The Mystery of Mr. Wong (1939) User Reviews

Very good for this genre

[jonfrum2000 · 7/10 · 1 December 2010]

When compared to the typical genre mystery of it's time, this movie is quite good. Karloff raises the level with his measured acting, and the film is mercifully free of the comic relief clowning that was so common at the time.

This is one of those 'house' mysteries. Most of the action occurs in one house - the house of a wealthy man, as always. And, as is so often true in the genre, the detective just happens to be on the scene when the murder occurs. Another plus for this film is that the policeman - Detective Street - is not a buffoon. Street is less a foil than an aid to Mr Wong, allowing us to take the story seriously - although we can't be too serious. There are obvious red herrings, and sudden reveals of facts we didn't have. For all that, the Wong series came after the clunkiness of the early talkies had been worked out, and the acting is much closer to what we would come to expect from classic studio products.

Although I always struggle with Karloff as a Chinese - unlike the Chan series, for some reason - I have to say the role he played got the job done. This film is out of copyright, and is available online for free, and on at least one low-priced mystery collection. I found it at the library in a 5 CD Mystery and Murder set.

Better Than Most

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 15 May 2007]

Having seen a number of these Mr. Wong movies, I was expecting to see a much more minimal production. They must have had a little more money for this one. As usual, the plot is a little obtuse. The jewel that is at the center of all the activity apparently has a curse on it. The "bad guy" who aren't really the bad guys want to return it to its proper setting, in a museum in China. The master collector whose house looks like a museum, with lots of Oriental artifacts, doesn't listen when warned. A young man, who has a thing for the collector's wife, is implicated in his murder (the death occurs at the time he fires a stunt gun during a game of charades). Mr. Wong realizes that there are some extenuating circumstances and that a silencer was brought into play. There is nice action and some good suspects. It keeps us guessing to the very conclusion. Even the murderer isn't without sympathy. Not a bad little whodunnit.

Classy Karloff Elevates Low-Budget Monogram Mysteries

[oldblackandwhite · 7/10 · 21 November 2012]

Having a popular, first-rate actor like Boris Karloff in the title role of its Mr. Wong mystery series added an unaccustomed touch of class to poverty row studio Monogram's usual low-budget lineup of undistinguished programmers. The portrayal of the genteel Chinese detective must have likewise been a nice change of pace for the refined Englishman from the run of monsters and other sinister types he had been typically cast. Okay, so Karloff looked about as much like a Percheron ice wagon horse as a Chinaman. Let's just assume he was one of a those half-British Hong Kong Wongs. In any case he manages to project a convincing Oriental ambiance with only a minimum of makeup, while showing the maximum of sophisticated acting talent his fans have come to expect. Monogram seems to have responded by giving the Mr. Wong series the best staff and the biggest budget the financially disadvantaged studio could scrape together to support Karloff, who was a bigger name than they were used to having around.

The Mystery Of Mr. Wong, second in the series, is immeasurably better produced than the first entry. Nice sets, both interior and exterior, smart, well-lighted cinematography and tight editing complement William Nigh's sharp direction. A full-bodied, original score by Edward J. Kay enhances the drama, action, and suspense while setting the just-right mysterious, exotic, and sometimes spooky atmosphere. The Scott Darling screenplay is complex and intelligent with engaging, at times even snappy, dialog. It presents a classic drawing room style mystery. The principle murder victim is a cad hated by all, which makes practically every character a suspect. Clues appear and disappear, sometimes even falling out of pictures on the wall. Karloff gets a competent supporting cast including elegant, if not so well-known leading lady Dorothy Tree, polished, oft-seen character actor Holmes Herbert, and stalwart Grant Withers in his reoccurring role as tough cop Captain Street. The police in this one are portrayed as less overbearing and bumbling than in the previous entry -- perhaps there were complaints from the policemen's benevolent associations. It's a mixed blessing. While the cops here are more efficient and less disruptive to the cagey Mr. Wong's efforts to solve the case, they are inevitably and sadly less humorous. While those of the politically correct persuasion may complain about an Occidental playing the Chinese detective, these little movies nevertheless gave good employment to a number of Oriental supporting actors, notably in this one Lotus Long, as a maid who knows more than she should about the mystery, Chester Gan as the no-nonsense butler who tries to help the police, and Lee Tung Foo in a reoccurring role as Mr. Wong's efficient manservant. The producers of the series gave pretty Ms. Long parts in two other Mr. Wong numbers, including the leading lady role in Phantom Of Chinatown (1940).

