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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2018 0:13:14 GMT
This is a series of six films based on a character that appeared in short stories in Collier's Magazine. James Lee Wong is a Chinese-American government agency for the State Department in San Francisco, but that doesn't stop him from solving murders in the course of events.
The first five movies feature Boris Karloff in the title role, a regrettable piece of casting, especially as he wears makeup around the eyes to appear Chinese. He also speaks with a perfect British accent, which is kind of out of place. For the final film, the studio cast Keye Luke, who was actually Asian and had done good work in the Charlie Chan films. While this was a positive step in the right direction, I found Luke's performance lightweight and unable to carry the film.
Some highlights of the series are Grant Withers as the police captain/sidekick, and his sparring with his girlfriend/reporter played by Marjorie Reynolds. One of my favorite actresses, Lotus Long also appears in three of the movies in different roles.
Mr Wong, Detective (1938) A chemical factory owner is killed with poison gas. 5/10
The Mystery of Mr Wong (1939) A man who has obtained a cursed sapphire is killed during a game of charades. (This one doesn't play fair - the killer's motive isn't revealed until the denouement). 5/10
Mr Wong in Chinatown (1939) A Chinese princess is killed with a blowdart. 4/10
The Fatal Hour (1940) An undercover cop is murdered by a smuggling outfit. 6/10
Doomed to Die (1940) A shipping magnate is murdered and it seems like a slam-dunk case 6/10
Phantom of Chinatown (1940) A professor is murdered after finding an ancient Chinese tomb. 5/10
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Post by politicidal on Jan 31, 2018 1:08:37 GMT
Hadn't seen this though I probably will in the future. Sounds reminiscent of the Mr. Moto movies with Peter Lorre which I loved.
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Post by mikef6 on Jan 31, 2018 1:46:05 GMT
Boris Karloff plays James Wong, an Oxford educated (explaining his British accent), San Francisco dwelling Asian-American. The aim was, of course, for Monogram to compete with 20th Century Fox’s Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto films. It didn’t work, but seven years after the close of “Mr. Wong,” Monogram acquired the Chan series for itself. Keye Luke, who starred in the brief re-boot as Jimmy Wong, the next generation, was, of all the actors who floated through the Chan, Moto, and Wong movies, the only person of Asian heritage to play an Asian lead. The Wongs were shot of the cheapest of cheap budgets entirely on what seemed to be very cramped sound-stage sets. The first, “Mr. Wong, Detective” though is pretty good with an excellent murder method and a least-likely-person solution. The scripts then begin a downhill climb. For me, watching Boris Karloff work was enough reward for seeing them.
“Fatal Hour,” the next to last Karloff Wong, gave Det. Street a love interest in a Torchy Blaine-ish fact-talking gal-reporter played by Marjorie Reynolds, another memory trip for people who grew up with ‘50s TV. After hearing the name “Marjorie Reynolds,” anyone in this category should have automatically started reciting the opening credits to “Life Of Riley” (“With Marjorie Reynolds as Peg, Tom D’Andrea as Gillis, Lugene Sanders as Babs, Wes Morgan as Junior and William Bendix as Riley”). P.S. “Final Hour” is a pretty bad mystery. It didn’t need Mr. Wong; they could have called me. I saw that the murderer was obvious from about half-way through.
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Post by them1ghtyhumph on Jan 31, 2018 2:13:11 GMT
Karloff was special in The Mask of Fu Manchu. Perhaps that's why he was chosen as Mr. Wong.
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