Drums of Fu Manchu

I still enjoy Zorro's Fighting Legion and Perils of Nyoka more, but the story, acting and international atmosphere( the scene on the China Clipper is straight out of James Bond) make this serial a class A production. The final scene suggests a sequel as does the mystery of whether Fu Manchu's daughter was actually killed. But WW2 changed our racial profiling, shifting from China to Japan. No more Chinese bad guys, but Pearl Buck movies. But, if a Fu Manchu seemed far fetched at the time, 911 changed that. The Islamic world has several.This may actually be an insult to Fu Manch whose determination and sincerity almost arouse our admiration. Or maybe it is Brandon's brilliant acting.

Sax Rohmer, author and creator of FU MANCHU conceived the enduring Criminal Master-Mind aided by Super-Science. One whose ambitions ranged further then Sir Arthur Conan Doyles, PROFESSOR MORIARTY or later Norbert Jacques, DR. MABUSE. Continental, if not World conquest was his objective. His descendent's can be traced to Flash Gordon's THE EMPEROR MING along with Marvel Comic-Book Super-Villains THE MANDARIN and THE YELLOW CLAW. FU MANCHU's primary goal is to drive out "THE WHITE DEVILS" and reward his minions with their 'WHITE WOMEN'. Sounds like some current minority political opportunists or those athlete's with their 'White Trophy Wives'!

The best known version, THE MASK OF FU MANCHU, M.G.M. (1932) featured all these concepts since it was pre-code. Actor Boris Karloff firmly setting the pattern of how a would be Conquerer should act. DRUMS OF FU MANCHU, Republic (1940) continued in a somewhat toned down manner being a code film. Henry Brandon ably handled the role though barely recognizable under his make-up and altered voice. Unfortunately his supporting cast was not up too his level and the script stretched the serial three (3) chapters to many. Though as was typical of Republic product of the time it featured plenty of fast paced action.

This is still a enjoyable Serial but would not rate it as high as the FLASH GORDON franchise. Nor Republics best efforts like the ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL (1941), G-MEN vs THE BLACK DRAGON (1943) or THE MASKED MARVEL (1943). Our copy came courtesy of VCI ENTERTAINMENT. The DVD is satisfactorily remastered, but not restored. Some of the early chapters are very soft and the sound quality is uneven. It is obvious that original masters were not used or were in very poor condition. To see the difference, compare D.O.F.M. with their 70th Anniversary Edition of BUCK ROGERS, Universal (1939), which we rate the same. B.R. though went through a significant restoration and it shows it.

Sax Rohmer (1883-1859) was among the most popular novelists of the early 20th Century. He was particularly well known for his creation of the character Fu Manchu--a truly diabolical Chinese scientist who, along with his equally evil daughter Fa Lo See, sought world domination through the most vicious means possible. In the process, Rohmer virtually created the idea of "the yellow peril" in the American and European mind, and his distinctly racist characterizations would color Western concepts of the far East for half a century.

Rohmer's Fu Manchu has reached the screen on several occasions, perhaps most notably in an unexpectedly sadistic 1932 THE MASK OF FU MANCHU, starring Boris Karloff and Myrna Loy. The 1940 serial was directed by Republic Studio's reliable team of John English and William Witney, and at the time it was felt to propel the genre to a new height; in hindsight, however, it seems fairly obvious that English and Witney's SPY SMASHER and THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL are really the high water mark of Republic serials. Whatever the case, the directing team does indeed give this tale considerable style and drive.

The story is very linear: Fu Manchu (Henry Brandon) is aided by lethal daughter Fah-Lo-Suee (Gloria Franklin) and a host of mind-controlled henchmen in an effort to secure the scepter of Ghengis Kahn--and thereby fulfill an ancient prophecy that will cause all of Asia to rise up under his leadership and get rid of those wretched Anglo-Saxon types for once and all. Needless to say, the Anglo-Saxons, both English and American, take an extremely dim view of the whole thing and set out to thwart his evil designs.

The serial starts out extremely well, with a host of imaginative visuals bolstered by a host of equally imaginative tortures. Unfortunately, Henry Brandon's Fu Manchu proves considerably more interesting than any of the good guys who oppose him, and in consequence the whole thing looses steam long about the fifth chapter and doesn't really regain it until the final third. But Brandon's memorable performance, the often remarkable visual designs, and the impressive fight choreography does make it entertaining throughout--even if you do wind up rooting for Fu Manchu instead of Sir Dennis Naylund Smith (William Royle) and his incredibly tiresome friend Allan Parker (Robert Kellard), who are supposed to be the heroes of the piece.

