Of Fox's 8 Moto features starring Peter Lorre, this was the seventh to be produced, but the last to be released. Copyrighted 1939, completed September 1938.
Previewed in Hollywood on 10 November 1938, to negative reviews, and not released until July 1939.
It would be a little over a quarter-century before Twentieth Century Fox would release the next Mr. Moto film, the one-shot independent British production "The Return of Mr. Moto" (1965) starring Henry Silva.
In this seventh entry (the eighth to be released) in the Mr. Moto series, a black character was added for comic relief. In this film. Willie Best played a comic driver. In the next entry, "Mr. Moto in Danger Island" (1939), Willie Best was used again as a comic launch pilot.
While it was common practice at the time for white actors to play racial minorities (including "yellow face" practices in Mr. Moto and Charlie Chan vehicles), this film also includes a prominent example of "black face" in addition to Peter Lorre's portrayal of the famous Japanese detective. G. P. Huntley (who plays Archibald Featherstone), appears in black face as part of a costume party early in the film.