Movie review - Mr Wong#6 - "Phantom of Chinatown" (1940) **

 I love that Monogram decided, once Boris Karloff no longer wanted to play Mr Wong, to cast a Chinese in that role. And Keye Luke would have seemed natural, as he was established playing Charlie Chan's son and probably the highest profile Chinese actor in Hollywood at the time.

But his casting does make for some adjustment. Luke's Number One son was a very defined character, energetic and Americanised, exasperating his father. Mr Wong was older, distinguished, slow. Luke pulls back on his energy, one of his strengths, and comes up with a hybrid effort.

I think maybe they would have developed the role more for him in time. I understand he signed to make four of these but only did this one - presumably box office wasn't great.

The mystery isn't bad. This was directed by Phil Rosen, making it the only movie not directed by William Night. Grant Withers is the only one to make it through; he was never that much of an asset but I like his continuity factor.

There's decent Chinese content (relative for the time) - the female lead is Chinese, Wong calls up an elder, the plot involves events back in China.

Movie review - Mr Wong#5 - "Doomed to Die" (1940) **1/2

 Karloff's last installment in the series ends his association on a high. It's a locked room mystery about the death of a shipping line over. There's plenty of suspects and some memorable characters: I loved the chauffeur who delights in lying; there's also decent subplots, like a romance between rival ship owners, and a double twist at the end.

William Nigh's direction never quite gets into top gear but he has his moments. There's some decent photography.

They never quite got the relationship between Marjorie Reynolds and Grant Withers - was it romantic? Who wanted who? They just seemed to dislike each other. 

I liked the Chinese content - Richard Loo as a Tong leader - just wish there had been more.

Movie review - Mr Wong#4 - "The Fatal Hour" (1940) **

 A dip back after the high of Mr Wong in Chinatown. They bring back Marjorie Reynolds as the reporter but don't seem to know what to do with her. She's not as fun as Grant Withers. 

There's less of Karloff's Wong, or so it feels. I actually wish they'd gotten rid of Withers and just had Karloff and Reynolds.

The three of them investigate the death of a cop who was a friend to Withers and Karloff and get involved in a gem smuggling racket. There's not as much Chinese content in this which I feel was a mistake because it was a point of difference.

The budget is decent. The story is fine,

Movie review - Wong#3 - "Mr Wong in Chinatown" (1939) **1/2

 The best entry in the series so far, helped by Marjorie Reynolds' fun performance as a wisecracking journo who gets involved in the mystery.

This has a fair bit of Xhinese content - the person who hires Wong and then winds up dead (for the third time in a row!) is a Chinese princess, the plot concerns smuggling guns into China, and there's a Chinese little person.

The standard of acting is high though I wish Chinese actors had been given bigger roles. There are some Chinese actors in the cast though - Bessie Loo, Richard Loo, Lee Tung Foo.

The production values are quite high for a Monogram "B" and William Nigh's handling is less lethargic in this one.

Movie review - Wong#2 - "The Mystery of Mr Wong" (1939) ** (warning: spoilers)

 This entry starts off energetically but director William Nigh runs out of puff again resulting in the leaden treatment of the first one, which is a shame because it's a solid story. I mean, a B picture for Monogram solid, but that is still solid - it moves along, has suspects and action and all that stuff.

The first Mr Wong had one Chinese actor in the cast, this one has four, I think. Maybe POC a more comprehensive designation than Chinese: Chester Gan, Bruce Wong, Lee Tung Fu and Lotus Long. Of course there is Boris Karloff in yellowface in the lead but one takes what one can.

Karloff brings his A level charisma - there character is a little more Chinese this time, he's investigating the return of a Chinese artifact, which at the end he decides to return to China.

Just wish it had a better director!

Movie review - Wong#1 - "Mr Wong, Detective" (1938) **

Monogram's attempt to cash in on the Charlie Chan series had the benefit of a bigger star - Boris Karloff, then in a slight career slump because of the British horror fan (Son of Frankenstein revived his career). The other better known member of the cast were Grant Withers, who was in a bunch of films (he was a pal of John Wayne and husband of Loretta Young and he killed himself), and Evelyn Brent.

Withers is a lunky cop, a part as big as Karloff's. Mr Wong isn't a very interesting detective - a stylish Chinese who wears a suit but dresses "oriental" at home. The handling isn't very energetic.

This was remade as a Charlie Chan film, The Docks of New Orleans. It's quite a good script, just lethargically directed. Would it be so hard to have actors move?

Movie review - Wong #1 - "Mr Wong, Detective" (1938) **

Boris Karloff and Monogram jumped on the Asian detective bandwagon following the successful Charlie Chan/Mr Moto series with his own "franchise", about San Francisco-based super detective James Lee Wong, created by writer Hugh Wiley. There were six Wongs in all, although Keye Luke took over the lead role towards the end.

Boris Karloff looks little more Asiatic than Peter Lorre, with that Chinese makeup not really covering for his distinguished voice, but this has the benefit of a decent enough story - Wong investigating the murder of a chemist (killed, locked room mystery style via some poison gas) - with some twists and turns and I really enjoyed the ending.

However the pacing is slow - it's closer to a Chan movie than a Moto one, only without the warmth and humour of the best Charlie Chans. The acting is very hit and miss, and Mr Wong isn't very Oriental at all - no neat Chinese things, or sayings (although he does like to unwind at home in traditional Chinese garb which was a nice touch). The production values are low and the handling not particularly inspired.