The Mystery of Mr. Wong nimbly belies its cheap origins all the way through -- so well put together, intriguing, smoothly paced, and entertaining, it seems almost like an "A" picture, or at least a big studio a "B" production. Karloff is a delight. Viewing the first two movies in the set, has made the fifteen bucks I sprang for VCI's well restored two-disk album of all six Mr. Wong movies look like the shopping coup of the season. If you like off-beat little mystery potboilers that pack a load of entertainment into a short running time, then Mr. Wong is wight for you! Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Best of the Mr. Wong Series

[wdbasinger · 29 December 2004]

Although this is a typical "B" movie from the 1930s, it is way above the average suspense flick from that period. It has a lot of interesting elements such as the presence of a valuable gem sapphire called "The Daughter of the Moon", a gunshot out of nowhere, a creepy old house, and a gathering of sinister characters in which all would have motives to commit murder.

Karloff may seem superficially miscast seeming to look just passably Chinese with the makeup used, but one must consider the premise that Mr. Wong is supposed to be raised in England and educated at Heidelberg, Germany and Oxford, England which would account for his heavy British accent.

The film continues at a fine pace throughout the film with the various characters functioning as red herrings (love triangles, attempts to reclaim the gem, another murder, an attempt on Mr. Wong's life) until the true murderer is revealed at the end of the film (which I won't reveal here).

Worthy to be mentioned along with the best of the "Charlie Chan" and "Mr. Wong" series from the same period.

10/10.

Dan Basinger

Pretty good mystery, though it cheats a bit at the end

[gridoon2024 · 6/10 · 3 March 2011]

This second entry in the "Mr. Wong" series has a classic mystery setup: a game of charades at a party turns deadly when a gun supposedly loaded with blanks actually kills someone. Or is that really what happens? Luckily (or unluckily, for the murderer), the eminent detective Mr. Wong is among the guests, and is more than willing to help the police solve the murder. The sinister suspects, red herrings and other traditions of the genre are all present and accounted for, and while the direction may not be fanciful, it is efficient. Boris Karloff is very good as the calm, polite, observant, analytical Mr. Wong, helping you ignore the "wrong ethnicity" barrier. What is harder to ignore is that, in order to get to its admittedly unpredictable resolution, the script withholds vital information about the motive of the murderer; we never suspect him/her because we are given absolutely no reason to! Even with that reservation, I think most mystery buffs will find enough to enjoy in this film. **1/2 out of 4.

"I'm afraid there has been an unfortunate accident, your host is dead."

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 4 June 2005]

Boris Karloff follows up his 1938 film "Mr. Wong, Detective", with this clever whodunit about the murder of a rare gem collector, who just the day before he comes into it's possession, receives a sinister written message - "The possessor of the Eye of the Daughter of the Moon rides swiftly to his death." Brandon Edwards (Morgan Wallace) suspects who is out to murder him, and seals his secret in an envelope to be opened in the event of his death, entrusting this knowledge to the Oriental Detective.

In the film, we learn that Mr. James Lee Wong is an authority on ancient Oriental art and literature, and a graduate of Heidelberg and Oxford Universities. As such, he recognizes the danger Edwards finds himself in, since the Chinese gem purportedly carries a death curse on anyone who possesses it.

In the tradition of the best Charlie Chan films of the same era, "The Mystery of Mr. Wong" cleverly plants various suspects who may have it in for Edwards. Edwards' death itself is uniquely staged, as he takes a gunshot to the chest while participating in a parlor game with a roomful of party guests as witnesses, with no one the wiser until it's time to credit the players.

