The first of three films Warner Oland made as Fu Manchu. It starts during the Boxer Rebellion – Fu Manchu is a goodie, until his family are killed by Allied troops, which makes him more sympathetic. It’s a good story – Fu Manchu sets about killing off people responsible for his family’s death – with plenty of intrigue and hidden panels, trapdoors, darts, hyptonism, self-referential comments about melodrama. It’s very creaky in that early sound film kind of way, with some statis set ups, amateurish acting, etc. Sometimes the film seems like it is being put on by an amateur theatre society.
Warner Oland is a bit too chubby and cheerful as Fu Machu for my taste. Jean Arthur isn’t very good as the white girl raised by Fu Manchu, unaware of his evil plans. Neil Hamilton is the romantic lead; some random middle aged actor plays Neyland Smith.
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