CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA (1936)
CAST:
Warner Oland: Charlie
Chan
Boris Karloff: Gravelle
Keye Luke: Lee Chan
Charlotte Henry: Mademoiselle
Kitty (also known as Kitty Gravelle)
Thomas Beck: Phil Childers
Margaret Irving; Madame
Lilli Rochelle
Gregory Gaye: Enrico
Barelli
Guy Usher: Inspector
Regan
William Demarest: Sergeant
Kelly
Maurice Cass: Mr. Arnold
Tom McGuire: Morris
Hilda Vaughn: Agness
the Wardrobe Mistress (not credited)
Fred A. Kelsey: Dugan
(not credited)
Selmer Jackson: Hudson,
‘Los Angeles Bulletin’ Wire Photo Technician (not credited)
Emmett Vogan: Smitty,
‘Chicago Sun’ Wire Photo Technician (not credited)
Joan Woodbury: Dancer
in Opera (not credited)
Benson Fong: Extra (not credited)
Sammee Tong: Extra
Time line:
Mlle. Kitty born in 1919.
Fire in opera house with Gravelle in it in September 15, 1923.
Gravelle committed to insane asylum in 1929.
Lillie Rochelle returned, after a 7 year absence, to LA in 1936.
[Which would have meant that she was in LA the year that Gravelle
was committed to the asylum.]
“Opera ‘Carnival’ by Oscar Levant
“Liberetto by William Kernell
“Orchestration by Charles Maxwell”
Length of opera was 15 minutes.
Part of the plot summary of “Charlie Chan at the Opera” from www.fye.com reads:
“Considered by some Charlie Chan fans to be the best of the Warner Oland effords, Charlie Chan at the Opera is
distinguished by excellent production values, and by an original opera composed by Oscar Levant—who allegedly agreed
to this assignment provided he could include the word ‘Silencio?’ in his lyrics~Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide”
Who committed Gravelle to the asylum in 1929?
And where was the asylum located?
What had he been doing in the intervening 6 to 7 years since the opera
house fire that may have caused his amnesia?
If Lillie Rochelle returned to LA after a 7 year absence in 1936,
does that mean that she may have been in LA when Gravelle was committed to the asylum?
Was arson involved in the Chicago Opera Fire?
Did Anita Barelli remember Graville from the time of the fire?
Were Enrico Barelli and Rochelle at the Opera House when it burned
down?
What was Mll. Kitty’s last name—Gravelle or Rochelle?
Probably Gravelle since it was less likely to connect her to her mother.
How does Lillie’s wig keep its braids so tidy and braided?
Mother says that the hair is probably fake and tacked so that the hair stays braided.
Why did Thomas Beck’s character say that he and Mlle. Kitty
were at the police station at 4:30 (?) the previous afternoon?
If Mr. Arnold is the property master, why would Charlie say that Mr.
Arnold is basically “auditioning” a new baritone? Shouldn’t
that be the director or producer’s job and where are they?
BLOOPER: The first newspaper
(in the asylum) with Lillie Rochelle’s picture and the headline used the word “seven” spelled out; later,
the police headquarters copy had the numeral “7.” {Courtesy of Rush Glick.)
BLOOPER: (45 minutes
into the movie) When Lee goes down the trapdoor, he faces the camera as he walks
down the stairs towards the camera. The next shot is at a 90 degree angle from
the preceeding shot. It shows Lee’s back as he climbs down a ladder attached
to the far wall.
BONUS QUESTION: Which
extra in the chorus is a young Benson Fong?
Third from the left and Sammee Tong is further down on the right.
BONUS QUESTION: What
do Opera, Murder Cruise and Feathered Serpent have in common?
They all have weapons that are wiped clean . . . possibly by the murderer? . . . A knife or dagger in Opera and Feathered
Serpent and a gun in Murder Cruise.
BONUS QUESTION: How does
Charlie use chemicals in this movie?
He
uses them to recover fingerprints from the florist’s card left in Mme. Barelli’s room.
BONUS
QUESTION: Does he always bring a personal chemical kit?
BONUS QUESTION: “Like
last rose of summer, bloom too late.” What other Chan movie was this said?
In The Black Camel, Kashimo came running after Charlie solves the
case. Kashimo is saying, “Clue! Clue!” Chan says, “Too late! Save for
next case!”
MURDER RATE:
Enrico Barelli and Lillie Rochelle by Anita Barelli.
