Kamila Bell This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Wyatt There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Delight Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

gridoon2018 The opening is promisingly atmospheric: rain, a shadowy street, a woman who looks like she might be a femme fatale, a man watching her from his car, another man whom SHE seems to be following, a coffee shop with a jukebox whose other end looks like a movie theater (!), and cryptic dialogue between the three. But after one of the men dies and Charlie Chan is brought into the case, "The Shanghai Cobra" becomes a deadly dull mystery. The "how" at least turns out to be somewhat creative, but the "who" doesn't seem to matter much! (the chief bad guy is barely in the film). The only bright spots are Chan's witticisms and putdowns of his Number Three Son ("Pop, I want to talk to you as man to man" - "I am ready, but you still have few years to go"!). Thankfully, Mantan Moreland is kept relatively in check this time around. ** out of 4.

utgard14 For some reason, the U.S. Government is storing radium in bank vaults. No, Charlie Chan is not investigating what moron thought that was a good idea. Instead, he's looking into a series of murders by cobra venom that has a connection to the radium and an old case of Charlie's. Weird but not uninteresting plot. This is a decent Monogram effort with an emphasis on mystery (as there should be) and not on pathetic comedy relief. Oh, don't get me wrong, Tommy (Benson Fong) and Birmingham (Mantan Moreland) are still there and still as unfunny as ever. But they're relegated to background status for this one so we don't have to put up with their hijinks as much. If I'm not mistaken, I believe Moreland actually made it through the entire movie without saying the word "spooks." Probably the first and only time.There was a part of the plot that deals with an old case of Charlie's that took place in Shanghai. It would have been cool if they had tied it into the 1935 movie Charlie Chan in Shanghai. But, alas, that wasn't to be. Instead, it's about a man named Jan Van Horn that Charlie arrested in Shanghai in 1937 whose face was covered by bandages so Charlie never saw what he looked like. He did hear his voice and I immediately recognized it as a certain character actor. If you've seen enough of these types of films you will recognize it, as well. The man appeared in many B movies. Later, when the actor shows up in another role, we're expected to believe Charlie doesn't recognize that distinctive voice is Jan Van Horn. So that part of it was a dud but, to the movie's credit, it does manage to throw a twist in at the end to keep it from being too predictable. Overall, it's a watchable and somewhat entertaining movie. Slightly above par for Monogram but well below the superior Fox Chan movies.

blanche-2 Sidney Toler is Charlie Chan in "The Shanghai Cobra," a 1945 film. The Chan series by now is in the hands of one of the "poverty row" studios, Monogram.In this story, Charlie is called by an old colleague to help identify a man named Jan Van Horn,. Charlie arrested this man in Shanghai during the war; van Horn's modus operandi was killing with cobra venom. Van Horn at the time insisted that he was being framed. The man's face had been badly burned, and he escaped during deportation. Now he's probably had extensive plastic surgery. Now four people have been killed with cobra venom, and all of them are involved with a bank that has radium in one of its vaults - radium that will be stolen if Charlie doesn't nab the criminal.I admit I've always liked Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan, probably because I am most familiar with him in the role. And I admit that I've always loved Chan's relationship with Birmingham and find Mantan Moreland very funny. I know that kind of humor is out today, but as Birmingham the chauffeur, the talented Moreland has wonderful comic timing. He also is treated on the same level as Charlie's son, in this case the number 3 son (Benson Fong). It's obvious that Birmingham has a close relationship with the Chan family.These films have a certain formula - Charlie always solves the crime, of course, and whichever son accompanies him usually not only gets into trouble but drags Birmingham along with him.However, no matter the studio, the Charlie Chan series is entertaining and enjoyable.

mjshannon This is an excellent Monogram Charlie Chan that sets a mood and plays it to the hilt. Although the Monogram films never had a budget anywhere near those of the Twentieth Century Fox Chan's, this one comes close to creating the same sense of style that imbued the earlier films. From the film-noir rain slicked opening segment to the fades between scenes, this has a bold feel that overcomes its budget considerations. Sidney Toler is in fine form and appears to appreciate the enthusiasm of director Phil Karlson and the script, as he gives his all in every scene he is in. Benson Fong is good as Number 3 Son Tommy and Mantan Moreland sparkles in his comedic moments which are well timed and effortlessly diverting and not distracting to the central mystery. And it's a very good mystery too, that reminded me a bit of Castle In The Desert, inasmuch as you really have to keep a sharp eye on EVERY major character and try to remember names and relationships to keep on top of the proceedings! Your always double guessing yourself and that is the sign of a mystery doing its job! Everyone is having a great time on this one and it shows--credit too must go to the production team who "opened up" the feel of this one and didn't simply use two sets. Check this out with an open mind and you will realize that classic Chan didn't end when Fox gave up their lease.