Wong is assisted in the investigation once again by Police Captain Sam Street (Grant Withers); this time around Withers plays it much straighter than the over the top, brash portrayal he gave in "Mr. Wong, Detective". Nevertheless, it's Mr. Wong all the way in solving the caper. In a clever ruse, Wong suggests that he will soon be in possession of Edwards' letter naming the killer, hoping to flush out the culprit. As the parties gather, Wong names the murderer and reveals the mistakes the killer made that led him to his conclusion. The killer is impressed, and even shakes hands with Wong before the police take him away! In a fitting finale, the real letter finally arrives, but the confident Mr. Wong no longer has need of it, and tears it up without even opening the envelope.

I'm Going to Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter

[BaronBl00d · 6/10 · 25 July 2006]

Enjoyable if less that competent mystery with Boris Karloff once again playing Hugh Wiley's Oriental detective Mr. Wong of San Francisco. Karloff breathes most of the life this film has which tells of a wealthy man and his less than devoted wife and his burgeoning collection of rare and valuable Oriental artifacts - most recently the rarest gem of all, the Eye of the Moon. A dinner party is thrown with Wong and another famous criminologist in attendance. Prior to party games, Mr. Wong is shown the rare gem and a letter he has written with the name of who he suspects of a possible future crime - his murder. The games begin and the wealthy man is shot and Mr. Wong, Mr. Janney(the other criminologist), and the policeman Street(played by Grant Withers)begin to sift through the evidence and see who is the killer(naturally the letter was taken by someone so the movie could go on). While it is true that some of the clues in finding the killer are NOT presented to us, I had no problem at all figuring out who the killer was. Just listen to the conversation between Mr. Wong and the victim carefully and it will resonate loud and clear for you. That being said, I did enjoy this film as the mystery is paced well, there are plenty of red herrings that MIGHT have shaken my preconceived notions, the acting is uniformly pretty good all around, and production values are high for a Monogram Studio release.

The second Mr. Wong film

[robert-temple-1 · 7/10 · 2 May 2023]

This second Mr. Wong film was given a bigger budget than the first, actually has some exterior scenes, and is a much more polished production. Boris Karloff is excellent as usual in his suave and quiet manner as the brilliant amateur Chinese detective of San Francisco. In this film, we learn more about him. We discover that he has degrees from both the University of Heidelberg and Oxford University. There is certainly no doubt about his high intelligence and his profound knowledge of Chinese literature and art. He is a connoisseur who is familiar with most types of precious Chinese objects. And hence it is that he is familiar with the background of the object which is at the centre of this story, a precious imperial gem known as The Eye of the Daughter of the Moon. It turns out that in the recent sack of Nanking (today called Nanjing) by the Japanese, numerous priceless gems, jades, and works of art from an Imperial Collection there have been pillaged and made their way into the hands of private collectors. The most priceless of all of these is the gem just mentioned which has been illegally acquired by a rich collector who is very soon murdered. There are two very annoying performances in this film. One is by Grant Withers as the Detective Inspector, shouting and over-acting as usual. The other is Dorothy Tree, who simply can't act at all. However, one ignores these faults in the interest of following the good story. Otherwise it is an excellent film, and lots of villains are to be found.

Elementary my dear Street

[jcholguin · 5/10 · 20 May 2001]

Yes, Mr. Wong is on hand when a murder of a friend takes place. He could not prevent it but works with Capt. Sam Street of the police to solve it. The means of death is not complicated or ingenious - shooting with a silencer. But there are a number of suspects. Ballistics prove that the bullet came from a high angle. Quickly, half of the suspects are off the hook and the film becomes a relatively easy whodunit. Elementary for Mr. Wong, but of course the police are on the wrong track. Good film to see late at night when the "little gray cells" need a rest or if complicated sleuthing is not your "expertise."

Karloff as Mr. Wong rescues a Chinese treasure.

[michaelRokeefe · 6/10 · 17 April 2007]

This low budget Monogram film is not short on intrigue or mystery. The largest sapphire in the world, "Eye of the Daughter of the Moon", has been stolen from an antiques collector, Brandon Edwards(Morgan Wallace), at the same time of his murder. His wife(Dorothy Tree) and her lover(Craig Reynolds)are of course of great suspect. The renown Chinese sleuth Mr. Wong(Boris Karloff)is called on to solve both crimes; and the clues are leading to one culprit. Once again Wong calls on his friend Police Captain Sam Street(Grant Withers)to help in the investigation. A fine detective flick worth watching. Other players include: Ivan Lebedeff, Lotus Long and Joe Devlin.

