Ceticultsot Beautiful, moving film.

Anoushka Slater While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Bumpy Chip It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Prichards12345 CC at the Circus is an introduction of a slightly new direction in the series. Instead of the Chinese sleuth solving mysteries in a specific city or country (as in London, Paris, Shanghai, etc) he began to diversify into piquant locations: the circus, wax work museum's, race track's etc. The tourist locations were not dropped, of course, but the new angle managed to keep the series from becoming tired.This one is one of the best of the Chan films from 1931-36, with a locked room circus wagon murder giving us an enjoyable mystery, which unfortunately doesn't give the audience much chance to guess the killer's identity. How are we supposed to know the gorilla hair is from a dead animal? The casino angle in the tale is introduced pretty late, too.However it's the entertainment value that's important this time out, and this is splendid fare. In Warner Oland we trust! He's always great in the Chan movies, and he's ably supported by the delightful Keye Luke as his no.1 son, Lee. And unlike Mrs Columbo we actually get to see Charlie's family several times in the series. Utterly delightful. And interesting to see J. Carroll Naish in an early role.Well, bring on the next Chan....

JoeKarlosi 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

ccthemovieman-1 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.

tedg If you are like me, you'll watch these old things because detective story films from the 30's are important. You could also be genuinely charmed by cultural notes from another world.But for me, it got higher on my viewing list because movies about the circus are special in the tricks they pull, and the special cinematic vocabulary they bring.This one has almost no real circus content or feel, except that there are midgets, a gorilla, and one attack on a trapeze.The gorilla thing is almost obligatory in these cheap movies. The humorous thing in this case (spoiler) is that the animal is clearly a guy in a gorilla suit. The murderer it turns out is a guy posing as the "real" gorilla and who wears a slightly cheaper gorilla suit.Its all a waste, that part. But you might want to see the siblings who play — and are — the midgets. Brother and sister, they became rather successful on Broadway I read.The girl here is 18 and really very pretty. She's not an accomplished actress, but as she is playing herself in all respects, she really seems true and endearing, especially next to the old white guy aping what he thinks are Chinese mannerisms.Their bit is a ballroom dance, not anything circusy. But their very presence after Browning's 32 "Freaks," forebodes Lynch and all that means.Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.