Charlie Chan in Paris

Shortly after solving a couple of murders at a country estate in England, (recounted in Charlie Chan in London), Chan is commissioned by a London banking house to discreetly investigate forgery in bond issues put out by a prestigious financial institution in France, headed by Paul Lamartine.

Charlie arrives in Paris and immediately discovers that there's been a leak. ''The purpose of your visit is known,'' he is informed via a note tied to a rock and thrown through his cab window. ''If you place the least value on your life, leave France tonight. This will be your only warning.''

Chan ponders the implications of this and then proceeds with his plans. First he visits an old friend, Victor Descartes, who as it happens as a cashier at the Lamartine bank. Descartes is a happy-go-lucky young man, newly engaged to Yvette Lamartine, daughter of his employer. Descartes has friends, too, Max Corday, a dilletante artist, and his girlfriend Renee Jacquard.

The group go to Le Cafe Singe Bleu for a night on the town. Chan has an ulterior motive - he wants to meet the famous Apache dancer Nardi who is also an undercover operative - also working on the case of the forged bonds. However, she is killed by a shadowy figure before Chan can speak with her.

The next day, Yvette Lamartine visits her father at the bank, but quickly reveals her true reason - she has been indiscreet with the head clerk of the firm, Albert Dufresne. He has certain letters of hers which she wants back and which he refuses to give to her without consideration. Their conversation is cut short when Chan arrives, as Dufresne is called in to the head office by Lamartine. Chan explains the purpose of his visit to Paris, and Lamartine promises his full cooperation.

Who in the Lamartine bank is responsible for these bond forgeries? For the murders of Nardi and Dufresne? Cashier Descartes? Bad influence Max Corday or Renee Jacquard? Lamartine himself? And what does a half-crazed beggar by the name of Xavier have to do with it all?

Fortunately, Charlie's eldest son, Lee, is on hand to assist him with this case. The chase leads into the depths of the underworld, for ''many strange crimes happen in the sewers of Paris.''

A fast-paced, fun movie that will keep you guessing.

Production credits: The film was produced by John Stone. The screenplay was by Edward T. Loewe and Stuart Anthony, based on a story by Phil MacDonald. Photographed by Ernest Palmer. Sound by Eugene Grossman. Settings by Duncan Cramer and Albert Hogsett. Gowns by Lillian. Musical direction by Samuel Kaylin. Directed by Lewis Seiler. Running time 70 minutes. A Fox Film.

As with any movie, Charlie Chan in Paris has a few imperfections. The events take place in Paris, all the characters have French names, but no one even attempts to speak with a French accent.

When being introduced to Chan for the first time, Max Corday speaks to him in pidgin English. ''Me very happy know you. You like little dlinky?'' His friend Descartes is clearly embarrassed for him. Charlie speaks to him first in perfect English, and then ''Me no like dlinky now. Mebbe later!'' Embarrassment and then contrition wash over Corday's face, and he apologizes.

Is this an offensive scene that should be excised in the cause of political correctness? Not at all! Prejudice was a reality of the times in 1935 (as it is a reality for any minority in any country today.) Chan puts the young man in his place subtly, but more effectively than with brutal blows. And it places a great contrast on the treatment Charlie receives from police officials and bank officials - who know him or his reputation and treat him with great respect.

It's 1935! Everyone knows about fingerprints (from the movies at least), yet Yvette Lamartine picks up the gun which she must know has just been fired into Albert Dufresne. When a whole bunch of people come rushing into the room she does not protest her innocence but instead threatens them and tells them to stand back so that she might make her escape. This is foolish, and Miss Lamartine seems too intelligent a woman to do this type of thing. Nevertheless her intelligence must be sacrificed to advance the plot.