Watch for Dorothy Tree...

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 15 January 2009]

The Mr. Wong series by Monogram Studios was an attempt by this tiny poverty row studio to cash in on the success of Twentieth-Century Fox's Charlie Chan. In many ways, the two series were very similar, though Wong (played by Boris Karloff) was played less like a stereotypical Asian and the scripts, unfortunately, were generally not as good as the Chan scripts.

Here, in a completely average film, Wong is investigating the death of a rich jerk who is proud that he owns a stolen treasure from China. Considering how arrogant and unlikable he is, it isn't at all surprising that he's soon murdered--and in a rather clever way. The actual mystery is only moderately suspenseful by B-mystery film standards, but the film's lack of comic relief may appeal to those who dislike this aspect of the Chan films.

As for the acting, this film is unusual in that all the actors were good except for one whose performance really stood out from the rest--it was THAT bad. Dorothy Tree, who played the wife of the murdered man, was simply horrible. Every time she opened her mouth, she over-emoted and enunciated like she was in a diction class. When I checked her biography on IMDb I discovered two things--that she was a reasonably prolific actress AND that she was a singing and diction coach. That really helps to explain her performance as did a quote from Ms. Tree concerning the role of proper diction in advancing feminism--"more resonance, clear speech and a better vocabulary." Well, sometimes more isn't better!

A decent time-passer--provided you don't mind wading through Ms. Tree's impassioned acting.

By the way, the copy I watched clocked in at 70 minutes--2 minutes longer than the time listed on IMDb.

A second instalment that improves on its predecessor

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 7 December 2013]

That is not to knock Mr Wong, Detective, it wasn't a great film but it was an entertaining one. But The Mystery of Mr Wong seemed visually more refined and just better executed in general. It does suffer from a surprising but rather underdeveloped final solution(much more could have been done to explain the reason behind the crimes) and Dorothy Tree's- a very elegant woman- at times over-emotive acting. However, where The Mystery of Mr Wong most improves on from Mr Wong, Detective is the look of the film and the pacing. The production values are not big-budget, but they are noticeably more refined in editing and photography than in its predecessor. The pacing also is much crisper and maintains interest throughout instead of having the odd lull. The music is jaunty and haunting that suits the atmosphere evoked really well, the dialogue is witty and thoughtful and the story has a good mystery and does it with a diverting atmosphere, good amounts of suspense and use of clues and a sense of fun. The film is solidly directed and the acting is mostly very competent, though only Boris Karloff is very good standard(what to expect from a great actor who made the most always of what he had?). All in all, not perfect but good fun and its improves over Mr Wong, Detective. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Murderous Charade

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 29 October 2008]

A prize sapphire has been stolen and received by collector Morgan Wallace right off a freighter in San Francisco bay before docking, thereby eluding customs. It's been stolen during the Japanese occupation in Nanking and Wallace is naturally in fear of his life as a result. It's no accident he's invited the great scholar and criminologist James Lee Wong as played by Boris Karloff to a reception that evening creating The Mystery Of Mr. Wong.

Despite I think was a grammatically incorrect title and given this is a production from Monogram Pictures, this is not a bad mystery and very topical at the time. The news of the war waged on the Chinese by Japan was in the papers all the time.

When the murder of Farley is actually committed it's during a game of charades where guest Grant Reynolds shoots Farley during a sketch and the man doesn't get up. In a manner worthy of Agatha Christie there are a whole host of subjects present at the mansion. It was just the killer's bad luck to do this with Wong present.

One of these days I'll be bowled over when I find out that someone actually decides to call of a planned crime when some famous detective appears unplanned on the screen.

Don't these people go to the movies?

The true mystery is in the casting.

