Incannerax What a waste of my time!!!

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Hattie I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

biorngm Review - Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise, released 6-21-40 This was the sixth production for Fox of the Sidney Toler starred Charlie Chan movies and the film was rated at eight or a B in comparison with any of the Toler roles. The story was believable, the plot moved along without non-essential scenes clogging its path to the great finish. The characters portrayed were recognizable actors, all playing their roles professionally, with plenty of red-herrings to be intrigued for the seventy plus minutes. One has to buy the premise to the Charlie Chan movies, and the program or film follows right along as solid Saturday matinee entertainment at a dark time in U.S. history. Buying the premise and accepting how the films were shot is understood at the onset when writing a review. There were rarely daylight scenes, at hotels, on shipboard or even at the morgue; fog enshrouded or nighttime occurring mystery and murder was the accepted norm, a pseudo-film-noir mode throughout the picture. A word to the screenwriters, people can be seen in the daytime committing murder, and lurking about in disguise. The plot revolves around the revenge of an ex-husband coming out of prison who pursues his ex-wife and her second husband. This former spouse blackmails a disreputable individual to carry out his clever killing spree and he begins his crimes by removing Charlie Chan's Inspector friend, who had been tracking him globally. When the opportunity was available to end the life of the blackmailed sole, he killed him before finally having a chance at the ex-wife; assaulting her at the end of the movie. Charlie follows the path of clues, deciphering each, and, as some evidence is destroyed, there was always self-incrimination to do in the killer.Follow Chan from the murder of his friend, through the mistaken identity of the second husband, next the second husband and then the blackmailed accomplice. The film begins with two murders, one off camera, setting Charlie on his journey to settling the tragic killing of his friend. The summary at the picture's close is quintessential Chan covering all the questions a viewer would want to know.

binapiraeus Now this is a movie RIGHT after every real murder mystery fan's heart - no wonder, because it's based on one of Earl Derr Biggers' original novels, "Charlie Chan Carries On" (which had already been adapted in 1931 as the - now lost - first film starring Warner Oland in the role, bearing the book's title), and can clearly be identified as a crime novel brought to the screen. A plot with so many twists and knots that it's almost impossible to follow, a whole bunch of suspects to 'choose' from, dark connections with the past...And it was adapted in a really MASTERFUL way, with a perfect direction (the atmosphere on board the ship is wonderfully genuine, and the foggy night scenes on deck are pretty creepy), an illustrious cast including mystery specialist Lionel Atwill, Leo Carroll, Robert Lowery (who later would become famous in westerns), Marjorie Weaver (the heroine of many a good B movie), and Cora Witherspoon, and many gags included to lighten up the murderous atmosphere - as usual, mostly provoked by, or involving poor Jimmy Chan.It all starts in Charlie Chan's office in Honolulu, where he is visited by his old friend Inspector Duff from Scotland Yard, who tells him about a strange case he's on incognito: a cruise ship started four months ago on a world tour from New York, and on the first night one of the passengers, a judge, was strangled. In Liverpool, Duff joined the cruise, and he's convinced that among the passengers must be a dangerous criminal, and it's very probable that he'll strike again. And so he does: Charlie's superior next door is informed over the telephone that a Mr. Kenyon, another one of the passengers, was murdered in his hotel room - and when Charlie gets back to his own office, he finds his friend strangled; and that makes him feel obliged to take on the case himself...He goes on board, and is introduced to the passengers by group leader Dr. Suderman: there's archaeologist Professor Gordon, Dick Kenyon, the nephew of the murdered man, Paula Drake with whom he's in love and who's the secretary of slightly hysterical Susie Watson, Susie's admirer Freddie Ross, the strange spiritualist couple Mr. and Mrs. Walters - and Mr. Pendleton, who seems to be afraid to death that HE's the intended victim! Then there's a mysterious beggar with a huge beard creeping around, there are stories from the past involving Mrs. Pendleton, there are little bags containing exactly 30 silver dimes (...) - and of course, there's a stowaway: who else but... Jimmy Chan?And then unfolds a plot before our eyes which is not only almost too complicated to describe, but it would also be a shame to give away too much of it - because it really has to be SEEN to be believed! An absolute 'must' for every mystery fan, equal (if not superior) even to many of the very best 'whodunits' that were ever brought to the screen!

telegonus This is a tight little entry in the Charlie Chan series concerning the tracking down of a serial killer on a cruise ship. Sidney Toler and Sen Yung are in good form as Charlie and his impetuous son, Jimmy. The supporting cast would be outstanding for an A film. With Lionel Atwill on-board as (I kid you not) cruise director you know you're in for a good, scary time. The Chan series was at its peak when this one got made. Warner Oland, whose dour presence had put Charlie on the map, so to speak, was but a memory by 1940. Toler was a more jovial Chan, and his good humor set the tone for the rest of the series. The actors in the film, which include Charles Middleton and Claire Du Brey, as a stuffy religious couple, do their deadpan best to keep the story afloat and suspenseful, adding just a touch of the diabolical. There's a festive air in this one, and a neat game of shuffleboard with Don Beddoe.

SkippyDevereaux This film is a very good and has a hilarious performance by the great Cora Witherspoon!! She must be from the Edna Mae Oliver school of acting--one of those ladies that can steal every scene that she is in. All the Charlie Chan films are very enjoyable to watch, at least the ones with Sidney Toler in them, as he was the best actor to portray Charlie Chan. All around good fun film to watch!!