of Warren Hymer, as the Chicago racketeer. Hymer is a laugh whenever he shows.

When Marjorie White, as his wife, comes trotting down a Hongkong street with some huge bundles that turn out to be a reading lamp, its Hymers backhand retort:

"I suppose she'll buy a book, now."

"No," says the lady, "I've already got one."

Hymer pulls other nifties as when the second murder occurs, that of a woman in Nice, right in the arms of a Scotland Yard inspector:

"That's just like home in Chicago," or something like that. "A guy being put on the spot with the dicks watching!"

Warner Oland takes his Oriental character swell although a bit lethargic. That may be due to the picture pace which lacks some punch that maybe could have been stuck in.

It's at the dock when Chan suddenly decides to leave Honolulu and pick up the trail after his British police friend has been shot in his own office. Chan's son asks permission to use the family bus while the elder Chan is away. Chan bades him to take good care of the bus in his quaint way that will be liked by audiences, by saying:

"He who feeds the chicken deserves the egg."

But when Chan himself is later baffled and the tour of the suspected individuals is almost at an end as the ship returns from its world tour and is ready to dock in the San Francisco harbor, he pulls a crackling bit like this, to prove his own conceit:

"Big head only good for big headache."

Between Hymer and Oland in their contrasting roles, the customers can be assured of enjoyable laughter.

Two murders and an attempted third occur among the 12 or 13 tourists that originally started on a world tour before one is finally caught through a Chan ruse. He simply made all feel they were under suspicion and wrote each a note before docking that he would be held. Then he spotted a dummy in one man's room and kept watch. When the murderer fired at the dummy thinking it was Chan the latter reached out of a lifeboat cover and nabbed him.

The film will create extra patronage in the met centres from an Oriental trade. It showed at the Roxy. Whether that may be from the title or the fact that Earl Derr Biggers' story has been translated for Chinese interest is something to figure and advantageously. No doubt that the millions of readers who first found Chan in the "Saturday Evening Post" and later in book form will be attracted to him.

Chan's quaint characteristics and much of his epigrammatical philosophy is kept intact to make the picture seem as doing proper justice to the book. There is the full fascination of foreign backgrounds for audiences including a Hongkong street scene, and various interiors at Nice, San Remo, London, Honolulu and the ships.

Interest is held high by the good work of the cast. When suspicioned they make one to feel they know it. All are contrasting and include, among others, a retired lumberman; retired lady; gentleman of fortune; an actor; criminal lawyer; tour director, besides the racketeer and others mentioned.

But if anything will tickle its Hymer's explanation of why he didn't take his kid on the world tour. To satiate the kid's desire he saved hotel labels for the boy to make him believe he made the trip anyway. Hymer stated the kid's education came first and somebody had to stay home and manage the estate in case he, Hymer, got bumped.

Roxy held over it's forth anniversary show, although switching for this picture, and justified.

SCRIPT NOTES:

POSSIBLE DATE: Summer 1930

DURATION: Charlie Chan's involvement is perhaps about five days

LOCATIONS (DURING CHARLIE CHAN'S INVOLVEMENT): Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, and aboard the S.S. President Arthur en route to San Francisco, California

ACCORDING TO INSPECTOR DUFF, THE NAME OF THE CHANS' NEWEST CHILD: Duff

THE NAME OF THE HOTEL IN LONDON, ENGLAND WHERE THE MEMBERS OF THE LOFTON TOUR STAYED: Broome's Hotel

THE NUMBER OF THE ROOM AT BROOME'S HOTEL IN WHICH HUGH MORRIS DRAKE WAS MURDERED: 28

THE WORDING ON THE SAFE-DEPOSIT KEY FOUND IN THE HAND OF HUGH MORRIS DRAKE AS STATED BY INSPECTOR DUFF: "Number 3260. Dietrich Safe and Lock Company, Canton, Ohio."

THE NAME OF THE SONG THAT WAS HEARD FROM THE STREET BELOW THE ROOM OF THE MURDER: "Silver Threads Among The Gold"

THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT DR. LOFTON HAD MANAGED "LOFTON'S ROUND-THE-WORLD TOURS": 15 years

THE ORIGINAL NUMBER OF TOURISTS IN THE GROUP: 13

WALTER HONEYWOOD'S ROOM NUMBER AT BROOME'S HOTEL: 29

ACCORDING TO WALTER HONYWOOD, THE LENGTH OF TIME SINCE HE AND HIS WIFE, SYBIL, HAD SEPARATED: "About two months..."