[mark.waltz · 3/10 · 5 April 2014]

Boris Karloff attempts to become the male version of Gale Sondergaard in this second entry in the fortunately short-lived series, the worst of the three continuous mystery programmers starring obvious Caucasians in Asian roles. At least, Peter Lorre was slightly believable as Mr. Moto, and all four Charlie Chans were too. But the tall Karloff isn't at all believable in any sense, even if he utilizes his all too frequent over- the-top sincerity to spout out the ridiculous lines in a wretched screenplay.

At least this second in the series is somewhat watchable, even if every cliché of every dime store mystery novel is utilized, from the line-up of predictable suspects to details added into the plot during the last minutes of the movie. The story surrounds the theft of an ancient Chinese gem which apparently carries a curse, and the murder of the man whose hands it ended up in. The set-up for the murder is a neat twist, occurring in a game of charades where the clues for the answer are somewhat obscure and the answers almost impossible to guess.

This is a slightly above average entry, the others extremely slow moving in spite of short running times, and all filled with stereotypes. This film is ripe for parody (especially for one suspect who goes by the name of Strogonoff!) and some of the tackier moments are downright unintentionally comical. Film history students will have a fun time dissecting this, especially those who are interested in the poverty row studios which sometimes turned out surprising sleepers and an occasional masterpiece. In the final scene, try not to be distracted by Mr. Wong's parrot in the background who steals the scene from the talking actors.

Amazingly Complex

[tedg · 24 June 2005]

What's interesting about 30's mysteries is their variety. The business in partnership with viewers were working out the few modes that would survive. Today we are stuck with only a few of the possibilities; everything else feels wrong because of the expectations we bring to them.

Its not important that this detective is yet another well known white actor in Chinese makeup. What's important is how complex is the mystery, how much we learn as viewers before the detective does (nothing), and how the solution is unrolled at the end.

The notable thing here is how complex the plot is. It is every bit as complex as the Perry Mason things that would come only a little later. But it is ever so much more difficult for us because they've experimented with hiding critical details. If you watch this with modern sensibilities, you'll be baffled.

The setup is a great one, folded of course: the murder happens during a game of charades where the actors are acting out a mystery, and the audience is guessing but has no clue.

Sweet, that. But otherwise, watch this only if you are a student.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

The Mystery of Mr. Wong (1939) **1/2

[JoeKarlosi · 6/10 · 20 August 2011]

The Mystery of Mr. Wong (1939)

This is the second film in the Monogram series featuring Boris Karloff as the soft-spoken Chinese detective, James Lee Wong. Here he must unravel the reason behind the unexpected shooting death of a jealous husband at a party, and the secret surrounding a cursed sapphire that was smuggled out of China. Though not quite believable here as an Asian man, Karloff is still interesting to watch in an understated characterization, and this is possibly the best of the Mr. Wong offerings from a rather pedestrian collection.

**1/2 out of ****

Nice B programmer from Monogram

[Paularoc · 6/10 · 27 August 2013]

For me, the Mr. Wong series was a poor man's Charlie Chan. The series was still somewhat enjoyable thanks to Boris Karloff's performance as the soft spoken, intellectual, and Oxford and Heidleberg educated James Lee Wong. Brendan Edwards, a wealthy and odious antiques collector invites Wong to a party in order to show him a recent acquisition - a sapphire called the Eye of the Daughter of the Moon. The gem was stolen from a Chinese museum but that doesn't bother Edwards. What does bother him is that he has received a death threat because he now has the gem. When Edwards is murdered during a charades game, there are suspects a plenty including Edwards' mistreated wife, the secretary who loves the wife, Edwards' lawyer and two shady characters who want to get the gem back from Edwards. The resolution to the mystery relies on Wong having information that wasn't previously shared with the viewer. This is somewhat unusual for having a very sympathetic character as the murderer. For a Monogram, the production values were pretty good and with a couple of exceptions, so was the cast. But it's Karloff that makes this worth a watch.

Why All The Hate And Condescension?

[film_poster_fan · 7/10 · 20 February 2023]

"The Mystery of Mr. Wong?" is a good film from Monogram Pictures that does not pretend to be more than it is; a mystery B film meant to entertain and nothing more. In a 1968 interview, Boris Karloff said that "'Mr. Wong' meant a holiday from bogeyman typecasting . . . I rather enjoyed being Mr. Wong." The actor died in 1968.

