THE MYSTERIOUS MR. WONG
1935 68 min. B&W Monogram Pictures
Dir. William Nigh
Bela Lugosi – Wong
Wallace Ford – Jason Barton
Arlene Judge – Peg
Fred Warren
Lotus Long – Moon Flower
DVD by Alpha Video Classics
http://www.oldies.com
I didn’t order this DVD online, I found it in the B-MOVIES rack at the local big electronics store. If you’re actually taking the time to read this, you know the rack I mean. These guys are getting a reasonable amount of my money at five bucks a pop, which proves to me that there are people out there who actually know what a DVD should cost. That more than anything prompted me to include their link, plus they have a ton of flicks that will interest any B-movie fan. To be perfectly honest, I was looking for a copy of THE FATAL HOUR with Karloff as Mr. Wong, Detective to complete my collection of those Karloff Fan Feasts when I spotted this. Knowing, or rather hoping that sooner or later FATAL HOUR would show up; I grabbed it.
It turned out to be a pretty good grab. This is not to be confused with the aforementioned MR. WONG series, and it says so right there on the back of the DVD. The Mr. Wong of this movie is not only mysterious; he’s downright murderous! THE MYSTERIOUS MR. WONG is based on the novel THE TWELVE COINS OF CONFUCIUS by Harry Stephen Keeler, which I know absolutely nothing about. If I had twelve coins to put on it, I would bet that it’s a pulp of the yellow peril genre, along the lines Sax Rohmer’s FU MANCHU novels.
Like the evil and wily Manchu Fu, Wong will stop at nothing to attain his evil ends. He is after the Twelve Coins of Confucius, possession of which will make him the emperor of the land of Keelat and give him great mystical powers. But never fear, a wisecracking reporter, bane of Thirties super criminals everywhere, is on the trail!
After an opening explaining the legend of the Coins, the movie begins with a series of brutal murders in Chinatown. After each, a coin is taken from the body and a note consisting of a Chinese character is left. Flash! Another Murder in Chinatown! Police Blame Tong War!
A small group of Chinese meet, their goal to stop the Mysterious Wong from attaining his goals. “We must stop this evil Manchu,” the leader mutters.
Wong is gloating over the Coins in his possession when his henchmen enter, presenting him with two more coins. Only one coin left! He dismisses the cutthroats and enters the rooms of his niece Moon Flower, who fears and hates him. She defies him, saying he will never rule Keelat. Wong threatens her with his dungeons. “Wong has dared much! He will dare more!” Flash! An article by reporter Jason Barton says the police Tong War theory is wrong. Wong resolves to watch him closely.
Another murder in Chinatown prompts Barton’s editor to send him out with the lead, “Ever run into a Chinaman named Wong?” “Ever run into one that wasn’t?” Boom crash. Barton takes a minute to flirt with the very tasty morsel Peg on the way out.
Barton arrives at the laundry of Sam Toy, victim of foul murder. He meets his old friend McGillicuddy the Irish Cop, whose beat is Chinatown. Barton pokes around the body and store while McGillicuddy expounds on the habits of the heathen Chinee.
Cut to the House of Wong, where one henchman reports that Sam Toy had no Coin on his person. “My Destiny!” rages Wong. “One coin left and you bring me…failure!” He throws the screaming Unfortunate Henchman down a trapdoor to spend a few hours with the hungry rats.
Barton is still searching the laundry. McGillicuddy tells him the heathens are a close-mouthed lot and hard to get much out of except for old Li See the Herb Dealer, who’s been in Chinatown forever and knows everything that goes on. He opens the door to shoo the curious crowds away, and the breeze blows up some papers. A curious Barton looks, and finds a note in Chinese on a laundry ticket.
He takes the note to the humble Herb Shop of Li See. Li See is Wong’s secret identity! The Humble Herb Shop is a front for Wong and his evil ends! Not to mention it’s a nice large property with secret passageways to the elegant House of Wong and the extensive underground dungeons! Barton shows Li See the note just long enough for him to see it is about the missing Coin, and tells him in Pidgin English that he will take the note to the University for a translation. Wong has a henchman follow him with orders that Barton is to die in an accident, and the note brought back.
