KING’S THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 16

KING’S THEATRE

* “Charlie Chan At Monte Carlo” & “Career Woman”

By now, there can’t be so very many places on the globe which Charlie Chan hasn’t visited in -his search for crime and excitement, but he has certainly found a picturesque background for his latest exploits in "Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo,” which heads the new progra-mme at the King’s Theatre. Poor Chan 1 Every time he and his son go anywhere for a quiet vacation, somebody commits a crime which baffles the local police, and the im-

perturable Chinese sleuth has to come to their assistance. This time the murder of a bank messenger at Monte Carlo is the cause of the mystification, with the usual red herrings across the trail, the well-mean-in g blunders _of Chan’s sou (Keve Luke), the Oriental

aphorisms of Chan, and his _ suave methods of detection. Yet familiarity does not stale the appeal of these pictures, and the newest addition to the list is as good as any, in spite of the fact that it is rather burdened with dialogue. If you like the Chan films, you will certainly like this one —and I think you will particularly like the amusing performance of Harold Huber as the volatile and voluble French chief of police. Huber comes as near as possible to stealing the acting honours from M’ariier Gland, who takes the part of Chan —a fact I almost forgot to mention because one takes it so much for granted. -Starting primarily as a romantic comedy, the second feature, “Career M’oman,” develops into an interesting melodrama of small-town prejudice. Claire Trevor gives a notably good performance as a woman lawyer who reftrees to believe that trickery is necessary for successful court work. On a visit to her home town, she undertakes to defend a girl (Isabel Jewell) accused of murdering her father, and immediately comes to grips with local bigotry, which conviefs her client before the case is heard. In the end there is something of a compromise between the heroine’s conception of legal ethics and that of the hero (Michael Whalen), a lawyer who pins his faith on theatrical “stunting" to win acquittals. The atmosphere is good, occasional relief is welcome, and the acting is sound.