One reviewer calls Monogram Pictures a "tiny poverty row studio" which in not the case. It was founded in 1931 and ceased production in 1979 (as Allied Artists Pictures) and had studios on Sunset Boulevard and at the Monogram Ranch. This reviewer is constantly denigrating Monogram and its product, perhaps in a failing effort to make himself feel important.

Also singled out for derision is Dorothy Tree, although this reviewer could see nothing in particular poor about her performance. Yet others call her "simply horrible" and "over-emotive." In 1952, she and her husband were called communists and blacklisted.

A Fun Time

[michaelgarykelley1994 · 6/10 · 10 July 2019]

I've never seen any of the other films, nor have I seen many mystery flicks from the 30s. I've got to admit: I enjoyed this one a lot. Very fun time to be had.

Boris, once again, baffles me with his range, as an actor. The guy is always super talented.

Second Wong

[BandSAboutMovies · 5/10 · 29 June 2023]

William Nigh returns to direct and Boris Karloff stars in the second Mr. Wong movie. Wealthy gem collector Brandon Edwards (Morgan Wallace) has taken possession of the largest star sapphire in the world, the Eye of the Daughter of the Moon. Yet his life is in danger, a fact he tells Mr. Wong. On cue, he's killed during a game of Charades and the gem is taken by his maid Dina (Lotus Long) who wants to take the Eye back home to China. Yet she's killed too and the gem disappears again.

This movie is 68 minutes long, which is a perfect length, as it never gets slow and keeps you guessing as every time someone takes the Eye, they die. Plus, there are plenty of red herrings and potential murderers, such as Edwards' wife Valerie (Dorothy Tree), her lover Peter Harrison (Craig Reynolds) or her singing protégé Michael Strogonoff (Ivan Lebedeff).

These films are a lot of fun and I've really been enjoying the Kino Lorber set, as it's a chance to see all five of the Nigh/Karloff Mr. Wong films in one very easy way.

The Eye of the Daughter of the Moon

[utgard14 · 6/10 · 11 March 2014]

Mr. Wong (Boris Karloff) attends a party where the host is murdered right in front of him. The host was kind of a d-bag and a thief who had stolen Chinese antiques in his possession. But still, Mr. Wong investigates to find out who killed him. As with any Wong movie, Karloff is the main reason to see it. Valerie Tree plays to the balcony. Ham city, kids. Craig Reynolds isn't much better, at least when he's with her. Every scene the two share is played like Romeo & Juliet. Grant Withers once again plays the police detective. He's less grumpy here than in his first Wong film. Lotus Long and Chester Gan are good in supporting roles. Decent time-killer. The Wong series was never on par with Charlie Chan but it was generally entertaining.

A Very Interesting Mystery

[Rainey-Dawn · 9/10 · 13 May 2016]

This is one of the better mystery films where Boris Karloff stars as Mr. Wong. This one deals with a man, Brendan Edwards, who is an antique collector and loves the Chinese arts and he has just acquired the rare sapphire known as Eye of the Daughter of the Moon. Mr. Edwards also suspects he will be murdered soon but has decided to put the name of the person who he suspects in a sealed letter in his safe - he did show that letter to Mr. Wong and explained a few thing to him. One night Mr. Edwards and his wife throw a party and had a few party games to entertain their guests, one of the games played that evening was "charades" - it turned out to be a deadly game for Mr. Edwards. Mr. Wong, who was one of the many guests that evening, is on the case.

What is good about this particular Mr. Wong mystery is that there are a handful of suspects with good motives to kill Mr. Edwards, so there are couple of twist and turns that will keep this Mr. Wong film interesting.

