Charlie Chan at the Opera (1936)
The world believed that the famous operatic baritone Gravelie (Boris Karloff) had died in a theater fire. However, he had actually survived and was later admitted to a mental asylum with amnesia. One day, Gravelie sees a newspaper photo of his wife, soprano Mme. Lilli Rochelle (Margaret Irving), arriving in town for a performance and recalls that she and her lover, Enrico Barelli (Gregory Gaye), had plotted to murder him by setting fire to his dressing room and leaving him to die. Fueled by revenge, he escapes.
When Mme. Rochelle learns that her life is in danger, the famous detective Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) is called to investigate. Prior to a performance of Faust, members of the company are frightened by a mysterious figure wearing a Mephistopheles costume lurking backstage. During the performance, Mme. Rochelle and Barelli are stabbed to death and Gravelie is immediately suspected of the murders. However, Chan orders the opera to be performed again and reveals the identity of the real killer.
Books with substantial mentioning of Charlie Chan at the Opera
| Charles P. Mitchell A Guide to Charlie Chan Films Westport, Connecticut; London, 1999 |
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Gary J. Svehla and Susan Svehla (editors) Boris Karloff Baltimore, 1996 |
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James Robert Parish and Michael R. Pitts The Great Detective Pictures Metuchen, N.J. & London, 1990 |
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Richard Bojarski and Kenneth Beals The Films of Boris Karloff Secaucus, NJ, 1974 |
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| David Zinman 50 Classic Motion Pictures, The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of New York, 1970 |
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Books with an entry on Charlie Chan at the Opera
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Larry Langman and Daniel Finn A Guide to American Crime Films of the Thirties Westport, Connecticut - London, 1995 |