The cast of Charlie Chan in Paris:

	Victor Descartes is played by Thomas Beck. He was born on December 29, 1909 in New York, NY, and died on September 23, 1995 in Miami Shores, Florida, from heart ailments. He had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Mr. Beck guest-starred in several Charlie Chan films; in the first Mr. Moto; was the village priest opposite Shirley Temple in the film Heidi (1937), and was a soldier who died in Ronald Coleman's arms in Under Two Flags (1936). Mr. Beck also worked to promote the movie actors union - the Screen Actors Guild. It was a hard battle and he left the movies in 1939 after the studio punished him by reducing his wages. Beck owned a collection of fetish santos and painted landscapes of California. He was most proud of his book of poems, titled Astride the Wind, written before, during and after World War II.
	Yvette Lamartine is played by Mary Brian. She was born Louise Byrdie Dantzler, on February 17 February 1908 in Corsicana, Texas. She grew to a height of 5' 2"! She was an 'attractive romantic leading lady in mid-20's through late-30's Hollywood films. She married Jon Whitcomb very briefly (from 4 May 1941 - 8 August 1941) and was wed to George Tomasini from 1947 til his death in 1967. As of 2000, she still living in the same house in Studio City, California, where she had lived since 1953. Mary Brian died on December 30, 2002, the last member of the cast to leave us. She made over 80 films in her career, beginning as Wendy Darling in Peter Pan (1924) and ending with Dragnet (1947). [NOT the Jack Webb movie!]. She starred opposite Aldolphe Menjou and Pat O'Brien in 1931's The Front Page.
	Albert Dufresne is played by John Miljan. Miljan was born on November 9, 1892 in Lead City, South Dakota, and died of cancer in Hollywood, California on January 24, 1960. His birth name was Jovan Miljanovic, his height was 6 feet, and he played 'smooth-talking, oily villains in Hollywood films for three and a half decades from 1923'.
	Max Corday is played by Erik Rhodes. Ernest Sharpe was born on February 10, 1906 in El Reno, Indian Territory, USA. [now Oklahoma]. He died on February 17, 1990 in Oklahoma City, of pneumonia. He had been in bad health for several years. A stage actor, he appeared on Broadway as Tonetti in 'The Gay Divorce' in 1932 with Fred Astaire. When the play was brought tothe screen in 1934, he made his film debut. He reprised the role, in a sense, in Top Hat (1935). Rhodes retired from films after World War II (though he appeared on television, quickly, as a murder victim in an episode of Perry Mason. During WWII, Rhodes, who spoke five European languages, was sent by the Army to Japan!
	Henri Latouche is played by Murray Kinnell Kinnell was born in London, England on July 24, 1889 and died in Santa Barbara California on August 11, 1954. He'd made his last film, Think Fast, Mr. Moto in 1937. A great friend of British actor George Arliss, it is he who suggested that Arliss hire Bette Davis for her first role in film. His last film was as the villain in Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937), starring Peter Lorre.
	Inspector Renard is played by Minor Watson Minor Watson was born on December 22, 1889 in Marianna, Arkansas, and died on July 28, 1965 in Alton, Illinois, USA. His first movie was A Brother's Loyalty in 1913, his last The Ambassador's Daughter in 1956.

The Director: Lewis Seiler was born on September 30, 1890 in New York, NY, and died on January 8, 1964 in Hollywood, California. This is the only Chan movie he directed, having moved up from Tom Mix (Western) films.

The Screenwriter(s): Philip MacDonald (sometimes credited on his films as Martin Porlock - shades of Sherlock Holmes!) was born on November 5, 1901 in Scotland and died on December 10, 1980 in Woodland Hills, California. MacDonald had written the screenplay for Charlie Chan in London, for Charlie Chan in Paris he apparently wrote the story, while the actual screenplay was developed by Edward T. Lowe (who was to be a frequent Chan scripter) and Stuart Anthony.

MacDonald also wrote books on which movies were based - The Lost Patrol, 23 Paces to Baker Street and The List of Adrian Messenger.

External Websites
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http://www.charliechan.net/
http://members.aol.com/meow103476/charliechan.html
http://charliechanfamily.tripod.com/

We have a complete selection of Charlie Chan books and videos. Go to the Charlie Chan Store. The books by Earl Derr Biggers are out of print (except for a hard-back facscimile version of The House Without Key), you can locate used books at www.abe.com.