9/10

The Eye of the Daughter of the Moon

[kevinolzak · 6/10 · 2 December 2022]

1939's "The Mystery of Mr. Wong" was Boris Karloff's second entry in the six picture Monogram detective series, shooting in early February following completion of Universal's horror comeback "Son of Frankenstein." Lacking the numerous twists offered in his debut, number two just might be the better picture, boasting a superior cast and a more restrained Grant Withers, making his teamwork with Wong more believable. Morgan Wallace, present in the final Moto release "Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation," plays overbearing art collector Brendan Edwards, who smuggles out of China a priceless stone known as the 'Eye of the Daughter of the Moon,' which signals death for anyone who dares to steal it. Sure enough, Edwards is shot dead during a game of charades in front of dozens of guests, the would be shooter, Peter Harrison (Craig Reynolds), firing a pistol filled with blanks while playing a jealous husband, the victim's young wife Valerie (Dorothy Tree) also standing next to her spouse. Mr. Wong had learned of Edwards' possession of the jewel shortly before his death, and was aware of a note naming his killer in the event of his demise; naturally, both are missing from the safe in his upstairs study, though we see the maid Drina (Lotus Long) remove the message herself from an already opened safe. It's clear that Peter has developed feelings for Mrs. Edwards, as has houseguest Michael Strogonoff (Ivan Lebedeff), who has been living with the Edwards in the hopes of starting a singing career in America. Also attending the ill-fated party is fellow criminologist Ed Janney (Holmes Herbert), quick to assist in the murder investigation, while the Edwards attorney, Carslake (Hooper Atchley), supplies another motive with his client's insistence on making out a new will disinheriting wife Valerie, but not living long enough to sign it. After the maid perishes from a poisoned cigarette, Wong gathers all the suspects at his home to examine the missing document naming the culprit, going over each suspect and their reasoning before coming upon the guilty party in a well thought out and logical fashion; were it not for a significant bit of information kept from the audience, it might have been the best climax of them all (the plot was a rehash of the 1931 Tiffany independent "Murder at Midnight"). Craig Reynolds would return for 4th entry "The Fatal Hour," Lotus Long would feature twice more, and Dorothy Tree would actually graduate to a Sidney Toler entry at Fox, "Charlie Chan in City in Darkness." Boris moved on to complete his Warner Brothers pact with "British Intelligence" before reporting back to Monogram for "Mr. Wong in Chinatown."

Entertaining B Movie

[Michael_Elliott · 28 March 2017]

The Mystery of Mr. Wong (1939)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

An antique dealer comes into possession of a rare Chinese artifact and before long he is dead. At first it appears to have been a stunt gone wrong but soon Mr. Wong (Boris Karloff) realizes that it was murder but was it connected to the artifact?

THE MYSTERY OF MR. WONG was the second of six films that Monogram did in the series. If you're a fan of the first then you'll probably enjoy this one, although there's no question that it's not quite as good. Still, for a "B" movie from this era there are enough entertaining moments to make it worth watching and especially if you're a fan of Karloff.

As you'd expect, Karloff is the main reason to watch the picture as he turns in another good performance as Mr. Wong. He's certainly not believable as an Asian but I guess this was to be expected. With that said, he doesn't even appear to be trying to come across as Asian but I still enjoyed his performance for the laid-back approach that he took with the character. Grant Withers returns as Captain Street but the screenplay doesn't offer him as good as a role. The supporting cast is mostly good with the exception of Dorothy Tree who plays the victim's wife.

The biggest issue with this film is the fact that the story itself isn't quite as interesting as that of the first film. There's really not as many interesting supporting characters and this here takes away from the whole film. With that said, it's a "B" movie and on that level it's entertaining enough for what it is.

KARLOFF IS REALLY OUT OF CHARACTER!

[whpratt1 · 10/10 · 30 May 2003]

This Mr. Wong film has been shown many many times over and years ago was shown along with a double feature back in the 1940's. These pictures were cheaply made and called B flicks. Brandon Edward (Morgan Wallace) a gem dealer obtains the largest star sapphire in the world, the "Eye of the Daughter of the Moon" which was stolen from China. Brandon exhibits the precious gem at a party in his home, at the same time, he tells Mr. Wong (Boris Karloff) his life is in great danger. During the course of time, Brandon is killed and the gem is missing. Mr. Wong finally turns the true killer over to Capt. Street (Grant Withers) This film is somewhat an interesting murder mystery, but does not keep you spellbound and becomes boring. Karloff with his British accent is still an effective Chinese Detective, but entirely out of character from his past roles.