Barton makes it to the Dept. of Orientology, closely followed by an extremely clumsy henchman. As he meets Prof. Chan Fu, the phone rings. It is Wong, who threatens Fu, telling him about the note. Barton tears the note and shows half of it to Fu, who tells him it refers to the Coins of Confucius. Barton leaves and researches the Coins and the legend. Prof. Fu contacts the Chinese attempting to stop Wong. He is in with them!
Peg is lunching at a counter with a reporter from a rival paper when Barton enters. He wastes no time in tricking his rival into leaving. Wisecracking flirtation follows, and the promise of a steak and mushroom dinner.
Wong enters the laundry of the dead Sam Toy to search for the last coin he needs to achieve his evil ends. Professor Fu is searching the laundry as well, but manages to hide. A third Chinese enters through the back. Wong shoots at him and misses, shattering a vase. Fu leaves the storefront in the melee, but Wong hears him and signals someone to kill him. Barton arrives as Fu is shot and Wong makes good his escape. He enters the laundry and finds the coin in the ruins of the vase. The Chinese who Wong shot at attacks him and steals the coin!
When Barton comes around, the leader of the good guy Chinese enters, and Barton tells his story. The coin is in good hands! Barton probes him for information about Wong, but the other man has no clue.
Barton goes to the Herb Shop of Li See, who questions him about the location of the note. McGillicuddy and the Good Guy Chinese enter. There are questions about the death of Sam Toy and the Mysterious Mr. Wong. McGillicuddy, with typical Irish copness, is totally oblivious to everything. He’s looking for Chinese cough drops. Barton and McGillicuddy leave, and Wong’s men capture the Good Guy, dragging him to the dungeons. He is the head of the Keelat Secret Service!
Peg and Barton are dining on steak and mushroom chop suey when the Chinese who took the coin from Barton passes it back just before he dies! They flee the chop suey house and evade numerous attempts on their lives. They eventually enter the Humble Herb Shop and find the secret passage, meeting Moon Flower, who betrays Wong to them.
Wong has the hot coals ready for work on the Keelatian when Barton, Peg and Moon Flower are all caught. Barton recognizes Wong as Li See. He and Peg are strapped down; Wong will deal with Moon Flower later. A convenient gong rings, prompting Wong and the henchmen to exit. Barton spots a cord in the torture cell. It is conveniently attached to a phone, which is something no torture cell should be without in case you need to call out for…well, Chinese.
Wong enters Moon Flowers room brandishing a particularly wicked looking knife. The panel slides ominously shut to black.
Barton, managing to place a phone call from his shackles, wisely decides to call the newspaper for help instead of the police. With McGillicuddy as a representative, who can blame him? A carload of well-armed, two-fisted newspapermen, guardians of the free press and democracy everywhere, are on their way to the humble Herb Shop of Li See!
Wong reenters the cell. He knows Barton has the coin and is determined to find it at any cost!
McGillicuddy enters the shop looking for more cough drops when the newspapermen arrive and storm the joint. He follows them, caught up in the rush.
Wong is heating up some long steel needles for use on the perhaps not so virginal white flesh of our hero’s main squeeze! He grabs her hand, preparing to insert the needle under her fingernail! “Talk!” he orders Barton!
Enter the cavalry, and Wong dies in the shootout! Peg and Barton decide to tie the knot! All is well in Chinatown and Keelat is safe!
Although this probably amounts to a typical Monogram programmer, I enjoyed it. Lugosi’s performance carries the day as both Wong and Li See. His native accent fits the part like a glove, and he plays it to the hilt. Wallace Ford is good as the wisecracking Barton, and Arlene Judge is really a tasty piece. It looks like she was having a good time with this. Production values seem fairly high, the direction and lighting were good.
The quality of the print was pretty good. There are some scratches and splices apparent in the opening credits, but by the time the movie actually begins, it’s pretty clear. Better than a lot they used to show on Creature Feature back in the old days.
On the Official Afa Dollah B Movie Rating Scale, THE MYSTERIOUS MR. WONG gets a Thumbs Up! This movie is definitely worth seeing. If you are a Lugosi fan, and you know who you are, you will really have fun with this one.