Mr. Moto's Gamble (1938)

"It's most unusual to shoot oneself in the back and without a gun.", 14 May 2009

Mr. Moto's Gamble has a fairly straight forward plot - when a boxer is murdered in the ring with a mysterious poison, it's up to the even more mysterious Mr. Moto to solve the case.

I'm shocked at the number of positive reviews for Mr. Moto's Gamble on IMDb. Because to me...well, I found it extremely disappointing. I enjoy Mr. Moto and I enjoy Charlie Chan, but I can't say I cared for this mish-mash of the two. For those unfamiliar with the story behind Mr. Moto's Gamble, it was originally intended to be a Charlie Chan film. But when Warner Oland backed-out, some of the scenes and action were rewritten for Peter Lorre and Mr. Moto. As I indicated, the end result left me underwhelmed. Mr. Moto is not Chan. He's more mysterious, he's more athletic, and he's more exotic. So trying to put Moto in a Chan film is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole - it doesn't work. And listening to Lorre/Moto try to deliver one of Chan's trademark euphemisms just ends up sounding silly. Add to that the fact that almost 10 minutes of the already brief 72 minute runtime is made up of boxing scenes (something that I never seem to enjoy) and you end up with a movie that I couldn't help but dislike. If I have to say something positive I would point to the performance of Keye Luke. But even he's not near enough to save Mr. Moto's Gamble in my eyes.

Sorry, but a 4/10 is about the best I can give this one.

4/10

Charlie Chan in Honolulu (1938)

Toler's first Chan, 13 February 2008

In Charlie Chan in Honolulu, Chan is called out to a freighter with six passengers making its way to Hawaii. A mysterious man has been murdered and $300,000 is missing. Chan must work his way through the clues, red herrings, odd characters, and other assorted obstacles to find a solution. In typical Chan fashion, he gathers all the suspects together to reveal the killer's identity.

Charlie Chan in Honolulu marks Sidney Toler's first outing as the venerable detective. The movie may not be spectacular, but it's not a bad way to begin Toler's run in the series. The movie also sees Victor Sen Yung take over for Keye Luke in the role of Chan's main son. H. Bruce Humberstone would appear to have been a solid choice to direct Toler's first Chan. He was familiar with the series having already directed three installments, including the much heralded Charlie Chan at the Opera. Likewise, the supporting characters are also a solid group. George Zucco and Phyllis Brooks give exceptionally noteworthy performances. Eddie Collins provides the comic relief. The biggest weakness of Charlie Chan in Honolulu is the plot. It's just not that interesting. And, in infuriating fashion, Chan's solution to the mystery is a cheat. There's no way for the audience to have figured out the solution based on the clues presented. It takes a last minute piece of evidence to unmask the killer.

6/10

Nancy Drew -- Detective (1938)

"Aw, quit disturbing the molecules!", 24 August 2007

Mary Eldredge, a wealthy older woman, is prepared to make a substantial donation to the school Nancy Drew (Bonita Granville) attends. But when she disappears before the gift can be finalized, Nancy immediately suspects foul play. And when Nancy witnesses the local doctor being kidnapped, she's sure she's on the right track. Can Nancy, with the help of her friend Ted Nickerson (Frankie Thomas), find and rescue the old woman?

Honestly, I wasn't expecting to enjoy Nancy Drew – Detective quite as much as I did. Sure, I'm a fan of 1930s-style mysteries like the Charlie Chan or Falcon series, but from afar, I've always thought of the Nancy Drew movies too lightweight and fluffy in comparison (though when I think about it, there's nothing deep and meaningful about Chan or any of the other movies I've enjoyed for years). And though Nancy Drew – Detective is a breezy affair, it's still very enjoyable. I cannot come up with enough positives to write about Bonita Granville. She has an infectious charm that dominates the entire movie. It's hard to watch her and not have a smile on your face. You just naturally root for her. The supporting players, particularly John Litel as Carson Drew and Frankie Thomas as Ted Nickerson, also add a lot of enjoyment to the movie.

The mystery elements of Nancy Drew – Detective hardly matter. It's quite obvious from the start what has happened to the old woman Nancy is looking for. But none of that really matters. The important thing is watching Nancy and the gang get to the final solution. It's just a lot of fun!

7/10

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