What a waste of my time!!!

Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Blow darts and air rifles seem to abound in the Charlie Chan series. It seems that those most vulnerable are not protected very well. So often, someone dies with a cop standing guard outside the door. People are able to shoot through windows or off balconies without any trouble. They then escape without a trace. Even if they are caught, the person lies dead. In this one, a Chinese princess has come to see Charlie with what appears to be important information. Birmingham goes to get Charlie and while they are putzing around, the unfortunate lady gets shot with a dart. It turns out that there is some big money involved with airplane contracts. A Chinese ship and some banking mishaps are at the center. Enter another of those dull 1940's policemen and an overly aggressive female beat reporter who has the hots for him and Chan is left having to handle the situation. As usual, Mantan Moreland and Tommy Chan get in the way for the most part. Roland Winters has replaced the late Sidney Toler and doesn't seem to have any chemistry with the secondary characters. Several people die as a result of carelessness. One thing I have noted before is the general insensitivity of Charlie and the gang. But then it's not Shakespeare.

I cannot say that "The Chinese Ring" is a bad mystery movie, because it isn't. The production values are good enough, especially considering the studio that made it. Although the story and some of the dialog is literally a remake of an older Monogram "Mr. Wong" film, the producers seem to be trying to put forth a dignified continuation of the established Chan series; I do not believe that this is a "take the money and run" fast-buck ripoff (like say Jaws 4,5, 9 etc). It is a legit effort and William Beaudine was probably as fine and established a director as Monogram could afford to hire.Roland Winters was a good actor who had a long and distinguished career. He was the studio's choice to continue the Chan character and probably wasn't the best choice but I guess he is adequate. Winters seems tentative here but has the thankless task of following up his two beloved and deceased predecessors in the ongoing role of Charlie Chan. His acting approach here is too careful and very deliberate but doesn't lack skill, and he manages to avoid what could have been career suicide. He does become a little more forceful and lively in his subsequent Chan films.Moreland and Sen Yung are capable in support and manage to avoid the outright buffoonery that was required of them in previous Chan outings. Phillip Ahn is a very recognizable actor in a villain role. He does a good job and he is another example of the studio's commitment to the Chan project, since they could have used a much cheaper unknown actor if so inclined.This is an OK mystery story (after all, its a tried-and-true story from a good prior film). It works as a mystery and moves along at a brisk enough clip for the most part. Overall not a great film, but not a bad one.

So this is the first Charlie Chan movie after Sidney Toler's death (if you've watched all the Charlie Chan films in chronological order, you can REALLY feel the grief the series' fans felt back then when that great actor whom they'd seen in so many wonderful adventures as the Chinese detective had passed away)- but the show must go on; and we mustn't be in ANY way prejudiced against Roland Winters, who took over the role. In fact, even from his first appearance, he won our hearts with his REALLY good attempts to make a good, new Charlie Chan. He wasn't copying Sidney Toler; he was just the humble, polite, sometimes tough, sometimes humorous Chinese master detective he was supposed to be.Perhaps in order to give a 'new' appearance to the 'old' cast that had worked with Toler for years, Sen Yung, Charlie's former 'number two son' Jimmy, now becomes 'number three son' Tommy, and 'Birmingham' Mantan Moreland is now acting not only as chauffeur, but also as butler. And the movie begins right in Charlie's own home: a mysterious Chinese lady comes to visit him; she doesn't give any name, she just hands a ring over to Birmingham to give to Charlie. And when Charlie sees it, he understands immediately from the inscription that the lady must be something like a princess - only, in the meantime, she's shot next door from outside the window by a poisoned dart from a noiseless air rifle; the last thing she manages to do is to write on a piece of paper: 'Captain K'...And very soon we get to know TWO 'Captain Ks': one is Captain Kong, governor of the cargo ship 'Shanghai Maid', which allegedly ships valuable goods to China (but as we find out, they're airplanes intended for princess Mei Ling's brother, a Field Marshall), and the other one's Captain Kelso, manager of the aviation company that builds the planes for Mei Ling. We also learn from Armstrong, the director of the bank through which Mei Ling had made her transactions, that on her arrival, she'd put a million dollars on her account, and the money had slowly been withdrawn by Kelso...Then Mei Ling's maid is killed, too, in the same way as her mistress, and a little Chinese boy whom the princess had befriended disappears - and all the time, Charlie is being assisted not only by Sgt. Davidson, but also by cheeky reporter Peggy Cartwright (Louise Curry), Davidson's girlfriend (during the few moments they're not quarreling...) - a fabulous specimen of that so popular character of the nosy, snippy 40s girl reporter! Charlie visits Armstrong, who denies knowing anything; and incidentally, we learn that he's preparing a grave for one of his big watchdogs... But then, the two 'Captain Ks' force their way into Armstrong's house, presenting him with the fact that the princess' signature on the checks was forged, and asking them what became of the money; and they drag Armstrong and Charlie on board the 'Shanghai Maid' - but both Davidson and Peggy and Birmingham and Tommy are on their trail, and so we can prepare for a big clash as the final highlight! As we said before, Roland Winters REALLY does his best to do justice to the heavy burden of his first portrayal of Charlie Chan; and the movie itself is in NO way of a lesser quality than the previous ones - in fact, in style it moves away somewhat from the hilarious comedy and returns to the 'Noir' style of the first Monogram Charlie Chans: hard-boiled characters, bleak, dark settings, and a PRETTY tough, not to say at some points cruel plot. But there's always room for some comedy, at which the first and best is this time the reporter girl - but also Roland Winters, the new Charlie Chan, displays some wise humor with a mild smile; so he DOES find a place in the fans' hearts right from the beginning...

Princess Mei Ling(Jean Wong)goes to the San Francisco apartment of Charlie Chan(Roland Winters). After she is led to the den by manservant Birmingham(Mantan Moreland), she is murdered via poison dart gun. She manages to leave a written clue on a note pad that leads to Captain Kong(Philip Ahn), whom she has made a million American dollar deal to ship airplanes to Chinese freedom fighters. But Kong is not the only Captain K involved in this deal. However, who would be better off that the princess is dead? Chan is aided by police Sergeant Davidson(Warren Douglas)in spite of the pest of a newspaper reporter Peggy Carpenter(Louise Currie), who wants the exclusive story of the murder of the princess. Not real fond of Winters playing the lead role. He is the palest Chinese/Hawaiian detective Chan ever. Also in the cast: Byron Foulger, Thayer Roberts and Cha Bing. And not understandable to Chan fans is that Victor Sen Young in this flick has changed his name from Jimmy to Tommy(who used to be #3 Son played by Benson Fong). Change is not easy to accept. But a Charlie Chan mystery seems always to be worthwhile.