Charlie Chan in Egypt

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
German title Charlie Chan in Egypt
Original title Charlie Chan in Egypt
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1935
length 73 minutes
Rod
Director Louis King
script Robert Ellis ,
Helen Logan
production Edward T. Lowe Jr.
music Samuel Kaylin
camera Daniel B. Clark
cut Alfred DeGaetano
occupation
synchronization
chronology

←  Predecessor
In the canals of Paris

Successor  →
Charlie Chan in Shanghai

Charlie Chan in Egypt (Original title: Charlie Chan in Egypt ) is an American crime film from 1935 with Warner Oland in the title role. The character of the Chinese - Hawaiian detective Charlie Chan is based on a series of novels by Earl Derr Biggers .

action

Detective Charlie Chan travels to Egypt on behalf of the French Society for Archeology to find out on site why valuable finds from a French excavation under the direction of Professor Arnold appear in private collections instead of in the museums of Paris . Arriving in Cairo , Chan learns from Arnold's daughter Carol and her fiancé Tom Evans that the professor has been missing for over a month. To calm Carol's nerves, Tom lets Dr. Bringing Anton Racine to her after hallucinating to be Sekhmet , the Egyptian goddess of vengeance, who guards the tomb where the artifacts were found. Dr. Racine gives her a sedative and her servant Nayda tends to her while Chan investigates.

In the laboratory at Arnold's house, Chan, Tom and Professor John Thurston examine a mummy from the dig with the help of X-rays . When Chan notices that there is a pistol in the mummy's chest, they free the alleged mummy from its shell and discover that it was not an ancient Egyptian ruler but Professor Arnold. Prof. Thurston then reveals to Chan that it was he who sold the finds to private collectors at a profit in order to bring Dr. To repay Racine the money he had borrowed from him. Arnold's son Barry, who is also among the scientists, secretly overhears Chan and Thurston talking about his father's death. In a fit of hysteria , he announces that sooner or later his entire family will die prematurely from the curse of the grave.

That same night, Chan wants to take a closer look at the grave. For this purpose Tom and his servant Snowshoes accompany him. Shortly after entering the tomb, they are haunted by a vision from Sekhmet. They immediately abandon their plan and return to their accommodation. The next day, Chan travels to Luxor to meet the chemist Dr. Racine's medicine fabricates asking a few questions. When Chan returns to Arnold's house, an autopsy of the professor is already in full swing. When Chan is alone with the corpse, he takes the bullet from near the heart and shortly afterwards gathers everyone involved in the drawing room of the house. He questions Dr. Racine for a drug that causes severe hallucinations and death. Chan suspects that the same drug was placed in small doses on Carol's cigarettes to induce delusions in her.

When Chan wants to talk to Barry Arnold about his father and a secret treasure, he finds him dead in his room. He died while playing his violin. In the face of this further death, Chan, Tom and Snowshoes decide to enter the tomb again, where they eventually find a secret chamber that houses numerous treasures. When Tom enters the room, he is suddenly shot. Chan and Snowshoes immediately bring the unconscious Tom back to the house to treat his wound. Chan then examines Barry's room to find evidence of Barry's murder. It turns out that there was a small glass capsule in Barry's violin that was filled with poison gas and burst when the violin was particularly high, releasing the poison and killing Barry. Chan is convinced that it was the secret treasury that motivated the killer to do his things.

After Carol has been persuaded by Thurston to give Tom some rest and go to sleep himself, Thurston appears in Tom's room to meet him with Dr. Stab Racine's lancet at the site of his gunshot wound. But Chan and the police arrive on the scene at the last moment and prevent another murder after discovering that the bullets that killed Arnold and injured Tom came from Thurston's gun. It was also Thurston who tried to drive Carol crazy with the drug. While this is finally being led away, Tom regains consciousness and Carol falls into his arms with relief.

background

The character of Charlie Chan is based on a series of novels by the American author Earl Derr Biggers. Charlie Chan in Egypt was the eighth part of the popular film adaptations in the series by Fox Film Corporation . Warner Oland again took on the role of the detective, who became known to crime fans above all for his aphorisms , such as "Hasty conclusion easy to make, like hole in water" (in English: "hasty conclusions can be easily drawn, just like holes in." Water"). Rita Hayworth appeared in a minor supporting role under the name Rita Cansino.

The first Charlie Chan film was made in 1926 under the title The House Without a Key . From 1931 Fox and from 1935 20th Century Fox created a 16-part series with Oland. Then a number of other actors slipped into the role of detective. Charlie Chan appeared almost 50 times on screen, including with Peter Ustinov in Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen (1981).

Reviews

“A great atmosphere, unique backdrops and delicious gags by Stepin Fetchit put this [film] at the top of the Charlie Chan series,” said Photoplay at the time. Oland is also "in top form". According to Variety , the film "has all the ingredients to meet the demands of crime fans". In addition to Oland, James Eagles also deliver "an outstanding performance". For Andre Sennwald of the New York Times , Charlie Chan in Egypt was "a lively and entertaining, if insignificant, thriller". Warner Oland was "of course ideally cast in his most famous screen role".

Hal Erickson of the All Movie Guide said in retrospect that the film "had a pretty decent script". The backdrops and horror elements gave it "a special touch" that "makes it stand out in the series". As always, Warner Oland was "outstanding" as Chan, and it was "also a pleasure to see the very young Rita Hayworth as a servant".

German version

The German dubbed version was created in 1977 by Lingua Film GmbH Munich on behalf of ARD . Gert Rabanus directed the dubbing .

role actor Voice actor
Charlie Chan Warner Oland Klaus Höhne
Carol Arnold Pat Paterson Johanna Mertinz
Tom Evans Thomas Beck Günter Clemens
Nayda Rita Hayworth Monika Rasky
Snowshoes Stepin Fetchit Erich Ebert
Dr. Anton Racine Jameson Thomas Eberhard Mondry
Prof. John Thurston Frank Conroy Karl Walter Diess
Edfu Ahmad Nigel De Brulier Klaus Guth
Barry Arnold James Eagles Raimund Stelges
Prof. Arnold George Irving Ernst Schlott

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Gene Ringgold: The Films of Rita Hayworth . Citadel Press, Secaucus 1974, p. 61.
  2. ↑ “Grand atmosphere and unique settings plus some hilarious comedy with Stepin Fetchit puts this one way up top in the Charlie Chan series. Oland is A-1. " Cf. Photoplay quoted. after Gene Ringgold: The Films of Rita Hayworth . Citadel Press, Secaucus 1974, p. 62.
  3. ^ "The outcome has all that it takes to satiate the general run of mystery addicts. [...] Next to Oland's, the standout performance is that of Eagles. " See Charlie Chan in Egypt . In: Variety , 1935.
  4. ↑ “ Charlie Chan in Egypt […] is a lively and entertaining if somewhat minor mystery work. [...] Warner Oland, of course, is quite perfect in his most famous screen characterization. " Andre Sennwald : 'Charlie Chan in Egypt,' at the Roxy, Presents the Sage of Honolulu With Some New Murders . In: The New York Times , June 24, 1935.
  5. ↑ “ Charlie Chan in Egypt also boasts a pretty decent script, and the setting and horror elements add a special quality to this entry which makes it stand out in the series. [...] As always, Warner Oland is tops as Chan, and it's also a treat to catch a very young Rita Hayworth as a servant. " Hal Erickson , cf. omovie.com
  6. ↑ cf. synchrondatenbank.de