Watch Charlie Chan in Rio For Free

So much average

Highly Overrated But Still Good

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Charlie Chan and number two son Jimmy come to Rio to arrest a murderer but she is murdered herself. Cue lots of suspects before the killer is detected by Chan and Chief Souto of the local police. Only an hour long but it is fine entertainment. It is mostly confined to one house but is never dull. Director Harry Lachman stands back and lets the narrative play out without any fuss.Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan puts in another fine performance, mischievous, sympathetic and dogged. Sen Yung gives possibly his best playing of Jimmy Chan, whether making premature deductions or mooning over the Hawaiian maid he is a delight. Harold Huber as Chief Soto tones down his usual excitable acting and is all the better for it.Another winner in the 20th Century Fox series of Chan films.

With performers like Carmen Miranda and Cesar Romero on its roster, and with Don Ameche, Linda Darnell, and Tyrone Power looking as if they could be from South America, Cuba, Mexico, Spain, etc., Fox did lots of films purportedly set in these exotic locales. "Charlie Chan in Rio" from 1941 is one of these, though a lot of stock footage is used to give the illusion of actually being in Rio.Charlie and son Jimmy are in Rio and go to a nightclub with the police chief to arrest a nightclub singer, Lola Dean. Dean is suspected of killing her married lover in Honolulu. Charlie decides it would be better to arrest her at home. However, she is found dead, and her jewels have been stolen.As usual, there are too many suspects, among them a man (Victor Jory) who does prognostics, a sort of mystical mind-reading, Lola's wealthy fiancée, a woman in love with said fiancée, a no-nonsense friend (Mary Beth Hughes) and her boyfriend, Lola's ex-husband, and a butler.It falls to Charlie to sort all this out, but along the way he and the police chief have a little fun with Jimmy, questioning under the mystic's potion, which puts his subject under hypnosis. Why did he fail math? It was too early to get up in the morning for class.It seems not only Lola had a secret in her past -- there's plenty else to be learned.Good fun, with a cute ending.

*Spoiler/plot- Charlie Chan in Rio, 1941. Mr. Chan is on the trail of a murderess, but someone else gets to her first. When the women he's about to arrest is found dead, he has to discover who killed the killer.*Special Stars- Sidney Toler, Mary Beth HUghes, Victor Jory, Victor Sen Yung.*Theme- Crime is the only constant in the world.*Trivia/location/goofs- B & W. This film is the 29th of the 47 Chan films. Iris Wong who plays 'Lilli' plays Mr. Chan's daughter in other Chan films.*Emotion- I love Charlie Chan movies due to it's style, humor, acting and time period. This film's interesting direction or writing tends to make the script almost unpredictable. The action is constant, charming and vibrant from 20th Century-Fox studios. This film is enjoyable and entertaining.

Charlie and son Jimmy arrive in Rio de Janerio to arrest singer Lola Dean in connection with a murder in Honolulu. Lola, who is engaged to Clark Denton, plans to elope with her lover after confessing to a mystic, in a drug induced state, the murder of Manuel Cardosa. Charlie (along with Jimmy and Inspector Souto) arrives at Lola's house to arrest the murderess, but is found dead by her secretary Helen Ashby. Soon every person connected with Lola (who happen to be invited to the engagement party that night) is suspected of her murder. Its up to Charlie to uncover the clues of a broken pin, missing broach, and coffee and cigarettes to reveal the killer. A remake of the Black Camel, and this version is only slightly better due to some more interesting characters and better camera advancements, but really only worth viewing so you can just say you have seen every Chan film. Has the same plot holes and corniness as the previous version. Rating, 5.