די שווארצע קאַמעל (1931)
די שווארצע קאַמעל (1931) is the oldest surviving Charlie Chan film (affiliate link) starring Warner Oland. It was the second film in the series for Fox Films. The first, third, fourth and fifth films are lost although a Spanish language version of Charlie Chan Carries On (דרייַצן זענען, 1931) does exist. די שווארצע קאַמעל was released on June 21, 1931. Besides Warner Oland, the film also starred Bela Lugosi, C. Hunter Gordon and a very young Robert Young.
Bela Lugosi is excellent as the mysterious Tarneverro, a Hollywood psychic, who may or may not be what he appears. This film was released after Lugosi made his epic film debut in דראַקולאַ (1931). It is difficult to make your debut in the best film that you will ever appear in. אָבער, Lugosi still does an admirable, if less spectacular job, אין די שווארצע קאַמעל.
Warner Oland as Charlie Chan – העפלעכקייַט פון די קרעאַטיווע Commons
Warner Oland makes his second appearance as Charlie Chan. Inspector Chan is lively in this film as he searches for the murderer. Inspector Chan is helped in his investigation by Kashimo, played by Otto Yamaoka. I find this aspect of the film distasteful and highly insulting in it’s characterization of Kashimo. צומ באַדויערן, this type of “humor” is all too common in 1930s and 1940s Hollywood films.
Bela Lugosi was born Be’la Ferenc Dezso Blasko on October 20, 1882 in what is now Lugoj, Romania. Lugosi served in World War I. Lugosi then emigrated to the United States in 1920 at the age of 38. Lugosi was originally a stage actor and played Dracula on Broadway. Tod Browning convinced Lugosi to play the role of Dracula in the 1931 פֿילם, which led to Lugosi’s stardom.
Bela Lugosi at 18 פון די ציבור פעלד
According to IMDB, Lugosi became a citizen in 1931. The highlight of his film career was his first film דראַקולאַ (1931). He never reached this height again although he did have a number of good performances. He also played in lots of “ב” פילמס, which did not help his career.
Lugosi struggled with personal demons. He was addicted to drugs. Lugosi also married five times and divorced four times. He died of a heart attack on August 16, 1956. His widow buried him in his Dracula cape.
די שווארצע קאַמעל לויפט וועגן 71 minutes and is based on the Earl Derr Biggers’ book of the same name.
This story is also repeated in טשאַרלי טשאַן אין ריאָ (1941), וואָס באַשטערנטע סידני טאָלער ווי טשאַרלי טשאַן.
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