Despite my being a mystery lover, I'd never seen a Charlie Chan movie before now. And, considering how many of them seem to exist, I thought it was time I rectified that oversight.
I started with this entry because I generally like circus settings (and definitely not because it was the first one I could find [though my circus comment stands]), and it certainly lives up to the title. This movie's got contortionists, acrobats, cobras, two tiny dancers (both of whom are incredibly endearing), and an angry, murderous gorilla. It's a lot of fun, thanks especially to some lighthearted golden age comedy and a likeable performance from Keye Luke as Chan's "number one son".
Honestly, it's just a shame that the mystery isn't stronger. Seeing as this movie's only 72 minutes, and the bulk of that time is spent with the detectives, we don't get much of an opportunity to meet any of the suspects. It makes their motives feel underbaked and secondary, which results in a murder mystery that's somehow at its least interesting when it's trying to uncover the killer.
Grade: B+
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