An experimental plane's guidance system is stolen and Charlie Chan's on the case. He follows the clues to Berlin, where the 1936 Olympic Games are being held. Amusingly, "Number One Son" Lee Chan is a member of the U.S. Olympic Swim Team. He even wins! As usual, Warner Oland is a perfect Charlie Chan. In addition to Keye Luke's Lee, this time we get Charlie Chan, Jr. He's played by Layne Tom, Jr. and is all kinds of adorable. I wonder why he wasn't made a permanent part of the series because he's a lot of fun. Also includes one of the loveliest actresses to appear in the entire Chan series, Katherine DeMille. Hubba-hubba! She was the adopted daughter of Cecil B. DeMille and future wife of Anthony Quinn. There's also some nice support from reliable character actors C. Henry Gordon, John Eldredge, and Jonathan Hale. Good cast in this one.This entry in the series is most notable for it taking place during the 1936 Olympics, with footage from the games including Jesse Owens. Plus Charlie travels to Berlin on the Hindenburg. It also features pre-WWII German police portrayed in a much more sympathetic light than they would be just a few years later. Although, it should be noted Inspector Strasser (Frederik Vogeding) of the German police is kind of a boob ("Things like this cannot happen in Berlin!"). An excellent entry in the Charlie Chan series with high entertainment value and some added historical curiosity. Fans should love it.

The film begins with a test involving a radio control for airplanes. However, despite beginning well, the plane unexpectedly flies off course and when the plane is later discovered, the radio device is missing. At the same time, Lee Chan is on the way to Germany for the 1936 Olympics and it looks as if the thieves are headed that way as well, so it's up to Charlie to give chase.When I was a kid, I watched Charlie Chan movies all the time but I can't recall ever having seen CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OLYMPICS. This isn't likely due to a memory loss on my part but because the film seems to glorify, to a degree, the Nazis. No, this does NOT mean that Charlie meets his good friend Hitler in the film (Hitler, fortunately, is never mentioned). However, considering that not long after this the Nazis started on global conquest, I could understand it being removed from circulation. In the 60s and 70s, broadcasters were still a tad worried about showing this film due to its being set mostly in Berlin and because, believe it or not, the Nazis help Chan solve a mystery and return a stolen aviation secret to America! Now had the Nazis been behind the murder and theft, then it might have seemed more watchable in later years---but instead the Nazi police are thanked by Chan for their help and there is no mention of the evil of the regime they serve.Now I am not the most politically correct person out there and I am a history teacher, so I was thrilled when I discovered that Fox recently released this film on DVD. That's because in addition to being one of the best Chan mysteries (though, I must admit the plot was a bit confusing), it featured the Hindenburg and clips of the Olympics in the film (including Jesse Owens leading the US team to victory in a relay). It was also really weird seeing Lee Chan (#1 Son) on the Olympic team and racing to victory in the 100 meter freestyle. In addition to these exciting clips, the film also featured two of the very best Chan children as sidekicks. In the first third of the film, we are introduced to #3 son (Layne Tom) and he is simply a joy to watch--he's so cute and entertaining. Then later, Lee (Keye Luke) is on hand to provide lots of entertainment and action. These elements all made for a very fascinating and unusual film--one that can't help but be fascinating to anyone with an appreciation for history.By the way, the DVD also includes an extra featurette, TOM LAYNE, JR.: THE ADVENTURES OF CHARLIE CHAN, JR. and its well worth a look. There's lot of nice insight and materials that will please most die-hard fans like myself.

Charlie has his youngest helper ever - or at least in any of the 20 Chan films I've seen - as 12-year-old Charlie Jr. joins Number One Son Lee as they both help dad solve a crime.Lee (Keye Luke) plays a member of the United States Olympic swimming team in this adventure. The repartee between Chan (Warner Oland) and his two sons in here is terrific. Layne Tom Jr. plays Charlie Junior.The Chan movie is more of an adventure than the normal whodunit as Charlie and the cops travel to the Olympics in Munich, Germany in search of a missing radar-plane "black box." Lee is kidnapped at the games and his dad does everything he can to get his kidnapped son back while not jeopardizing the United States in the process. This is one of the better Chan films and will be available on DVD in December, 2006, as part of another Charlie Chan DVD package of four movies.

excellent in all respects.Probably one of the finest in the entire series. The setting is unique and it's a well done mystery. Documentary footage of the '36 Olympics and the Hindenberg are well situated in this drama. The political atmosphere of Germany during the mid-late 30's is, however, overlooked. Warner Oland again is at his best.This is a must see for Chan fans