The
Mr. Moto Collection Vol. 2 (1938-39)
20th
Century Fox
Cast:
Peter Lorre.
Rating:
G.
Run
time: Four movies, approx. 70 mins each
Genre:
Crime.
Verdict:
Beautiful
(see rating
system)
Austrian-born
actor Peter Lorre was blessed with such exotic features that
he was completely believable as shrewd Japanese detective
Mr. Moto in a series of hit films in for Fox in the 1930s.
Made
before Lorre became a well-known character actor in Warner
Bros. classics like The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Casablanca
(1943), the Mr. Moto films helped Lorre establish himself
in Hollywood after his earlier success in German theatre and
cinema. Moto is a diminutive, but wiry detective who catches
antagonists off guard with his genial manner but who has an
arsenal of judo throws at his disposal should things turn
nasty.
These
black and white whudunnits have long been cult favourites
for fans of the detective genre, with lots of plot twists
and many suspects for Moto to sift through. The four movies
in this set - Mr. Moto in Danger Island, Mr. Moto’s Gamble,
Mr. Moto’s Last Warning and Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation,
date from 1938-39 and Fox has done an outstanding job of restoring
them, as the demonstration features on each disc show.
From
tracking gem thieves and killers to trying to prevent saboteurs
from blowing up the French fleet, Mr. Moto relies on his wits,
knowing he can trust no one. Ward Bond, who later starred
in many John Wayne westerns and was the cab driver in the
classic It's A Wonderful Life, is among a solid supporting
cast.
Several
interesting documentaries on the Moto series are included
here, making this 4-DVD set a real collector’s item.
