recommended

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I once had a 16mm print of Charlie Chan at the Circus, so I know the film well. The screenplay concocted by Fox's top writing team, Robert Ellis and Helen Logan, neatly combines a circus setting with a locked room puzzle. The mystery is intriguing and I love the gorilla at large. Oland, in fine form, is supplied with many amusing bon mots, including "Mind, like parachute, function best when open" and "One grain of luck sometimes worth more than a whole rice paddy of wisdom." In my humble opinion, the support cast is the best ever assembled for a Chan movie. Francis Ford (in a major role for once), Maxine Reiner, Shirley Deane, Paul Stanton, Drue Leyton and J. Carroll Naish are all most ingratiating, while comedy relief is amusingly handled by Wade Boteler, Keye Luke and the wonderfully spirited Shia Jung. And a special pat on the backs of George and Olive Brasno. Director Lachman is also in fine form. Who could resist that opening tracking shot, or the scenes on the train, or the ape on the loose, or the big top menagerie? This picturesque background, however, is never allowed to swamp the film. Detection is always at the forefront. Production values are high

Rousing entry in the Charlie Chan series is one of the best. Charlie (Warner Oland) takes his sizable family to the circus at the invitation of one of the circus owners, who has been receiving threatening letters and wants Charlie to investigate. When the owner is murdered, all clues point to an escaped gorilla the man was abusive to. But Charlie's not so sure and gets to work investigating the murder, with help from "Number One Son" Lee (Keye Luke).It's great to see Charlie's wife and all of the Chan kids. They're so adorable. Keye Luke is charming as ever, especially when he flirts with a contortionist. The circus performers are fun to watch. The two midgets, George and Olive Brasno, receive prominent billing right after Keye Luke. I assume they were well-known at the time. They're both good actors and I liked their dance number. J. Carrol Naish also appears and is enjoyable to watch, as always.This is a very entertaining movie. Fast pace, interesting setting, and nice doses of humor make it a real treat. Probably my second favorite in the whole series. Oh, and pay attention to the scene where the characters Blake and Kinney fight. Blake punches like a girl! It's hilarious! This one's also got a guy in a gorilla suit, which is always a win.

CHARLIE CHAN AT THE CIRCUS (1936)A good offering in the Fox series providing an interesting change of locale, with Charlie Chan enjoying a day at the circus with his rather extensive family, only to stay behind with son and partner Lee when some foul play erupts. A circus gorilla kills the owner, who happened to be a boss whom nobody liked. It's interesting to see substantial roles for George and Olive Brasno, who play the "little people" of the circus, who also were prominent in one of the old "Our Gang" shorts ("Shrimps For a Day"). Also welcome among the cast is J. Carrol Naish.*** out of four

I am a big fan of Charlie Chan, owning all the Warner Oland/Sidney Toler episodes I can find and enjoying them, but that doesn't mean they automatically are all wonderful. This one is okay, but disappointing considering how much better it could have been. It did have its customary comic moments with Keye Luke as Number One Son and Charlie had a ton of proverbs, but they weren't particularly profound or humorous, just so-so. One thing different was the co-starring of real-life "small people" circus performers, George and Olive Branso, who were okay as actors.With a setting like the circus, and with Chan's huge family all there (a dozen kids) they could have all kinds of interesting scenarios, but outside of a quick cobra scene and an ape making noise a few times, not much happened. This story was just plain flat overall until the final 10 minutes. The ending was pretty clever but it was a case of too-little, too-late.Overall, it's not a bad film but there is an "edge" to this murder-mystery that is missing.