Der Mann mit dem Beil

Yes as many have stated, by today's standards, the casting of this movie seems ridiculous, but please keep in mind the time period that this movie was made. All things considered, even with the period specific "whites for ethnic minorities" casting mentality, respect for a certain amount of cultural authenticity was in this movie to a greater degree than in previous films of this era, and so I feel that in that respect this movie was ground breaking and helped slowly pave the way for minorities to eventually take center stage in great theatrical releases. Most other films before and since (until the late 70's early 80's) stereotyped Asian characters as clownish and comical to an absolutely racist degree. Not so here. Robinson (although he did use some stereotyping) created a character who was not only mysterious, but both an anti-hero as well as deep & complex the likes of which would not be seen for a great long time after. His acting ability was amazing and truly well showcased here. He was able to show what really made his characters great and not just the mugging gangster stereotype that became so exaggerated over time. Often people forget what a true talent Robinson was, and if you need to know why... See this one if you ever get the chance!!!

Portraying such a different world to what we know makes this a little difficult to relate to but the use of familiar actors helps. This feels a little restrained and sedate for William Wellman film but nevertheless it squeezes a lot in, keeps your interest and is a certainly unusual.

Edward G (G for greatly overrated) Robinson actually gives a particularly decent performance in this. Although obviously not Chinese he gives the part a surprisingly rich amount of authenticity. He plays his character very sympathetically, respectful to the Chinatown community - albeit a community he feels increasingly isolated from, so I don't see any issues with this at all.

The set designers and makeup department did wonders with this, you really feel like you're in old San Francisco's Chinatown. Whereas EGR does look pretty Chinese, Loretta Young just looks pretty. Her makeup does make her look quite weird but it would be impossible for her not to look absolutely stunning. This performance however is not one of her best. She was an outstanding actress but is wasted in this - she doesn't have much to do other than to look pretty.

But the question is: what does she see in Leslie Fenton? He looks like the most evil man in the world. That sinister smile of his has the glint of the brass plate of a coffin. So what does she see in him? That's one of the problems with this film - we're not told. One minute she's saying hello, the next minute she's having an affair with him. Important parts of the story are just ignored - it could have done with another half an hour.

Director William Wellman used Fenton to similar effect in THE PUBLIC ENEMY the year before but in that we knew who he was. Considering the opulence of the sets, it feels like all the money was spent there and nobody bothered to pay the scriptwriters. Fenton's character feels unfinished. Like Loretta Young's character, you don't really get to know him properly. Besides EGR's Mr Wong which is beautifully crafted with inner conflict with contradictions you can see fighting each other inside his head, some of the supporting actors' characters feel like caricatures.

Despite the film's premise, essentially about an assassin and despite it being made by William Well-action-man, it's surprisingly tame and not very meaty. Don't expect proto-Tarantino but do expect sensitivity and a genuine attempt to tell a story of a modern man who feels trapped in a culture he no longer belongs to.

I'm not a fan of yellow face for reasons that should be obvious, that said, I've seen a lot better. Except for Edward G. Robinson, most of the yellow face here is terrible, as is the characterization. If a bunch of white people are going to act as Chinese, they could at least make it more authentic. Almost any other actor starred in this, I would have given this a 3 or a 2.

But I recognize the near unmatched quality of Edward G. Robinson's film, who solely carries the film, and makes it watchable. Whether he's a deadly murderer, or on top of the Chinese world, or cheated on by his wife, or working lowly in the fields, or retrieving said wife from a person she was sold to... Edward G. Robinson's acting, especially physical, brings so much weight and life to the character, in his case only, I can honestly forget for a time that it;'s a yellow face character.

Wong Low Get (Edward G. Robinson), a hatchet man for a San Francisco Tong, is ordered to kill his childhood friend Sun Yat Ming (J. Carrol Naish).

The Hatchet Man is a film that shouldn't work, but does. The film packs a lot of plot into 74 minutes, and William Wellman's direction is excellent. Eddie Robinson gives a very compelling performance in the lead, and Dudley Digges is good as the Tong leader. The ending has to be seen to be believed.

First time viewing. 3.5/5

This is a Hard-Hitting, Mysterious Looking, Gaudy Movie that Exudes Enough Oriental Charm and Tong Gangsterism to Make it an Oddity Well Worth Seeing. It's a Pre-Code Entry and Therefore has some Welcome Violence and Drug Doings.

Of Course, it Seems a Prerequisite to Mention that the Two Leads Playing Chinese are Not Chinese, but Edward G. Robinson and Loretta Young, both with the Help of Makeup and Silks can Pull this Off.

So with Apologies to the Politically Correct, this is After All a Time Capsule and Cannot be Faulted for being what it is. A Racist Industry Reflecting a Racist Society Without Such Sensitive Concerns, So We have to Make Our Amends in Retrospect.

This is a Gripping Story of Tradition and Circumstance and is a Darn Good Yarn. The Ending is Cutting Edge and the Film has Many Aspects that make it an Interesting Look Back on Hollywood and the Way it Presented Pictures to the Public.

Overall, a Must See for Film and Cultural Historians. The Movie Looks Fantastic and is Shadowy and Sultry, Violent and Seductive.