Blu ray review: Mr Wong Collection
Usually when I cover blu ray sets, I review each film individually. Since the Mr. Wong series at Monogram followed a pretty consistent formula, it is not necessary to do so in this case.
These films have been bopping around home video since the old VHS days, and the quality has been quite poor. Kino Lorber has cleaned them up as well as the available pre-print material would allow, and this collection offers the films in the best quality possible.
After the success of the Charlie Chan series at 20th Century Fox, other studios considered their own detective series. Low budget Monogram studios went so far as to have another Chinese detective that came from literature (by author Hugh Wiley). They were able to nab a big name in Boris Karloff to play the sleuth and B movie specialist William Nigh to direct. The result was five compact B-level detective dramas that were formulaic, but still thoroughly enjoyable and quite popular.
Produced quickly over two years (1938-1940) the Mr. Wong features are unique from the Charlie Chan movies in that Karloff makes no attempt to employ a mock Chinese accent like Warner Oland and Sidney Toler were doing in the Chan films. It is the typical, English, genteel Karloff tone and inflection that carefully deduces the clues and solves the crimes. It works perfectly, and Karloff’s ability to convey gentle pragmatism enforces the character. Supporting players familiar to B movies dot the cast of each film.
The films are Mr Wong, Detective, The Mystery of Mr. Wong, Mr. Wong in Chinatown, The Fatal Hour, and Doomed to Die. While ardent fans of the series may have their personal favorites, the films really are as good as each other. All of them fit very comfortably in the realm of B-level detective mysteries, popular at the time.
In the more enlightened 21st century, there will be some backlash at Karloff playing a Chinese detective, even though he does not use a stereotypical voice or manner in his approach to playing the character. But, as with most historical aspects of popular culture, such methods, however outdated, are part of our understanding of the period.
After the five features offered here, Karloff left the series and an attempt to restart it with Chinese-American actor Keye Luke in the lead role netted only one movie. That film, Phantom of Chinatown (1940), is not included in this set.
The Mr. Wong movies are relaxing and fun, holding up remarkably well, and sometimes belie their low budgets with impressive sets. The hissing soundtracks and grainy images of past public domain fast-track releases are fully replaced by this nicely restored Kino Lorber release, which is most highly recommended. It can be ordered at this link: WONG
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