Mysterious Mr. Moto (1938)

A solid entry in the Mr. Moto series, 9 August 2006

It's interesting to me that it's the "B" films of the 30s and 40s that seem to be so popular today. I sincerely doubt that anyone involved in the making of these movies could have imagined or cared that there would be an audience for their work almost 70 years later. Mysterious Mr. Moto is an enjoyable "B" that features everything you could ask for in one of these movies – a nice mystery, good action, sets that far exceed the film's limited budgets, exotic and quirky characters, and a sense of fun about the whole thing.

Peter Lorre is back as the mysterious Japanese detective, Mr. Moto. In this installment in the series, Mr. Moto has himself imprisoned on Devil's Island so that he might gain the trust of one of the other prisoners who happens to be involved with a gang of international murderers for hire. They escape and head to America. Acting as the other man's servant, Mr. Moto is in a perfect position to put a stop to the group's activities.

Mysterious Mr. Moto will never be confused with a deep, meaningful example of film-making. But it's not supposed to. It's a fun romp. And even if identity of the leader of the gang of murderers is obvious early on, it hardly matters. It's just fun watching Moto get to the answer. Lorre is as good as billed and he has a cast of familiar faces backing him up. Fans will recognize Harold Huber, Leon Ames, and Erik Rhodes from their numerous roles in other 30s "B" films. Each does a nice job of adding a bit of fun to the film.

7/10