Movie review - Chan#11 - "Charlie Chan at the Circus" (1936) **1/2

Charlie Chan is called into the circus - cue gags about Chan's massive brood, gorillas on the rampage, Number One son romancing a contortionist, midgets doing the rhumba, an attempted assassination on a train involving a cobra, a trapeze sabotage. Its very silly and a lot of fun - Chan films not only gave Chinese actors the rare opportunity to play lead roles, here two little people get quite prominent parts, having to display a range of emotions. The contortionist is sexy, it's full of atmosphere (trains and circuses always come across well on film in B movies), and ridiculous: such as no one figuring out the murderous gorilla is a man in a gorilla outfit.