bsmith5552 "Behind That Curtain" is notable in that it was the first appearance of Charlie Chan at Fox who would go on to produce the long running series of Chan films between 1931 and 1942. It's rather dated but is not as bad a film as some would have you believe.The story is adapted from an Earl Derr Beggars novel about murder, love and deceit among the well to do. Sir George Mannering (Claude King) has hired investigator Hilary Galt (Edgar Norton) to dig up dirt on his niece's Eve's (Lois Moran) intended Eric Durand (Philip Strange). Explorer Colonel John Beetham (Warner Baxter) has concerns, that are never explained, over Galt's findings. Against her uncle's wishes Eve marries Durand. Then Mannering learns that Galt has been murdered and his files stolen.A pair of Chinese slippers are found on the body which implicates Beetham in the murder. Mannering disowns Eve and the couple go off to India to live. Eric Durand's occupation by the way, is never revealed. Anyway, Durand turns out to be a woman chasing rat, among other things and is caught by Eve fooling around with the house servant Nuna (Mercedes DeValacco).Beetham meanwhile has embarked on an expedition in India and runs into a distraught Eve in the market place. Eve tells him of her troubles and eventually leaves Durand over his affair and a mysterious letter that she has received. She joins Beetham's expedition and over a four month period the two fall madly in love. Beetham you see, has been carrying a torch for Eve lo these many months.Scotland Yard detective Sir Frederick Bruce (Gilbert Emery) meanwhile has taken up the chase in the murder investigation. Eve guarding a deadly secret, flees the camp and disappears. Fast forward a year and Eve turns up in San Francisco still on the run. Both Durand, and Sir Frederick have followed her there. Purely coincidentally, Beetham turns up to deliver a lecture. Sir Frederick working with Chinese Inspector Charlie Chan (E.L. Park) set a trap to capture the murderer and...................Although this is supposed to be a Charlie Chan mystery, he doesn't show up until near the end of the film. The detective work in this story is handled for the most part by Sir Frederick. Chan is portrayed by Asian actor E. L. Park who was a bald middle aged gentleman who has little to contribute to the overall story.Boris Karloff in his first sound film, plays Baxrer's Indian manservant. He would appear in another Chan film, "Charlie Chan at the Opera" in 1936.

calvinnme This 1929 film is included on Charlie Chan Volume 3 as part of the complete history of Chan's character at Fox. For that reason it is good to have it. Viewing it, however, is another matter entirely. It is a great example of a bad early talkie in almost every category except cinematography. Fox used sound-on-film versus vitaphone, thus their early talkies don't have that static claustrophobic quality other 1928 and 1929 talkies have.However the dialogue in many ways is held over from the silents as is the acting. At one point Warner Baxter is declaring his love to the leading lady by repeating "I love you! I love you! I love you". In the words of Singin' in the Rain, did someone get paid to write this dialogue? The overacting is unbelievable and the speech is tortuously slow.The point of interest for most of us watching this film, the first appearance of Charlie Chan in a Fox film, doesn't take up much screen time. He appears near the beginning to identify a crucial piece of evidence and for a few minutes during the end. The murderer is identified almost at the beginning of the film and most of the time is taken up by a poorly acted love triangle tale. This is not the first appearance of Warner Oland in the title role, though. That doesn't occur for another two years. This film is only for hardcore Charlie Chan fans the same way that "An Old Spanish Custom" is for Buster Keaton fans.

skoyles Among the necessary attributes of any motion picture, old or new, colour or black and white, widescreen or television, is that the presentation must be satisfying on some level. "Citizen Caine" satisfies our sense of balance; "Gone With the Wind" our sense of honour; "Star Wars" our sense of adventure; "LA Confidential" our sense of justice while numerous mysteries satisfy our need for a neat solution to the problem presented. The satisfaction need not be poetic nor even to our liking but we must be able to say, "At some level this movie was a satisfying experience." "Behind that Curtain" is not. While the historical interest of the exotic locales is fun, the acting is acceptable for the time, seeing Karloff, Baxter, and Park as Chan is fine, the satisfaction factor is zilch. IMDb is rightly leery of "spoilers" in reviews; no such warning is necessary for this creaking amateur script. As one looks for possible solutions to the "whodunit", one wastes one's time. Alas, a disappointment which proves yet again that without a good story no motion picture can succeed.

brianina The first half of "Behind That Curtain" is a excellent example of the drawbacks of early talkies. Except for Warner Baxter, all the actors indulge in over-enunciation to the extent that they often sound as if English is not their first language. The camera is nailed down in one long interior scene after another with the occasional mike boom shadow crossing faces. The second half, however, is a strong improvement. The lead actress learns how to properly emote and there are a number of excellent exteriors in the desert and in downtown San Francisco of 1929. Also livening events in the last half are cameo appearances by Boris Karloff and the character Charlie Chan, both in their first talkie appearances. Chan is played for once by an actual Asian person and Karloff has a good scene where he has to pretend to be mute, giving a glimpse of his later masterful work as Frankenstein' monster. He is also given the horrible line, "the desert gives and the desert takes away" but imparts a wonderful sense of mystery to it.