What makes it different from others?

It is not only a funny movie, but it allows a great amount of joy for anyone who watches it.

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Warner Oland had died and Sidney Toler took over the role of Charlie Chan. While Lee is apparently in college, Number Two son, Jimmy, becomes the one aspiring to be a detective. During a rather tiresome beginning involving the birth of a grandchild, there is some banter between father and son and other child. While Charlie is at the hospital with the entire here, one of the boys gets a call about a murder aboard a ship. Jimmy and his stowaway brother end up on the ship, impersonating honorable father. In addition to two woman, a strange man who sleeps with a lion, is a weird character played by George Zucco, who was in many horror films. He has a kind of fish tank where he keeps a brain alive. Anyway, things go from bad to worse. One of the women came aboard with 300,000 dollars. It is soon missing. There are numerous suspects and eventually Charlie gets wind of his son's bumbling activities (not terrible, just not very insightful) and heads for the ship. This isn't a bad transition for the series as Toler picks up pretty well where his predecessor left off. This Chan, at least for now, is a bit harsher.

Charle Chan in Honolulu (1938) Sydney Toler. Sen Young (as son Jimmy). Charlie detains tramp steamer investigating a murder. Classic Chan! The well-known George Zucco plays a creepy scientist (Dr. Cardigan) who keeps a human brain alive in a jar; red-herring? A detective is aboard ship returning an escaped prisoner to prison, another red-herring? Zoo menagerie including wandering lion, all aboard ship, adds distraction to cluttered but delightful story line. Lots of colorful characters and bad acting. Keeps you guessing, can YOU guess who the murderer is? Good addition to the Chan series."Mr. Chan, what's your opinion on the case?" Charlie Chan: "Opinion like tea leaves, take time for brewing."

For a man who's actual job is as a detective with the Honolulu, PD, Charlie Chan sure got around. Just a quick look at the titles in the series and this man traveled the world over. This first film with Sidney Toler playing the inscrutable Oriental detective for once has him in Honolulu, solving a case on his own stomping grounds.But this murder of a passenger who's been stripped of his identity in Honolulu Harbor on a freighter comes at a most inopportune moment for the Chan family. Charlie and his wife are anxiously awaiting their daughter presenting them with their first grandchild. Here unfortunately is where the film gets a bit dopey. Number 2 son Victor Sen Yung gets the call from Honolulu PD for his father to get out to the harbor and investigate. Not wishing to disturb the old man at the hospital and wanting to prove he's a good detective too, Sen Yung goes out to the harbor and pretends to be his father. Of course later on the real Charlie Chan takes over.I really think that 20th Century Fox went overboard on this one. Even if you're a cop's son, impersonating a police officer is serious business. Charlie must have had one incredible bit of pull to keep number 2 son out of that jackpot.Still it's an average episode for the series and fans of Charlie Chan will like it.

In Charlie Chan in Honolulu, Chan is called out to a freighter with six passengers making its way to Hawaii. A mysterious man has been murdered and $300,000 is missing. Chan must work his way through the clues, red herrings, odd characters, and other assorted obstacles to find a solution. In typical Chan fashion, he gathers all the suspects together to reveal the killer's identity.Charlie Chan in Honolulu marks Sidney Toler's first outing as the venerable detective. The movie may not be spectacular, but it's not a bad way to begin Toler's run in the series. The movie also sees Victor Sen Yung take over for Keye Luke in the role of Chan's main son. H. Bruce Humberstone would appear to have been a solid choice to direct Toler's first Chan. He was familiar with the series having already directed three installments, including the much heralded Charlie Chan at the Opera. Likewise, the supporting characters are also a solid group. George Zucco and Phyllis Brooks give exceptionally noteworthy performances. Eddie Collins provides the comic relief. The biggest weakness of Charlie Chan in Honolulu is the plot. It's just not that interesting. And, in infuriating fashion, Chan's solution to the mystery is a cheat. There's no way for the audience to have figured out the solution based on the clues presented. It takes a last minute piece of evidence to unmask the killer.