ACCORDING TO EBEN THE NIGHT WATCHMAN AT BROOME'S HOTEL, THE TIME AS HE HAD MADE HIS ROUNDS: "...last night at two o'clock."

THE NUMBER OF THE ROOM IN FRONT OF WHICH EBAN HAD SEEN A MAN STANDING DURING HIS ROUNDS: 27

THE TIME AS A MAN RAN INTO EBAN, KNOCKING HIM DOWN: 4 a.m.

THE SUBSTANCE USED BY MARK KENNAWAY TO REVIVE PATRICK TAIT: Amyl nitrate

THE MILITARY BRANCH IN WHICH CAPTAIN TAIY HAD SUPPOSEDLY SERVED: The British army (in India and South Africa)

THE NUMBER OF TRIPS AROUND THE WORLD, ACCORDING TO MRS. LUCE, THAT SHE HAD TAKEN: "This is my fourth trip around the world."

MRS. LUCE'S ROOM NUMBER AT BROOME'S HOTEL: 27

JOHN ROSS' STATED PROFESSION AND HOME TOWN: "I am a lumberman from Tacoma, Washington."

PATRICK TAIT'S ROOM NUMBER AT BROOME'S HOTEL: 30

THE TIME AS PATRICK TAIT HAD GONE TO SLEEP ON THE PREVIOUS NIGHT, ACCORDING TO MARK KENNISON: "...about twelve..."

THE HOME TOWN OF MAX AND SADIE MINCHIN: Chicago, Illinois

THE HOME TOWN OF THE BENBOWS: Akron, Ohio

ACCORDING TO ELMER BENBOW, THE LATE HUGH MORRIS DRAKE'S TRADE: "...an automobile manufacturer..."

ELMER BENBOW'S TRADE, AS STATED BY HIMSELF: "...I make tires."

THE REMAINING ITINERARY OF THE LOFTON TOUR, ACCORDING TO INSPECTOR HAYLEY: "...tonight they're in Paris, then Nice -- San Remo -- Egypt -- Singapore -- Honolulu -- around the world."

THE AMOUNT PAID TO MARTIN BY WALTER HONYWOOD TO SILENCE HIM: 100 pounds (two 50-pound notes)

ACCORDING TO MARTIN, THE TIME AS HE DELIVERED A CABLEGRAM TO WALTER HONYWOOD: "...ten o'clock last night..."

THE TIME, ACCORDING TO MARTIN, AS WALTER HONYWOOD GAVE HIM THE MONEY: "...seven o'clock the next morning..."

THE CONVEYANCE USED BY INSPECTOR DUFF TO REACH THE CONTINENT: "...the night boat to Dieppe."

THE TRAIN TAKEN BY INSPECTOR DUFF TO NICE, FRANCE: "The Riviera Express"

ACCORDING TO HIS NOTE, THE RESIDENCE OF WALTER HONYWELL'S ESTRANGED WIFE, SYBIL CONWAY: "Palace Hotel, San Remo"

THE NAME OF THE HOTEL WHERE THE LOFTON TOUR STAYED IN NICE, FRANCE: Hotel Excelsior Grande

THE NUMBER OF BAGS OF DIAMONDS THAT SYBIL CONWAY AND WALTER HONEYWOOD HAD STOLEN FROM JIM EVERHARD: Two

THE LOCATION WHERE THE THEFT TOOK PLACE: South Africa

THE LOCATION OF PATRICK TAIT'S ROOM AT THE HOTEL EXCELSIOR GRANDE: Fourth floor

THE BIRTHPLACE OF PAMELA POTTER: Boston, Massachusetts

ACCORDING TO PAMELA POTTER, HER PLACE OF RESIDENCE: "...Beacon Street, Boston..."

THE PRICE OF THE STRING OF JADE THAT PAMELA POTTER LOOKED AT IN THE SHOP IN HONG KONG: $280

THE CITY WHERE INSPECTOR DUFF WAS HEADED WHEN HE RECEIVED PAMELA POTTER'S CABLEGRAM: Tacoma, Washington

THE CITY WHERE INSPECTOR DUFF FLEW TO CATCH A BOAT TO HONOLULU: San Francisco

THE SCHEDULED TIME OF DEPARTURE FOR THE LOFTON TOUR'S BOAT TO SAN FRANCISCO FROM HONOLULU: 10 p.m.

