*. A movie that’s primarily of historical interest today. Charlie heads off to the 1936 Berlin Olympic — where his son Lee is swimming in the 100 m freestyle race — in order to retrieve a device that allows for the remote radio control of airplanes, effectively turning them into drones.
*. What makes this interesting for viewers today is the way the Nazi swastikas have been crudely painted over in all the shots where they appear. A nice indication of how attitudes toward Germany were hardening. Note that in the film itself the police inspector Strasser is a martinet, but honourable, and that the bad guys are from some unnamed Ruritania (the chief villain is named Zaraka, which is exotically indeterminate). It wouldn’t be until Charlie went up against them in City in Darkness that the Germans would become the enemy (and even then it was a precocious call).
*. But I found lots of other historical footnotes interesting as well. Take the men’s 4×100 m track race. The American team win with a time of 39.8, which was a new world and Olympic record. Did you know that in the 2016 games in Rio the same race was won by Jamaica in 37.27? I would have thought they would have lowered the time by more than that. Today’s runners seem a lot faster.
*. Some curious word use. The remote-control device is called a “robot.” This was a new word, invented by a Czech writer named Karel Čapek in his play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), which was published in 1920. By our standards it really doesn’t seem like much of a robot, since it’s just a small box that fits into the plane’s control panel. But I guess if you stretch the definition of “robot” enough it might work.
*. Another word is “filibuster.” One of the characters here is called “a notorious filibuster” because he “made a fortune selling arms to revolutionists in every part of the world.” This is a historical usage of “filibuster,” where it referred to “a person engaging in unauthorized warfare against a foreign country.” I don’t think it’s used that way today. Instead it’s meaning only has reference to a legislative tactic.
*. Explaining how he’s going to get to Berlin from Honolulu Charlie says how he’s going to “take Zeppelin Hindenburg from Lakehurst, New Jersey.” Well, I guess that was better than taking the Hindenburg to Lakehurst, which is where it turned into a fireball just two weeks before this movie was released. Ouch.
*. That’s Katherine DeMille, adopted daughter of Cecil B. playing Yvonne Roland. She was actually born in Vancouver and later married Anthony Quinn. Quite a looker, but I don’t think I’ve seen her in much else.
*. Ironic that the movie begins with Charlie getting a physical. This was nearing the end of the line for Warner Oland, who would die the next year, his body weakened by heavy smoking and alcoholism. He was only 58.
*. That’s all I’ve got. The actual movie here was a let-down for me coming after Charlie Chan at the Opera. This just seemed like standard spy nonsense, with another plot I had trouble following. Charlie Jr. was cute at the beginning, and DeMille looked sultry, but aside from that . . . historical interest.
Alex on Film 
Ah well, at least there’s that.
There is always that. Hard to remember anything else about this now.
You are a drone
You are a robot
You are a notorious fillibuster.
You are Warner Orland’s weakened body.
*sigh* Is it raining in Scotland? Again?
Only when we realise that you’ve published a new wittering jumble of ideas. So not writing in one solid block anymore, but a random series of cribbed notes; is it too much to ask for any kind of consistency? Writing in pararaphs may well be withing your grasp, despite what everyone says…
Just finishing watching an offering from Creative Scotland now. Doesn’t seem to be a lot of sun.
Which one?
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4131496/?ref_=ttco_co_tt
Haha you are a cormorant or shag.
I think they filmed this around your place. Looks pretty grim.
That is glamour, where I come from, being locked in a lighthouse with Peter Mullen. That’s our Baywatch.
People say I look a bit like Gerard Butler, in 300. I’ve even got a pair of those leather Speedos. I should bring them to the lighthouse and go swimming.
To be fair, you were great in 300, and that you did this without make-up was remarkable in itself.
Hm. Didn’t see Gerry there. Think you posted the wrong clip by mistake. Here’s a screen grab from my big scene as his body double:
If you keep displaying screen-grabs of naked Scotsmen, it’s beginning to feel a little uncomfortable for me as the clear object of your obsession.
This pic shows your best side, one of the ages…hahahhahha!
https://legendsofthemultiuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Ephialtes_of_Trachis
Nah, Gerry wanted me to stand in for him in that shot. I had no problem with it.
You have a curious obsession with deformity. Afraid I can’t help you with that. Do you see a lot of those types in your neighbourhood? Is in-breeding that much of an issue?
No, it’s been a great help for me to understand more about the state of the unfortunate such as yourself. You may dream of being a strapping Scotsman, but have previously confided to be a freaky Hills Have Eyes character, so it’s quite tragic really.
Hm. So Craven really did model Hills Have Eyes off of what was happening in Scotland. What a strange place.
I hear he modeled it on what was going on in your kitchen, Bunty. So what’s your next screenshot project? How Scots like myself, Gerry and Sean conquered the world? Or will you be looking at the flip-side and telling the story of boggle-eyed baldy Canadian loons like yourself?
You got your specially dedicated quiz last week. Even had a Scotland bog. One of the nicest.
Your supposed blog is nothing but ethnic slurs and pathetic attempts at humour. You live in the shadow of true manly Scots like myself; why don’t you scuttle off to your silverfish-infested bins and stay there, Baldy?
Sad. Just because people say I look like Gerry Butler. Oh well.
They say you look like a butler. A cobwebbed, outdated flunky. You don’t have the chiseled, granite look of a Scot. You have a head like a smashed lightbulb. Your writings are drivel. Your life is pointless. Sad!
Is everyone in Scotland this angry? All the time? You make it seem like such an unhappy place. No wonder those lighthouse keepers couldn’t cope.
Mercury poisoning is the easy way out. I’ll show you anger, pal.
*sigh* I guess it’s true then.
It’s true that I’ll punch your nog.
Not nog. Dog. You need to get a dog. You really need to get a dog. A great big friendly dog.
You are my dog.
So sad. I’ve tried to help. All the intervention I can offer at this distance.
Fetch, boy! Here’s a ball! Well done, Alex! Good boy!
Voices in his head. Toys in the attic. No helping him now. I hope there are social services available.
I’ll send some round to your address. Does your bin have an address?
58? Man, that’s some hard living 😦
It was the ’30s. 58 was our 88.
You know, I hadn’t even thought of that. What a difference 100 years makes!
You are Clarlie Chan at the Olympics
Well, some interesting history anyway. Charlie must be so proud of his children though – a swimmer as well? Impressive.
Ah, I’ve missed you and Dixie’s arguements. Great to be back!
Charlie is very proud of all his kids. Though they can be exasperating.
Arguments? It’s more like I’m running a daycare and Eddie is the kid in short pants and a propeller cap riding a tricycle around, screaming and smashing into tables while he eats all the crayons. Too much sugar, I’m sure, but I can’t manage his diet along with everything else.
Do you think that’s what it comes done to? A bad diet? Wouldn’t be surprising with all that dodgy Scottish cuisine.
I suspect a lack of fresh fruits and veggies may be part of it. You can’t live off of sheep guts.
I would be happy to prepare something of a diet for him. I took a course in nutrition once. It will be completely plant based. I’m sure he’ll love it.