Too many fans seem to be blown away

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Blistering performances.

Although not the best of the Charlie Chan series, this is a cut above the later Sidney Toler Chan films. However, what really makes it worth seeing is that the story takes place during the 1938 Munich Crisis (September 1938), yet was produced before WW-II began (September 1939). The setting is Paris, which is blacked out due to the threat of war, and while the French armed forces are busy mobilizing. The city-wide blackout explains the title, as "The City of Light" had been transformed into a "City in Darkness".There are plenty of lame gags involving the distribution of gas masks, and people panicking due to false air raid alarms. Within a few months of this film's production none of those things would be laughing matters anymore. In fact, although produced prior to the outbreak of WW-II, the movie was not actually released until December 1939, by which time the war had actually begun. In a sense, therefore, "City in Darkness" represents a significant moment in history that, one might say, has been preserved in a drop of amber. It was the moment when one world crisis was averted, leading to the preservation of world peace for a last few happy months before the final unleashing of Armageddon. For that alone, if for no other reason, "City in Darkness" is still worth a look.

I found this movie very scary. I was not born in war times and never experienced what my parents and their families went through.There are lots of characters in this movie. It starts with a woman trying to buy papers to ship out ammunition from France to it's enemies. It shows leaders taking bribes and helping the enemy. The Nazis are invading a lot of countries in 1938 and Mussolini from Italy is supporting Hitler.The people in France are told to draw their blinds and curtains at night because attack airplanes from Germany can see the lights. Street lights are not turned on and cars travel in the dark. If a person's house lights are on or seen from the street they will get fined. This shows war times, gas mask needed but like today the leaders get a chance to celebrate and party like there is no war going on. Chan knows one of the top leaders in France and has drinks and dinner with a group of other men.A few murders take place. Fake passports are sold, tickets to leave France are given to the highest bidder by people using the hard times to get more money from scared people. The movie was informative about war. I did not the like the head man that played Marcel who was a police investigator. He was stupid and too loud. The writers made him try to be funny but he overdid his part and got more attention then Charlie Chan played by Sidney Toler.If for nothing else watch it and learn about a country under attack by another country. I hope I don't have to experience this in the US. It does make you think about it if our freedom is taken away. So to me this is a wake up call we must have a strong military to protect us and people in office in government do their job to keep our country safe and free being our enemies.

Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) investigates a murder in Paris on the eve of World War II. No sons to help him out this time. Instead, he has buffoonish French policeman Marcel (Harold Huber) to assist him. Despite a solid cast and a then-topical storyline, it's one of the weaker entries in the Fox Chan series. The supporting cast includes some great character actors such as C. Henry Gordon, Douglas Dumbrille, Leo G. Carroll, and Pedro de Cordoba. Also the lovely Lynn Bari. It's a good cast. The problem is with Harold Huber, an enjoyable actor that has appeared twice before in the Charlie Chan series with Warner Oland. His character is overbearing and appears way too much. He pretty much doesn't leave Charlie's side and he shouts almost every line. Still, despite this fault, it's not a bad movie. Just weak for this exceptional series. It has some added historical value for WWII buffs. Also Lon Chaney, Jr. appears in a bit part.

This is the only Charlie Chan film I never finished. I usually love his films, whether Sidney Toler or Warner Oland starred in them and/or which of Charlie's kids were in the film.However, in this movie the French police "Inspector Spivak," played by Harold Huber, was hogging all the scenes and was difficult to understand. He made me lose interest. This guy was just plain super annoying and had the top role in the story. I am glad a few other reviewers here had the same reaction as I did.Perhaps with a DVD treatment and English subtitles available, I could give this a second chance and enjoy it, but I doubt it. I watch Chan films to see Charlie, not some idiot in the starring role.