THE TYPE OF CAR OWNED BY CHARLIE CHAN, ACCORDING TO HIMSELF: "...a brand new, second-hand 1919 Model Y." ("Model why")

THE NAME OF THE SHIP TAKEN BY THE LOFTON TOUR: S.S. President Arthur

THE APPROXIMATE TIME AT WHICH INSPECTOR DUFF WAS SHOT BY THE MURDERER IN CHARLIE CHAN'S OFFICE: 9:30 p.m.

THE LABEL ADHERED TO THE SIDE OF ONE OF MARK KENNAWAY'S TRAVEL BAGS: "Great Eastern Hotel" (Calcutta)

THE PROMINANT INITIALS ON THIS BAG: "M.K."

GLOSSARY:

amyl nitrate - A vasodilator that is sometimes used to treat angina pectoris.

Charlie Chan Carries On (script) - Mark Kennaway: "Amyl nitrate. It will bring him around in a moment."

benny - (slang) A hat, probably a derby.

Charlie Chan Carries On (script) - Elmer Benbow: "Just take off the benny, will you -- the lid, you know -- the hat."

B.V.D.'s - A trademark used for undershirts and underpants worn by men and boys. This trademark sometimes occurs in print with a final 's.

Charlie Chan Carries On (script) - Max Minchin: "You seen what happened to Inspector Duff, didn't you? You better get yourself some iron underwear -- you know B.V.D.'s."

chamois - A soft leather made from the hide of this animal or other animals such as deer or sheep. A chamois bag containing pebbles was found with victims of the killer in Charlie Chan Carries On.

Charlie Chan's Courage (script) - Charlie Chan: "Note chamois lined watch pocket."

Chinaman - (today considered offensive) A person of Chinese descent.

Pamela Potter: "The Chinaman in that shop pointed out Jim Everhard."

Chink - (offensive slang) Used as a disparaging term for a person of Chinese birth or descent.

Charlie Chan Carries On (script) - Max Minchin: "Oh, hello Chink! How's the laundry business?" (NOTE: Reliable information indicates that this line was not used in the final version of Charlie Chan Carries On.)

demi-tasse - (1) A small cup of strong black coffee or espresso. (2) The small cup used to serve this drink.

Charlie Chan Carries On (script) - Script direction notes: The Minchin dinner has reached the stage of demi-tasse and cigarettes.

dick - (slang) A detective.

Charlie Chan Carries On (script) - Max Minchin: "What for? He's a dick, ain't he?"

Dieppe - A city of northeast France on the English Channel north of Rouen. It is a port for channel steamers and a beach resort.

Charlie Chan Carries On (script) - Inspector Duff: "I've just time to catch the night boat to Dieppe."

gendarme - A member of the French national police organization constituting a branch of the armed forces with responsibility for general law enforcement.

Charlie Chan Carries On (script) - Script Direction notes: Pam is holding animated conversation with bearded gendarme...

Honolulu - The capital and largest city of Hawaii, on the southeast coast of Oahu. Honolulu's harbor was first entered by Europeans in 1794. Settlement of the area began in 1816, and the city soon gained prominence as a whaling and sandalwood port. Honolulu has been a major tourist center since the early twentieth century. Population - 1930: 202,807; 1940: 257,696.

Honolulu was the home of Charlie Chan and his multitudinous family who lived on the slope of Punchbowl Hill. This city is at least the starting point for a number of adventures, and, in two films, including Charlie Chan's Greatest Case and The Black Camel (filmed on location), serves as the backdrop for the entire film. Other titles where at least some of the plot, if only implied, takes place in Honolulu include Charlie Chan Carries On, Charlie Chan's Secret, Charlie Chan at the Race Track, Charlie Chan in Honolulu, Charlie Chan in Reno, and Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise.

lid - (slang) A hat.

Charlie Chan Carries On (script) - Elmer Benbow: "Just take off the benny, will you -- the lid, you know -- the hat."

Malacca stick (or Malacca cane) - A cane made from the stem of a rattan palm.

Charlie Chan Carries On (script) - Script Direction Notes: ...Ross with Malacca stick, head of which he taps against his lips and chin...

For a complete list from all films, please visit our Charlie Chan Glossary.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Midwest Theater (location unknown)

1931

Princess Theatre, Honolulu, Hawaii

From: The Honolulu Star-Bulletin, October 24, 1931

Courtesy of Steven Fredrick Collection