I guess because of the fact that back in the day Charlie Chan, Earl Derr Biggers
famous Chinese detective from the Honolulu PD was played by Occidentals like
Warner Oland, Sidney Toler, and Roland Winters it was OK to have Peter Ustinov do a
spoof. Maybe it could have worked in other hands with a better script and better
direction, but we've kind of grown past that kind of mimicry.
Charlie's come over to San Francisco from retirement in Honolulu for his grandson's wedding. Turns out that Lee Chan the number one son married a
nice Jewish girl. His grandson however was raised by his Jewish grandmother
Lee Grant who super doted on him. Now Richard Hatch as the grandson
wants to follow in his grandfather's footsteps and become a detective. He's
also marrying a nice Jewish girl in Michelle Pfeiffer.
Hatch maybe Charlie Chan's grandson, but he acts more like Inspector Clouseau in training. And there've been some random murders or seemingly
random murders and looking good for it is Charlie Chan's arch nemesis the
Dragon Queen played here by Angie Dickinson.
Hatch investigates, but of course it's Ustinov who solves it. Some others in the
cast are Roddy McDowall as the butler and Rachel Roberts as the maid to Lee
Grant. Best in this cast is Brian Keith a rather thick police chief who can't quite
grasp the subtleties of Ustinov's mind and aphorisms.
This might have worked better if Ustinov spoofed his own character Hercule
Poirot. But having us westerners play easterners just does not go over that
well any more.
