Mr. Moto's Last Warning

Peter Lorre is always fun to watch, and this 'Mr. Moto' film gives him a good role that allows him to do a lot of things. The story itself is pretty good - although there are some loose ends, it moves quickly and has some offbeat aspects that usually work. Lorre carries the show, but there is a good supporting cast, especially George Sanders and John Carradine.

The setting and atmosphere are interesting, combining the waterfront setting (in Port Said) with an assortment of characters of different nationalities. The stage variety show, which is at the center of much of the action, creates some good moments. All in all, a pretty good feature that works well as light entertainment.

Has a lotta the old reliable British character actor standbys of the time, E.E. Clive, Coates, Sanders, etc. It's good, the 'great shots' were indeed that, Lorre and Carradine in good form, there was more $$$ thrown into the making of this one than in others in the series. I enjoyed this alot, and if you like Moto or Lorre at all, this one is a must.

*** outta ****

The Mr. Moto films went out of circulation immediately after Pearl Harbor. As we can see in this film, they reflected a hope that circulated in John P. Marquand's England (and had some currency in the US) that a reasonably 'civilized' (in the European sense) Japan could be negotiated with over China and then used for political leverage against Russia and Germany. This film was released in early 1939; by September of that year, Germany was in Poland, and England and France were allied against it, so the basic premise of the film was made worthless. Shortly after, the Japanese kicked the British out of China, so the basic hope underlying the film became worthless. The film is thus best approached as a kind of fantasy.

It is, specifically, a spy thriller, not a mystery at all; it's more closely related to the James Bond films (which are also largely fantasies) than to the Charlie Chan style 'oriental detective' movies of its own day.

This is the only widely - and cheaply - available Moto film. I've only seen one other Mr. Moto film, a long time ago, and I don't remember it well. It was a fairly faithful adaptation from the original Marquand material, and seemed very complicated, much as the Marquand novels can be. This film, to the contrary, is an original story. It is streamlined and linear in plotting. It appears to have been made rather quickly on not a lot of money, but the film-making is strictly professional. The pacing avoids a lot of lags, and there are moments of real suspense and real surprise.

Thus we have a well-made, enjoyable genre film here; but the main delight of the film is undoubtedly the performance of Peter Lorre. Lorre achieved some respect in Germany and England before coming to Hollywood - where, alas, he was not treated well, as the type for which he was usually cast - 'suspicious foreigner' - was very narrow. Mr. Moto here allows Lorre a star-turn, a hero's part, and surprisingly considerable latitude in interpretation. He is obviously having a grand time here, and delivers a wonderful performance.

Overall, an excellent B-movie, very entertaining if taken on its own terms.

1939's "Mr. Moto's Last Warning" stars Peter Lorre as the Japanese detective, of whom nothing was heard once the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Lorre is surrounded by a great cast, which includes Ricardo Cortez, Virginia Field, John Carradine, and George Sanders. Lorre not only plays Moto, but his cover, who runs an antique store.

The story concerns Moto's investigation of a conspiracy against the British and French governments. One of the "conspirators" is a British agent, and the two of them discover that the group has put mines in the harbor in order to blow up the French fleet -- the group had been desperately trying to find out the arrival date, and once they got it, set the bombs in place. Obviously, this is before Churchill blew the French fleet up in 1940 when the French refused to do so, which would thus give the Germans access to the fleet. The conspirators plan to blame the British for the bombing, hoping to start the Second World War.

Lorre does a great job, and Ricardo Cortez, as the head of the group whose works as a ventriloquist as his cover, makes an effective villain. Sanders uses a strange accent. Virginia Field, one of the "ice cream blondes" of that era was under contract to 20th Century Fox at the time; unfortunately, she never made it to the top, but she was in a lot of good films and is very pretty. John Carradine is in top form.

Entertaining as well as interesting, this is a good entry into the series featuring the brilliant and delightful "Mr. Moto."

This one starts out especially murky, bristling with bad hats rubbing shoulders with innocent Westerners in a strange land. What they're all up to takes some resolving, but be reassured Moto's in charge, even though he unwittingly sends 2 of his cohorts to their deaths along the way. High production values compliment an interesting if far-fetched storyline.

A gang of jittery international spies working for an un-named foreign power aim to disrupt the French fleet heading into Port Said in Egypt and cause rupture between those very old long-standing allies Britain and France, Moto's aim is to disrupt the baddies first. All-knowing Ricardo Cortez has a strange job as ventriloquist to his unexplained Cockney dummy Alf, while his second George Sanders puts on a seedy French accent with gusto if not skill. Poor old John Carradine though! And good for Cortez's moll with moral fibre Virginia Field! A tense climax is guaranteed with Moto in the bag, and is ingenious when it arrives.

A great little film for those of us who like the genre, not unless.