À l'ouest de Shanghai

A group of Americans are traveling to rural China, where Jill Hallet (Gordon Oliver) plans to tap an oil reserve. One man, (Douglas Wood) has invested in the business and wants to see a return on his investment. Another man (Ricardo Cortez) plans on buying his way into the venture. The area is very volatile, as a rebel bandit, Fang (Boris Karloff), is creating a wave of terror. Even the Chinese military have sent a General to exterminate the bandit. But Fang has anticipated the Chinese military's plan and one of his men murders the General.

The Americans arrive at Hallet's remote village. Fang and his soldiers arrive shortly after and take over the village. We soon learn the Hallet helped out Fang years before. It was an action not forgotten by Fang, who considers Hallet a friend. This buys everyone time, as Fang blatantly romances a missionary (Beverly Roberts).

I saw the trailer before I watched the film and I thought it was going to be a dull movie. I was wrong. Warner Bros. in the 1930's was rarely boring. This is a very low budget film for Warner Bros., yet it maintains the polish and craftsmanship of their more expensive films. The script is just average. There are a couple of plot devices that I thought were weakly played out. Hallet has two women in love with him, but we get none of the backstory on either romance. One of the women is a missionary, who just happens to be married to Ricardo Cortez's character.

To enjoy this film all you have to do is sit back and enjoy Karloff's work. He was a vastly underrated actor. He could easily command a scene and he could bring a film up a notch all on his own. The screenwriter did a nice job on the Fang character. I was expecting a cardboard, manic, ruthless madman. Instead he wrote quite a character. A man who dispatches violence with barely a thought, but also a man with his own, well defined, code of ethics.

Boris Karloff is a renegade Chinese warlord, with his mind set on military success and sex. Ricardo Cortez begins the film as the "romantic lead", but Karloff's character ends up being the more sympathetic of the two. This is a B movie that knows it, and it pretty much succeeds in everything it does attempt. Interesting parallel towards the end between Gordon Oliver's barely-missed execution and Karloff's more final one. Karloff's makeup does not convince, but his performance does; he brings humor and strength to the character.

I thought this was a well done movie. A group of Americans become in control of Fang, but while Fang is a killer(he decides who is good or bad), he befriends one of them because of a past experience. You become to like Boris Karloff character,General Fang. The chemistry between General Fang and Mr. Cheng is great and funny at times also. Ricardo Cortez does a good job fighting off Fang as Gordon Creed. Actually the fighting is usually with words and not action. Karloff does a great job of making this so-so movie better. I will give this film a 7.5 out of 10.

When the Laemmle Family lost control of Universal Pictures in 1936 and his contract with them was at an end, Boris Karloff signed a one picture deal with Warner Brothers. That movie, THE WALKING DEAD directed by the legendary Michael Curtiz, was successful enough that the studio offered him a 4 picture deal. After finishing commitments in his native England for 2 pictures, BK returned to Warners and made the 3 movies in this set plus BRITISH INTELLIGENCE. Despite his reputation as "the King of Horror" and his undeniable box office clout, Karloff was generally viewed as a B movie actor and that's precisely what these 3 titles are.

WEST OF SHANGHAI is a real oddity. Although set in China, the film resembles a Western with lots of horseback riding and a set that looks like a Mexican cantina. Then there's a crime angle with lots of graft and double dealing concerning a local oil field. Finally there's BK himself playing a Chinese warlord (in politically incorrect Asian make-up) with more than a hint of black comedy. He has some choice dialogue which he makes the most of. Sheila Bromley scores as a tough minded American woman as does Vladimir Sokoloff as a weary Chinese general. At 62 minutes the movie is enjoyable and doesn't wear out its welcome.

The same cannot be said of THE INVISIBLE MENACE which despite its sci-fi sounding title, is just an ordinary murder mystery taken from an unsuccessful stage play called WITHOUT WARNING (it closed after just 17 performances). It is set on an Army base where a newly wed private and his smuggled in bride stumble across a grisly murder. At 59 minutes it feels roughly 30 minutes too long with stock characters and a totally wasted BK although, as usual, he has his moments. Both movies were directed by John Farrow (Mia's dad) who would move up the Hollywood ladder to bigger and better things.

The last movie in the set, and the best of the three, is DEVIL'S ISLAND about an unjustly accused doctor who is sent to the infamous locale for treating an injured criminal. The parallels to the real life case of Dr Samuel Mudd (who set John Wilkes Booth's leg after Lincoln's assassination) and to Henri Charriere (made famous by Steve McQueen in the movie PAPILLON) are fairly obvious. This film, directed by B movie specialist William Clemens, is full of atmospheric photography (on the same cantina set as SHANGHAI) with solid performances from everyone involved. A decent script also adds to the viewer's enjoyment.

Another in the long list of MOD Warner Archive DVD-Rs, this BORIS KARLOFF TRIPLE FEATURE is their usual bare bones release with no extra features and no subtitles. The films occasionally have contrast issues and in some places the volume is low but without restoration this is the best that they are going to be. While far from Boris' best they are also far from his worst and give him the opportunity to play non-horrific roles. If you're a Boris Karloff fan then you should have this set. The price is right and these forgotten films come from the 1930s which was BK's most interesting and productive decade...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.

One of Director John Farrow's First Assignments is a Talk-Fest with many Amusing Takes on a Chinese Warlord, "I am Fang!", Boris Karloff repeatedly Recites to Everyone. He is Ruthless and Omnipresent. But He is not without some Fairness, "Doctor good, He help China poor."

Karloff Dominates the Preceding bringing Humor, Pathos, and Charm to a Brutal Tyrant. The Film is completely Centered Around Him and it would have Failed if Not for Karloff's Commanding Performance. Everything else, the Action and the Americans are Lackluster to Say the least.

Ricardo Cortez is simply Static. It has a Twist Ending that is Sad but Satisfying considering what Came Before. Above Average for Boris Karloff Having Fun with the Villainous Anti-Hero.