ddave1952-609-939427
Not a good entry in the Charlie Chan, Warner Oland entries. I always liked it when Keye Luke is in the movie. He adds genuine humor being No. 1 son Lee. He is a great comic foil for his father, but he's a good detective too, slower then his pop however. Stephin Fetchit is an awful black stereotype that is not funny. His comic moments take away from the film. The plot is not hard to follow, but it's development and pace are slow beyond belief. As usual Warner Orland is the highlight of the film as Charlie Chan. But it almost seemed that Chan was bored with this mystery, and I was too. I've watched most of the Charlie Chan movies with Warner Oland, and this is the worst of them. Uninteresting characters, lame plot, unfunny, in overall it's boring. Avoid this one in the series, you aren't missing anything.
utgard14
A very good Charlie Chan movie marred by the unfortunate inclusion of the dated comic relief Stepin Fetchit ( "Mr. Tom won me in a card game"). Despite being introduced in the previous film, Keye Luke's "Number One Son" Lee doesn't appear here. The story sees Charlie coming to Egypt to investigate the theft of Egyptian relics and a missing archaeologist. Most notable today for the early appearance of a young Rita Hayworth (billed as Rita Cansino). This is generally considered to be one of the best of the Charlie Chan series. The mystery is nicely done. The Egyptian trappings provide for a nice horror-movie atmosphere. Lots of great Chan aphorisms that we all love. It's a good film for fans of old detective stories. Just be prepared to grit your teeth through the scenes involving Stepin Fetchit's character Snowshoes.
bkoganbing
Although I had the murderer pretty well figured out way before the end, this Charlie Chan film is still a pretty good one with Warner Oland of Sweden giving a grand interpretation of the celebrated Chinese sleuth from Honolulu.There are some superficial resemblances to the classic Boris Karloff feature The Mummy as the setting of this film is Egypt and an archaeological expedition. The death of Lord Carnarvon shortly after he opened King Tutankhamen's tomb was subject matter for many a story with an Egyptian setting. But while Karloff's The Mummy dealt with sinister supernatural forces from the ancient past, Charlie Chan In Egypt has some very human murderer with some very human motives.Charlie Chan who has been hired by a French Museum to oversee their interests arrives in Egypt and the daughter of the expedition leader Pat Patterson gets Warner Oland to go out to the dig and find her father George Irving who hasn't been heard from in 3 months. He finds him all right, in the mummy's case all wrapped in white linen with a bullet in the chest. Later on Patterson's brother James Eagles is killed with a very clever device that emits poison gas.Pat Patterson had a minor career in the Thirties and retired from the screen after she married Charles Boyer. In only her second film Rita Hayworth under her real name of Rita Cansino plays a mysterious Egyptian girl who adds a bit of decoration in a bit role. Nothing mysterious about Stepin Fetchit who sadly paraded his usual stereotype in his role as the camp errand runner.I think you'll figure this one pretty early, but no reason you still won't enjoy Charlie Chan In Egypt.
guenzeld
I can highly recommend this delightful entry in the Charlie Chan series for its good story, fine sets and photography and all around good atmosphere. Warner Oland was by far the best of the Chans and his performance is thoughtful, introspective and, simply, a joy.And I am not going to offer any sanctimonious (and very tiresome) criticisms of the role played by that wonderful comedian Stepin Fetchit, whose appearances in any film, very much including this one, were fun to watch. His skills and his ingratiating personality are always welcome in my home.Seek this one out on a late Friday night with a bowl of popcorn and just have a good time.