Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Roman Sampson One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

gridoon2018 "Charlie Chan At The Olympics" could have been a by-the-numbers, albeit well-produced, entry in the Charlie Chan series, but there is an emotional element that sets it a little apart from the others: Charlie shows genuine concern and anguish when his No. 1 son is kidnapped. Keye Luke is a strong asset to the movie, as are the 1936 Olympics footage and the surprise at the end. My favorite Chan line: "Suspect recent activities of swimming cause water on brain!". **1/2 out of 4.

MartinHafer The film begins with a test involving a radio control for airplanes. However, despite beginning well, the plane unexpectedly flies off course and when the plane is later discovered, the radio device is missing. At the same time, Lee Chan is on the way to Germany for the 1936 Olympics and it looks as if the thieves are headed that way as well, so it's up to Charlie to give chase.When I was a kid, I watched Charlie Chan movies all the time but I can't recall ever having seen CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OLYMPICS. This isn't likely due to a memory loss on my part but because the film seems to glorify, to a degree, the Nazis. No, this does NOT mean that Charlie meets his good friend Hitler in the film (Hitler, fortunately, is never mentioned). However, considering that not long after this the Nazis started on global conquest, I could understand it being removed from circulation. In the 60s and 70s, broadcasters were still a tad worried about showing this film due to its being set mostly in Berlin and because, believe it or not, the Nazis help Chan solve a mystery and return a stolen aviation secret to America! Now had the Nazis been behind the murder and theft, then it might have seemed more watchable in later years---but instead the Nazi police are thanked by Chan for their help and there is no mention of the evil of the regime they serve.Now I am not the most politically correct person out there and I am a history teacher, so I was thrilled when I discovered that Fox recently released this film on DVD. That's because in addition to being one of the best Chan mysteries (though, I must admit the plot was a bit confusing), it featured the Hindenburg and clips of the Olympics in the film (including Jesse Owens leading the US team to victory in a relay). It was also really weird seeing Lee Chan (#1 Son) on the Olympic team and racing to victory in the 100 meter freestyle. In addition to these exciting clips, the film also featured two of the very best Chan children as sidekicks. In the first third of the film, we are introduced to #3 son (Layne Tom) and he is simply a joy to watch--he's so cute and entertaining. Then later, Lee (Keye Luke) is on hand to provide lots of entertainment and action. These elements all made for a very fascinating and unusual film--one that can't help but be fascinating to anyone with an appreciation for history.By the way, the DVD also includes an extra featurette, TOM LAYNE, JR.: THE ADVENTURES OF CHARLIE CHAN, JR. and its well worth a look. There's lot of nice insight and materials that will please most die-hard fans like myself.

classicsoncall "Charlie Chan at the Olympics" opens with the Oriental Detective in his Honolulu office receiving a physical, and with a clean bill of health he's ready to begin another case! Generally, I find the 20th Century Fox Chan films to be remarkably consistent with continuity, however there is a serious lapse introduced early in the proceedings. Layne Tom Jr. portrays #2 Son Charlie Jr. in the film, and appearing to be about twelve years old at most, he is much too young relative to #1 Son Lee (Keye Luke). "Charlie Chan at the Circus" offered a glimpse of the entire Chan clan on a family outing with older siblings, and future Chan films offered Victor Sen Yung as #2 Son Jimmy (also seen as #2 Son Tommy in the later Monogram pictures).If you're intrigued by this sort of trivia as I am, then you'll also be interested in the appearance of actor Allan Lane in the film, portraying Olympic athlete Richard Masters. Lane went on to achieve notoriety as one of the better "B" Western action heroes, appearing in a number of Red Ryder films as the lead character in the mid 1940's and dozens more as "Rocky" Lane. In the 1960's, his distinctive voice became the sound of "Mr. Ed" the talking horse! With the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany as the backdrop, Chan gets involved in a case that begins in Honolulu with the test flight of an airplane outfitted with a newly developed radio control device. With the pilot murdered and the plane hijacked, the hunt is on for the person or foreign agent involved in the theft of the device. A chief suspect is Arthur Hughes (C. Henry Gordon), known to have sold arms to revolutionaries in the world's trouble spots. Another notably apparent suspect is the mysterious woman in the white fox coat, Yvonne Roland, accompanying Richard Masters aboard the steamship Manhattan on the way to Berlin and the Olympics. It's a HUGE coincidence when Miss Roland eavesdrops on a short wave radio conversation between the San Francisco PD and Honolulu regarding suspect Hughes, who missed the boat in New York, but is boarding some time later.It's no less a coincidence also for #1 Son Lee to bump into "Pop" Charlie aboard the steamship Manhattan, making his way feet first through a porthole no less. Lee is helping out with the case, even as he's about to compete in a hundred meter swim race for the U.S. Olympic team. Of all of Lee's jack of all trades exploits we've seen him involved in, this one is the most unbelievable, especially when he winds up with Olympic Gold at film's end! When Charlie is invited to attend the Olympics opening ceremonies, it is at the behest of Charles Zaraca, head of a foreign spy ring, with the fashionable Miss Roland in his employ. Having recovered the remote control device earlier, Charlie has set himself up for danger - "Our game is with the Oriental now." Indeed, Lee is kidnapped and held hostage, with Chan's patriotism and allegiance about to be tested.Ultimately, when the mystery of the stolen remote control device is revealed, it comes as somewhat of a letdown. It turns out that developer Cartright (John Eldredge) stole his own invention as a way to keep future profits all to himself, cutting out his partner Hopkins (Jonathan Hale). All of the international intrigue and mystery provided by the colorful cast of characters turns out to be the usual bucket of red herrings for which the Chan films are noted."Charlie Chan at the Olympics" is not as tightly developed as some of Warner Oland's prior Chan films, such as "London", "At the Racetrack", or "At the Opera", nevertheless it still plays entertainingly well. If you're a serious Chan fan, you'll have to overlook some of the inconsistencies and coincidences mentioned earlier though, and concentrate instead on the Olympic backdrop and the relationship between "Pop" and son Lee.

Jim Tritten Another well-directed Warner Oland Chan filmmaking full use of stock footage from 1936 Berlin Olympics and the dirigible Hindenburg. Chan is on trail of stolen aircraft autopilot and killers who will make an attempt on his life and again kidnap No. 1 son Lee. Keye Luke is allowed to play his part without disguise and too much oriental racial humor. Good supporting cast and great shots of the game ceremonies and Jesse Owen in the relay race. For those who want to view more of these games, without Chan, see Leni Riefenstahl's Olympia 1. Teil - Fest der Völker and Olympia 2. Teil - Fest der Schönheit (1938). Continuity with other films suffers when Layne Tom, Jr. is introduced as #2 son Charlie. We have seen much older sons in his family at the circus and we will later see Victor Sen Yung as #2 son Jimmy and even later as Tommy Chan. This is a good mystery, but once again it is impossible to share in the clues that only Chan can see and from that catch the thief and murderer. `When all players possess suspicious cards, good idea to have joker up sleeve.' Story line is somewhat believable – enough for a good afternoon's watching. Concluding scenes have oriental detective admit he is willing to risk loss of son and self in order to maintain honor and loyalty to United States. One of the best in the series. Recommended.