Le mystère de Mr. Wong

1939's "The Mystery of Mr. Wong" was Boris Karloff's second entry in the six picture Monogram detective series, shooting in early February following completion of Universal's horror comeback "Son of Frankenstein." Lacking the numerous twists offered in his debut, number two just might be the better picture, boasting a superior cast and a more restrained Grant Withers, making his teamwork with Wong more believable. Morgan Wallace, present in the final Moto release "Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation," plays overbearing art collector Brendan Edwards, who smuggles out of China a priceless stone known as the 'Eye of the Daughter of the Moon,' which signals death for anyone who dares to steal it. Sure enough, Edwards is shot dead during a game of charades in front of dozens of guests, the would be shooter, Peter Harrison (Craig Reynolds), firing a pistol filled with blanks while playing a jealous husband, the victim's young wife Valerie (Dorothy Tree) also standing next to her spouse. Mr. Wong had learned of Edwards' possession of the jewel shortly before his death, and was aware of a note naming his killer in the event of his demise; naturally, both are missing from the safe in his upstairs study, though we see the maid Drina (Lotus Long) remove the message herself from an already opened safe. It's clear that Peter has developed feelings for Mrs. Edwards, as has houseguest Michael Strogonoff (Ivan Lebedeff), who has been living with the Edwards in the hopes of starting a singing career in America. Also attending the ill-fated party is fellow criminologist Ed Janney (Holmes Herbert), quick to assist in the murder investigation, while the Edwards attorney, Carslake (Hooper Atchley), supplies another motive with his client's insistence on making out a new will disinheriting wife Valerie, but not living long enough to sign it. After the maid perishes from a poisoned cigarette, Wong gathers all the suspects at his home to examine the missing document naming the culprit, going over each suspect and their reasoning before coming upon the guilty party in a well thought out and logical fashion; were it not for a significant bit of information kept from the audience, it might have been the best climax of them all (the plot was a rehash of the 1931 Tiffany independent "Murder at Midnight"). Craig Reynolds would return for 4th entry "The Fatal Hour," Lotus Long would feature twice more, and Dorothy Tree would actually graduate to a Sidney Toler entry at Fox, "Charlie Chan in City in Darkness." Boris moved on to complete his Warner Brothers pact with "British Intelligence" before reporting back to Monogram for "Mr. Wong in Chinatown."

When compared to the typical genre mystery of it's time, this movie is quite good. Karloff raises the level with his measured acting, and the film is mercifully free of the comic relief clowning that was so common at the time.

This is one of those 'house' mysteries. Most of the action occurs in one house - the house of a wealthy man, as always. And, as is so often true in the genre, the detective just happens to be on the scene when the murder occurs. Another plus for this film is that the policeman - Detective Street - is not a buffoon. Street is less a foil than an aid to Mr Wong, allowing us to take the story seriously - although we can't be too serious. There are obvious red herrings, and sudden reveals of facts we didn't have. For all that, the Wong series came after the clunkiness of the early talkies had been worked out, and the acting is much closer to what we would come to expect from classic studio products.

Although I always struggle with Karloff as a Chinese - unlike the Chan series, for some reason - I have to say the role he played got the job done. This film is out of copyright, and is available online for free, and on at least one low-priced mystery collection. I found it at the library in a 5 CD Mystery and Murder set.

That is not to knock Mr Wong, Detective, it wasn't a great film but it was an entertaining one. But The Mystery of Mr Wong seemed visually more refined and just better executed in general. It does suffer from a surprising but rather underdeveloped final solution(much more could have been done to explain the reason behind the crimes) and Dorothy Tree's- a very elegant woman- at times over-emotive acting. However, where The Mystery of Mr Wong most improves on from Mr Wong, Detective is the look of the film and the pacing. The production values are not big-budget, but they are noticeably more refined in editing and photography than in its predecessor. The pacing also is much crisper and maintains interest throughout instead of having the odd lull. The music is jaunty and haunting that suits the atmosphere evoked really well, the dialogue is witty and thoughtful and the story has a good mystery and does it with a diverting atmosphere, good amounts of suspense and use of clues and a sense of fun. The film is solidly directed and the acting is mostly very competent, though only Boris Karloff is very good standard(what to expect from a great actor who made the most always of what he had?). All in all, not perfect but good fun and its improves over Mr Wong, Detective. 8/10 Bethany Cox

A prize sapphire has been stolen and received by collector Morgan Wallace right off a freighter in San Francisco bay before docking, thereby eluding customs. It's been stolen during the Japanese occupation in Nanking and Wallace is naturally in fear of his life as a result. It's no accident he's invited the great scholar and criminologist James Lee Wong as played by Boris Karloff to a reception that evening creating The Mystery Of Mr. Wong.

Despite I think was a grammatically incorrect title and given this is a production from Monogram Pictures, this is not a bad mystery and very topical at the time. The news of the war waged on the Chinese by Japan was in the papers all the time.

When the murder of Farley is actually committed it's during a game of charades where guest Grant Reynolds shoots Farley during a sketch and the man doesn't get up. In a manner worthy of Agatha Christie there are a whole host of subjects present at the mansion. It was just the killer's bad luck to do this with Wong present.

One of these days I'll be bowled over when I find out that someone actually decides to call of a planned crime when some famous detective appears unplanned on the screen.

Don't these people go to the movies?

Yes, Mr. Wong is on hand when a murder of a friend takes place. He could not prevent it but works with Capt. Sam Street of the police to solve it. The means of death is not complicated or ingenious - shooting with a silencer. But there are a number of suspects. Ballistics prove that the bullet came from a high angle. Quickly, half of the suspects are off the hook and the film becomes a relatively easy whodunit. Elementary for Mr. Wong, but of course the police are on the wrong track. Good film to see late at night when the "little gray cells" need a rest or if complicated sleuthing is not your "expertise."