The Mission of Mr. Foo

Here's a Mr. Foo who wishes to overthrow the Chinese republic and restore the Empire; he commands gangs of coolies in Chinatown, and makes extensive use of sliding passages, revolving walls and such-like gear.

Sound a lot like Sax Rohmer's Doctor Fu Manchu, doesn't it? If this is modeled on the series, which had begun appearing in print in 1913, then it's clear that no one was getting any royalties.

Director John Collins, who was about to begin his series of break-out movies with his wife Viola Dana, keeps this one moving along at a good clip, and has his various performers who are playing Chinese stand and move unlike those playing Westerners.

This silent suspense film is a product of its times. First, the Chinese people in the film are very stereotypical...and Mr. Foo is a bit like the treacherous Foo Manchu! Second, the story is set just after the founding of the Republic of China and this heavily influences the story.

Mr. Foo is infatuated with an American girl, Florence. He gives her a fancy necklace and her parents are worried...so they contact the Chinese Ambassador in town. He has his subordinate investigate Foo and discover he's leading a group planning on returning the Emperor to the throne...and he takes action to stop this.

This grainy film from Alpha Video is more an odd curio than an entertaining movie. It's not bad...but it also has a rather sad view of the Chinese...one that is considered politically incorrect today. Worth seeing if you love early silents...otherwise not a great film by any standard.

The struggle between the imperialists and the republicans of China is the foundation of a dramatic film rich in oriental color, although the scenes are laid in Washington. Mr. Foo, capitally impersonated by Carleton King, wants to overthrow the new government at Pekin, his antagonist being the Chinese Ambassador to this country. A beautiful American girl also figures in the plot. A series of highly dramatic incidents, staged with intelligent regard for correct detail, and ending with the death of Foo, result in a novel and worth-while photoplay. T. Tamamoto in the part of the Ambassador and real Chinamen in the mob of Orientals, add materially to the verisimilitude of the scenes. - The Moving Picture World, March 27, 1915