Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937)
1h 7m | PG-13
When his import/export business infiltrated by international diamond smugglers, Mr. Moto must follow a trail of clues littered with beautiful women, glittering gems and deadly assassins. Making his way from the mysterious streets of San Francisco's Chinatown to the dark and dangerous alleys of Shanghai, Mr. Moto will stop at nothing to bring the culprits to justice...even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice!
Director: Norman Foster
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Video: 720p
Cast
Peter Lorre
as Kentaro Moto
Virginia Field
as Gloria Danton/Tanya Boriv
Thomas Beck
as Robert 'Bob' Hitchings, Jr.
Sig Ruman
as Nicolas Marloff
Murray Kinnell
as Joseph B. Wilkie
John Rogers
as Carson
Reviews
When the son of the owner of a shipping line is given a secret letter by his father, he thinks nothing of it as he enjoys the privileges of his wealth on the journey to Shanghai. The thing is, though, someone else is determined to know about the contents of the letter and "Bob" (Thomas Beck) quickly finds himself at the centre of quite a conspiracy. Fortunately, the enigmatic "Moto" (Peter Lorre) also happens to be travelling, incognito of course, on the same boat and he recognises a tattoo on the steward's arm as that of a killer he'd encountered before. Whilst "Moto" is working to find out what's going on, "Bob" has taken quite a shine to the mysterious "Gloria" (Virginia Field) but who exactly is she, and what's her agenda? Boats usually serve well as confined spaces to base a thriller, but as this never sets foot outside the studio in the first place that doesn't - aside from the occasional audio splash - really add much to this rather pedestrian drama that offers a few twists and turns but still largely telegraphs the denouement. Still, Peter Lorre brings an engaging charisma to the proceedings, there's plenty of flying furniture and it did rather make me pine for the glamour days of grand sea travel.