Warner Oland in "Charlie Chan in Paris" (1935) - feat. Keye Luke & Dorothy Appleby

Bonds from the Lamartine Bank in Paris are forged, so London bankers hire Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) to solve the case.

On his way to meet the new ward of the head of the Lamartine Bank, Paul Lamartine (Henry Kolker), Chan calls his assistant, Nardi (Dorothy Appleby), who promises to talk with him later about new information she found out. He meets with Victor Descartes (Thomas Beck), Mr. Lamartine's ward who is about to own the bank. Chan also meets Victor's friends: Max Corday (Erik Rhodes), an alcoholic painter and his girlfriend, and Yvette Lamartine (Mary Brian), the daughter of Mr. Lamartine and Victor's fiancée.

That night, Chan, Max and his girlfriend, Yvette, and Victor go to Cafe du Singe Blue, where Nardi works as a dancer. After her performance, she is thrown into a room by her dance partner (part of the routine), where Marcel murders her by throwing a knife at her. Her last words to Chan instruct him to look in her apartment, where he finds a letter hidden in a cuckoo clock which explains that Albert is spending beyond his income.

After a failed murder attempt on Chan, he goes home and reveals his secret to Lee Chan (Keye Luke), his #1 son. That night, another attempt is made on Chan's life. The next morning, he interviews Paul Lamartine. Xavier makes a scene, as he feels that the bank is cheating him out of his money, and threatens everyone there. Chan instructs Lee to do some spy work around town.

Yvette goes to Albert's apartment to get some love letters, which she doesn't want Victor to see. Albert is seen calling a mysterious person, revealing that he is in the forging business. Albert is shot by an unseen assailant. The other tenants rush up after Yvette screams. They believe her to be the murderer. She is jailed by the inspector, but Charlie points out an overlooked clue: footprints leading to Albert's room. They release Yvette.

Charlie asks the bank manager, Henri Latouche (Murray Kinnell), to give him Xavier's address. Inside Marcel's basement, Charlie and Victor they discover printing machines. Xavier comes in and shoots at Chan, but Chan is revealed to have blocked it. They capture Xavier as Lee and the police arrive. Charlie reveals that Xavier is the murderer, but he is not a real person. He has "Xavier" take off his false face. The murderer is revealed to be Latouche, as well as Corday. Chan goes into a summary of how they each became "Marcel" as so not to incriminate one another.

A 1935 American Black & White crime detective murder mystery film directed by Lewis Seiler and Hamilton MacFadden, produced by John Stone, screenplay by Edward T. Lowe and Stuart Anthony, story by Philip MacDonald, based on the character "Charlie Chan" created by Earl Derr Biggers, cinematography by Ernest Palmer, starring Warner Oland, Mary Brian, Thomas Beck, Keye Luke, Minor Watson, John Miljan, Erik Rhodes, Murray Kinnell, Henry Kolker, Dorothy Appleby, John Qualen, and Harry Cording. Released by Fox Film Corporation.

Dorothy Appleby performs an apache dance at the Cafe du Singe Blue.

Dorothy Appleby (1906-1990) was an American film actress. She appeared in over 50 films from 1931 to 1943. Appleby was seen in many supporting roles, almost always in short subjects or low-budget feature films. Appleby gained early acting experience as an understudy and a chorus member in plays in New York City. Appleby came to New York fresh from winning a Maine beauty contest. Appleby soon found steady work in Columbia Pictures' two-reel comedies. She appeared frequently with The Three Stooges. She worked with Columbia comics Andy Clyde, El Brendel, and Hugh Herbert, and she had an uncredited part in John Ford's "Stagecoach" (1939). Some of Appleby's Stooge comedies were "Loco Boy Makes Good" (1942), "So Long Mr. Chumps" (1941), and "In the Sweet Pie and Pie" (1941). One memorable appearance was as Mexican brunette Rosita in "Cookoo Cavaliers" (1940). One of Appleby's later screen roles was a one-line bit (playing a college student at age 35) in the Jane Withers feature "Small Town Deb" (1941).

The first entry in the series to feature actor Keye Luke, who would become a mainstay in his role as Chan's "Number One Son" Lee. Luke was working in the publicity department of Fox Film Corporation as an artist when he was cast as Lee Chan. He did the artwork for the publicity stills for the "Charlie Chan" film series.

Hamilton MacFadden directed some early scenes before Lewis Seiler took over, and cinematographer Daniel B. Clark was replaced by Ernest Palmer.

The seventh film produced by Fox with Warner Oland as Charlie Chan.

This enjoyable and entertaining Chan mystery features dancing spies, stolen love letters, and shots in the dark. A neat mixture of comedy and mystery bolstered by a solid cast. One of the most clever and memorable films in the Chan series. Lots of clues but as Chan says, "must turn up many stones to get to hiding place of snake." Fans of Charlie Chan should not miss this solid programmer.