Diffuse script, slack pacing and mostly pedestrian direction make "Charlie Chan In Reno" one of the least memorable entries in the series. The supporting cast is not that memorable, either; the liveliest performer also happens to be the murder victim and is out of the picture within the first 8 minutes! Slim Summerville, as a clueless sheriff, is more of a nuisance (there is also a - white - taxi driver who plays a very similar role to "Birmingham", Chan's - black - chauffeur in the later Monogram entries). The film does do a good job of keeping you guessing who-done-it; it's certainly not short on suspects. But there is not much about it that will stay in your memory afterwards. My favorite Chan line: "When searching for needle in haystack, haystack only sensible location!" ** out of 4.
Review of Charlie Chan in Reno
