Nonureva Really Surprised!

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.

bnwfilmbuff Inspector Duff of Scotland Yard, traveling incognito as a cruise passenger, contacts Charlie during a stopover in Hawaii to enlist his help in apprehending a strangler that Duff believes is part of his entourage. Before Duff can get out of Chan's office he's murdered and Charlie takes the case as a personal mission. As with many of the Chan mysteries there's a rogue's gallery of suspects (at least 10 by my count) making keeping them all straight somewhat of a challenge. However, the actors making up the suspects are a who's who of the mystery genre headed up by Lionel Atwill and Leo G. Carroll. Also notable were Cora Witherspoon, Don Beddoe, and Leonard Mudie who turned in fine performances and Charles Middleton (Ming the Merciless of Flash Gordon fame) in a somewhat lesser role. And, of course, the overbearing Victor Sen Yung, who I was rooting for Charlie to just throw overboard. Dismissing Yung's nonsense, this is a fine if very complex mystery. And I admit that it took a couple of viewings to understand the finish. Still it's enjoyable especially for Chan lovers.

Lechuguilla The killer in this story appears to be a beggar, a person with a white beard, glasses, black pointy hat, and black coat. The beggar relates in some way to one of some ten suspects. In actual practice, there are about six or seven genuine suspects, since a few of them can be easily ruled out."Murder Cruise" is one of the better films in the Charlie Chan series. Production values trend above average. And the B&W lighting is quite effective.My only real complaint is the film's plot. At a certain point, the viewer can fairly easily identify the killer, despite the fact that the underlying mystery is complex and clever. It's one of those whodunits wherein the murderer is relatively easy to spot, but the motive and underlying story are rather opaque. A slight change in the plot could have prolonged the suspense a bit longer.The story's ending is amusingly hokey. The killer tries to strangle one last victim, and the woman screams and screams. Rather than killing her quickly, the murderer talks to her long enough for the police and Charlie Chan to arrive in time to save her.Despite a plot that is a bit too revealing too soon, "Murder Cruise" is an enjoyable whodunit. If only all the Charlie Chan movies were this high in quality. In the words of Charlie Chan ... "Thank you so much".

classicsoncall "Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise" is at the top of many fans favorite lists, as it is mine. Sidney Toler once again portrays the Oriental Detective, assisted by Victor Sen Yung as Number #2 Son Jimmy. Layne Tom Jr. also appears as numerically challenged Number #7 Son Willie; he had made prior appearances as Number #2 Son Charlie Jr. in "At the Circus" and "At the Olympics" with Warner Oland, and as unnumbered son Tommy in "Honolulu". Interestingly, the young Layne Tom appeared in Chan films with both Oland and Toler, though Sen Yung never appeared in a Warner Oland Chan film.The rest of the cast is an interesting mix as well; Lionel Atwill appears as mystery cruise director Dr. Suderman, Leo (minus the G.) Carroll is introduced as archeology Professor Gordon, and Charles Middleton and Claire Du Brey portray a nervously rigid couple, the Walters. Cora Witherspoon is also on hand as a member of the cruise party, offering comic relief as socialite Suzie Watson who bewilders Chan with her confusing descriptions of characters on board.When the dust finally clears, four murders have taken place; one in Charlie's Honolulu office, one in a Honolulu hotel, and two more on board a cruise ship heading to San Francisco. All are by strangulation using various means, a suitcase strap in one case, a leather shoelace in another. Adding additional intrigue, the murderer leaves an unusual calling card with victim number two, a small bag containing thirty dimes representing the Biblical Judas' thirty pieces of silver.With clever attention to detail, Chan is pointed in the right direction by Professor Gordon's slip up, commenting on an aspect of Chinese history. Gordon should have known better, particularly since it's later revealed that he had the foresight to have his accomplice Ross (James Beddoe) masquerade as his own disguised double as a street beggar to throw Charlie off track. Cunning as the ruse was, it was no match for Chan's investigative ability.Until this film, the body count in a Chan film had never gone higher than three. Sometimes more is not better, but in this movie it works, even though victim two was killed in a case of mistaken identity. The way the story unfolds, especially with the curve thrown by circumstances surrounding the second victim, makes for an entertaining and well played out mystery.One of my favorite lines from the film - Charlie refers to son Jimmy as "miniature Sherlock".

admjtk1701 This is a remake of the lost Warner Oland film, "Charlie Chan Carries On". It is also a fun film in its own right even though it borrows a plot gimmick from another Warner Oland Chan film.There's murder aboard a world cruise and Charlie must take charge when an old friend is murdered in his office. The supporting cast is loaded with familiar faces: Lionel Atwill, Leo Carroll, Charles "Ming the Merciless" Middleton, Robert Lowrey, Marjorie Weaver, and Layne Tom, Jr. as No. 8 Son, Willie Chan. (Tom had previously played Charlie Chan, Jr. in the Warner Oland film, "Charlie Chan at the Olympics".) Sen Yung is funny as Jimmy Chan.