The beginning credits of "Charlie Chan at the Opera" casts Warner Oland vs Boris Karloff, though Chan's investigation ultimately causes him to protect Karloff's character, the insane opera singer Gravelle. With a sufficiently mysterious and atmospheric opening scene, Gravelle is introduced as a resident of the Rockland State Sanitarium, where he has been living as an amnesiac for the past seven years. When a newspaper brought by an attendant features his former wife Lilli Rochelle (Margaret Irving) on the front page, Gravelle's memories slowly begin to surface, and he embarks on a desperate journey to recover a past that included an unsuccessful attempt on his life.
The 20th Century Fox Charlie Chan films are notable for their strong continuity from film to film. Note that when Chan first appears on the scene in the office of Police Inspector Regan (Guy Usher), Regan compliments him on how he solved his most recent case with only a minor clue. This occurred in "Charlie Chan at the Race Track", the film immediately prior to "Opera" - "Small thing sometimes tell large story." Unfortunately, another element from the Chan films is glaringly apparent here as well, as Police Sergeant Kelly (William Demarest) is given the racist chore of denigrating Orientals - "Where's Regan and his pal Egg Foo Yung?"
Be alert for an error that got past the film's producers while still at Inspector Regan's office. As Chan examines Gravelle's newspaper recovered from the Sanitarium, he comments on the presence of a footprint that the suspect must have left as a clue prior to tearing it up in a rage. However if you rewind to the earlier scene, the torn paper hits the floor with not a mark on it!
"You Will Die Tonight" is the message on a floral greeting card that brings Lilli Rochelle to the Inspector's office, along with her lover, baritone singer Enrico Borelli (Gregory Gaye). Chan's first step in the investigation brings him to the floral shop that sold the arrangement, where we are introduced to Number #1 Son Lee (Keye Luke) who joins his "Pop" on the case. Lee spends most of his time in the film disguised in theater garb as a costumed soldier, providing the comic relief as he thwarts Detective Kelly's feeble attempts to uncover his identity.
It turns out that Gravelle seeks revenge for being locked in a burning theater many years ago, the victim of Madame Lilli and her lover Borelli. When both in turn wind up dead in the theater during performances of the opera "Carnival", Gravelle becomes the most likely of suspects. But as in all Charlie Chan films, the obvious suspect is never the real culprit. In this case, it's Madame Borelli herself who uses the presence of a maniac as a cover to dispatch her cheating husband and lover, given away by the blood stained sash that Charlie recovers as a final clue.
"Charlie Chan at the Opera" is regarded as one of the best, if not THE best of the Chan series; it's on my top five list as well. In addition to the compelling and well laid out mystery, there's also the presence of the decidedly sinister Boris Karloff. The best line of the film occurs following the ruckus in the theater caused by the first Gravelle sighting. In a nod of respect to Karloff's most famous film role, the stage manager utters - "This opera is going on tonight even if Frankenstein walks in!"
The 20th Century Fox Charlie Chan films are notable for their strong continuity from film to film. Note that when Chan first appears on the scene in the office of Police Inspector Regan (Guy Usher), Regan compliments him on how he solved his most recent case with only a minor clue. This occurred in "Charlie Chan at the Race Track", the film immediately prior to "Opera" - "Small thing sometimes tell large story." Unfortunately, another element from the Chan films is glaringly apparent here as well, as Police Sergeant Kelly (William Demarest) is given the racist chore of denigrating Orientals - "Where's Regan and his pal Egg Foo Yung?"
Be alert for an error that got past the film's producers while still at Inspector Regan's office. As Chan examines Gravelle's newspaper recovered from the Sanitarium, he comments on the presence of a footprint that the suspect must have left as a clue prior to tearing it up in a rage. However if you rewind to the earlier scene, the torn paper hits the floor with not a mark on it!
"You Will Die Tonight" is the message on a floral greeting card that brings Lilli Rochelle to the Inspector's office, along with her lover, baritone singer Enrico Borelli (Gregory Gaye). Chan's first step in the investigation brings him to the floral shop that sold the arrangement, where we are introduced to Number #1 Son Lee (Keye Luke) who joins his "Pop" on the case. Lee spends most of his time in the film disguised in theater garb as a costumed soldier, providing the comic relief as he thwarts Detective Kelly's feeble attempts to uncover his identity.
It turns out that Gravelle seeks revenge for being locked in a burning theater many years ago, the victim of Madame Lilli and her lover Borelli. When both in turn wind up dead in the theater during performances of the opera "Carnival", Gravelle becomes the most likely of suspects. But as in all Charlie Chan films, the obvious suspect is never the real culprit. In this case, it's Madame Borelli herself who uses the presence of a maniac as a cover to dispatch her cheating husband and lover, given away by the blood stained sash that Charlie recovers as a final clue.
"Charlie Chan at the Opera" is regarded as one of the best, if not THE best of the Chan series; it's on my top five list as well. In addition to the compelling and well laid out mystery, there's also the presence of the decidedly sinister Boris Karloff. The best line of the film occurs following the ruckus in the theater caused by the first Gravelle sighting. In a nod of respect to Karloff's most famous film role, the stage manager utters - "This opera is going on tonight even if Frankenstein walks in!"