The whole thing, of course, is just as racist as it can be, and the final chapter is appallingly so. But even though it may cause you to roll your eyes it remains a fun sort of thing for hardcore serial fans, who will likely enjoy it quite a bit. As for the DVD--the film has been remastered, but the picture is rather fuzzy and the sound occasionally muddy as well. The package contains a brief but entertaining and enlightening documentary (described as a commentary) by Richard Valley and a handful of cast biographies for good measure.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

"Drums of Fu Manchu" is another of the great serials turned out by Republic Pictures in the early 40s, in the days before the studio started relying on extensive stock footage in order to cut costs. This entry though, has the look of a big budget. It contains the expected superior Republic stuntwork and action sequences. It includes a spectacular train wreck (with no apparent sympathy for those who would have been killed), a giant realistic looking octopus and the swinging pendulum torture device borrowed from Poe's "The Pit and the Pendulum". The story involves the diabolical Fu Manchu's (Henry Brandon) efforts to secure the long lost scepter of Genghis Khan with which he hopes to gain control of various Himalayan tribes which in turn will lead him to eventual world domination. Opposing him are his long time nemesis Sir Nayland Smith (William Royle) and his young partner Allen Parker (Robert Kellard).

Fu Manchu is aided by his sinister daughter Fah Lo Suee (Gloria Franklin) and a band of "Dacoits", who are lobotomized zombie like creatures (complete with fangs) that obey Fu Manchu's orders without question. Over the course of 15 action packed chapters, Fu Manchu and Sir Nayland and Allen follow the clues to the location of the scepter from America to the Chinese mainland. Each foil the other's attempts to find the scepter at every turn. Finally, the scepter is found and Fu Manchu and his adversaries try to outsmart each other amid several exciting chapter ending cliff hangers until justice is finally served in Chapter 15.

Henry Brandon's career dated back to the Laurel and Hardy 1934 comedy "March of the Wooden Soldiers (as Henry Kleinbach). He makes a perfect Fu Manchu. He was a tall and imposing figure and with the aid of oriental makeup, was a truly menacing figure. Although a sequel was planned to this serial, it was shelved when the U.S.A. entered WWII. Brandon enjoyed a long and varied career playing mostly villains until the late 80s. He is perhaps best remembered for his role as the Indian chief "Scar" in John Ford's "The Searchers" (1956).

Robert Kellard was along to handle the action as Sir Nayland Smith was a middle aged character, The fact that Kellard resembled Republic's ace stuntman David Sharpe was no coincidence either. Sharpe visibly doubled Kellard in the action scenes. Also in the cast are George Cleveland as Parker's father, John Merton (barely recognizable as a fang-toothed Dacoit) and Dwight Frye (underutilized again) as a museum director.

An excellent serial. Too bad they never got to make the sequel.

Dr. Fu Manchu is searching for the tomb of Genghis Kahn in order to obtain the conqueror's scepter, where Fu Manchu can become messiah of the numerous tribes in Asia, as prophesized, and then conquer the western world. Fu Manchu's eternal nemesis, Sir Nayland Smith, arrives in America to track down Fu Manchu and with the help of Dr. Petrie, Allan Parker (whose explorer father was killed by one of Fu's dacoits), Prof. Randolph, and Randolph's daughter Mary, and prevent the keys to the location of Khan's tomb from falling into the hands of Fu Manchu. A very good serial, helped out by directors Witney and English who took advantage from a larger Republic budget and great cinematography from William Nobles. Brandon is probably the best Fu Manchu seen on screen, but still couldn't capture the evil portrayed in the Rohmer novels. I don't understand why Republic decided to make Sir Nayland Smith older than he was in the books (as well as Dr. Petrie, limiting his role), but Royle is very good in the role. Kellard is listless at times as Parker. Franklin is at times unconvincing as Fah Lo Suee (using a thick city accent most of the time) and Walters is missing much of the times as Randolph. My real beef with this serial is when the serial shifts from Los Angeles (or San Angeles as pointed out in the serial) to the Asian hills of Branaphur, the serial starts to shift down in excitement and becomes a run of the mill Republic fare with nothing standing out. Still this is among Republic's best efforts of the 40's and worth watching. Rating, based on serials, 9.