JohnHowardReid Copyright 5 December 1936 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Palace: 4 December 1936. U.S. release: 8 January 1937. U.K. release: 16 November 1936. 6,175 feet. 68 minutes. Censored to 5,783 feet (64 minutes) in the U.K.SYNOPSIS: Having succesfully wrapped up the race track murder case, Charlie prepares to return to Honolulu. But first he becomes involved in the hunt for a madman who has found his way into the Los Angeles Opera Company during Oscar Levant's "Carnival".NOTES: Number thirteen of the sixteen pictures made by Warner Oland in the series, and the second of three to be directed by Lucky Humberstone (who also directed Sidney Toler in his initial entry, Charlie Chan in Honolulu). Shooting commenced 16 September 1936. This entry gives movie buffs a good look at Nedda Harrigan. Never heard of her? She was married to Walter Connolly from 1923 until his death in 1940. In 1945, she married Joshua Logan. That union lasted until his death in 1988. A stage actress, Miss Harrigan made only fifteen films, but they included The Case of the Black Cat, Thank You Mr Moto, Men Are Such Fools, Devil's Island and Scandal Sheet. Charlotte Henry, of course is Alice in Wonderland, though she was actually twenty years old when she made that movie in 1933. She still seems appropriately under-age in this picture too.COMMENT: Whilst it easily ranks as the most popular of the entire Chan series (thanks mostly to the casting of cult figure Boris Karloff as Charlie's adversary), Charlie Chan at the Opera in at least one significant way rates as the least typical. True, Keye Luke is along to both hinder and assist Pop, and an easily disparaged comic detective (William Demarest) complete with pratfalls has also been cast. Charlie is also allowed a fair quota of his famous aphorisms. What's more, the movie has been lensed on an exuberant budget with lots of action thrills and atmospheric effects in both lighting and sets. But where's the mystery? Gravelle commits all the murders, doesn't he? Well, let me tell you, it came as quite a shock to me to discover (right at the fade-out) that he didn't. Not even one of them. Even the expert compiler of the movie data base credits has obviously been confused by the screenplay's deliberate obfuscations, as he still assigns one murder to the madman even though the screenplay offhandedly explains it away in the last few seconds of the climactic action.Mind you, Frank Conroy often thrusts himself center stage, but he's such an obvious red herring no-one is going to take the slightest notice of him. Besides the movie itself (all but explicitly) shows us Gravelle actually committing the crimes. (Oddly, the VHS cover features a head shot of Oland and a still of Oland with Conroy, but no picture of Karloff at all). Another problem is that the opera itself proves something of a distraction. I'm not referring to the off-stage scenes. Or even to the menace Karloff so slickly infiltrates into his portrait of Mephistopheles. All this material is fascinating. I mean the singing. Good stuff, but it's obviously not Karloff's voice. Humberstone directs with precision. It's all very slick and highly professional. In fact his work is as polished as an "A" picture. But that's also a bit disappointing. He never really lets himself go, as he does so excitingly in C.C. at the Race Track.

bsmith5552 "Charlie Chan at the Opera" is an unique entry in the long running series. It was the only film in which a major star (Boris Karloff who was at the peak of his popularity) played opposite star Warner Oland. In fact the opening credits show "Warner Oland vs. Boris Karloff".Karloff plays a former Opera star Gravelle, who escaped a theatre fire designed to murder him only to become an amnesiac who has been languishing in an asylum for the past seven years. By chance he sees a newspaper heralding a new opera with a picture of the leading soprano. This triggers a memory in Gravelle's mind. He escapes the asylum and goes to the Opera house where he hides out.It turns out the star, Lilli Rochelle (Margaret Irving) and second baritone Enrico Barelli (Gregory Gaye) have been carrying on under the suspicious eye of Barelli's wife Anita (Nedda Harrigan). Gravelle reveals himself to Anita and vows to replace Barelli in the Opera to gain his revenge on Lilli whom he believes was responsible for the attempt on his life .Meanwhile Charlie Chan (Oland) and number one son Lee (Keye Luke) have been brought in to help capture Gravelle by Inspector Regan (Guy Usher).A young couple Phil Childer (frequent Chan co-star Thomas Beck) and his girl friend known only as Miss Kitty are trying to get in to see Lilli. As Gravelle plots his revenge two murders take place and naturally Gravelle is suspected. Charlie and Lee gather the evidence and piece together the mystery.The opera sequence, "Carnival" was written specifically for this film by the legendary Oscar Levant. And no, that's not Karloff singing, his voice was dubbed. William Demarest who would go on to major character parts in "A" features, plays the bumbling Sgt. Kelly here.Karloff as usual, added a measure of mystery to the film and although he had few scenes with Oland did raise the bar for the villains of the series. Karloff had appeared in the earlier "Chan" film "Behind That Curtain" in 1929.

mckim39 Charlie Chan Series is one of the best Hollywood film to effective display White racism. Charlie Chan supposed to be an Asian-American guy. His character is played by white guy. They hired white male to play Asian guy. During the era of racist Hollywood, most Asian character usually male was played by White guy. There never put a single real Asian character to play human being. Most real Asian character were enemy just like how they depicted Native American character as enemy to White people. The legacy of Hollywood racism goes back to 30's first era of Hollywood's the way they depicted Native American Indian as savage killer and White people as victim. They completely reversed the history.

bensonmum2 Gravelle (Boris Karloff), a former opera singer who is accused of killing his wife and her lover, is an amnesia victim living in a sanitarium. A newspaper story on the opera sparks some memory in his brain and he escapes to get his revenge on those who did him wrong. A murder at the opera house appears to be the handiwork of Gravelle. But Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) is not so sure. Can Chan put a stop to the murders and find Gravelle before anyone else dies? Charlie Chan at the Opera is a very nice installment in the Chan series. And by all rights it should considering it's probably the "biggest" Chan film that Fox made. The movie is entertaining from beginning to end with very few dull moments. Even the opera scenes, which have importance to the plot, don't put a drag on the movie like they could have. Oland is in fine form as Chan and never played the character any better. And it's an incredible joy for me to see two of my favorites, Oland and Karloff, on the screen at the same time. It's heady stuff! The supporting cast is strong with William Demarest making the perfect foil for Oland. Also, the sets go a long way to making this one a winner. The backstage of an opera house has always been a good setting for a mystery.Until I did some reading recently on the internet, I honestly had no idea that so many people considered Charlie Chan at the Opera to be one of the best of the series. While it's got a lot going for it, I can't rank it quite that highly. My biggest problem (and I'm sure I'll get killed for this) with the movie is the plot. I find the mystery elements of Charlie Chan at the Opera to be lacking. The resolution to the mystery seems to rely as much on "dumb luck" (for the lack of a better phrase) and other strange circumstances than it does on actual detection. But this is really all so insignificant when your having this much fun with a movie!