The Mysterious Mr. Wong |  | Director: William Nigh
Actors: Bela Lugosi, Wallace Ford, Arline Judge, E. Alyn Warren, Lotus Long
Studio: Alpha Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $7.98
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Rating:  9 reviews
Format: Black & White, DVD, NTSC
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 68 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 4065
UPC: 089218406590
EAN: 0089218406590
Theatrical Release Date: December 22, 1934
Release Date: October 22, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 9
 A Mystery Story with Comedy July 1, 2009
Acute Observer (North Jersey Shore)
Confucius was the most famous of all the sages of China and lived in Changtung province. Should any one man possess all twelve coins he would gain extraordinary power in the province of Keelat. The film begins when a man falls on the street, and another runs up to pick his pockets. It is a mysterious killing in Chinatown. Three high-binders present their coins to Mr. Wong. Is it his fate to rule Keelat? A reporter is sent to Chinatown to search for Mr. Wong. He visits the scene of the last murder. [Is he tampering with evidence?] Wong allows no excuse for failure. [Was it faulty orders?] "Make it look like an accident." [Does Bela Lugosi speak Chinese with an accent?] The Professor reads about the Golden Coins of Confucius on that laundry ticket.
The reporter uses a trick out of "The Front Page". Some of the scenes are still funny. When Foo Wong hears a noise he shoots through a curtain with his .32 revolver, but no one is there. Then another body falls on the street. A relative of Sam Toy shows up to read that slip of paper. Will it help China? "Maybe." Will someone stumble onto something? The clunky script drops a coin for the reporter. The incidents are more comic than scary. Things start to drag. Will he wish he never interfered in the affairs of Wong? Will they find a phone? Will Officer MacGillicuddy find a clue? Will the police arrive in time? You know there will be a happy ending to what was meant to be a scary mystery. [So what became of those twelve coins?]
That story about the twelve coins is a parable. Anyone who possesses all the coin of a realm already has extraordinary powers in politics and banking. That is why the portrait of a ruler is placed on coins or currency. [The Chinese invented paper money.] There is little magic in a handful of coins by themselves. There was a similar "Sherlock Holmes" story where a man tried to collect all the items in a set. Aside from its exotic setting in Chinatown, it is a classic morality play where an evil man triumphs for a while until he gets justice.
 Better Than You'd Think Despite Lugosi's Hungarian Accent December 29, 2008
Van T. Roberts (Columbus, Mississippi, USA)
The 1935 Monogram Pictures' release "The Mysterious Mr. Wong," with Bela Lugosi and Wallace Ford, clearly didn't deserve any Oscars, but neither does director William Nigh's poverty-row crime thriller qualify as ghastly. This low-budget, black & white whodunit about a series of murders occurring in the Chinatown section of an anonymous metropolitan American city is incorrigibly xenophobic. Remember, when this movie came out, Americans harbored paranoid fears about the so-called `Yellow Peril' that Chinese immigrants represented as they poured into the west coast. Any multi-culturally minded liberals who partake of "The Mysterious Mr. Wong" are going to be not only appalled but also offended this movie's conspicuous, racially charged invective.
Clocking in at a meager 63 minutes, this melodrama never wears out its welcome. Prolific director William Nigh, who helmed 120 movies in a career spanning thirty-four years, and his writers keep things clicking. Lew Levenson adapted author Harry Stephen Keeler's story "The Twelve Coins of Confucius," and Nina Howatt penned the screenplay with James Herbuveaux contributing additional dialogue. Neither Howatt nor Herbuveaux wrote anything after "The Mysterious Mr. Wong," but the dialogue sounds pretty snappy, slang-riddled, but quotable. The action itself resembles a twelve chapter serial pared down to the bare essentials. Secret passageways, concealed doors, underground sanctums, exotic coins, and torture chambers permeate this yarn.
"The Mysterious Mr. Wong" opens with expository information from an encyclopedia about the fabled twelve coins of Confucius and how the person who possesses them will rule a province called Keelat. A newspaper story about a murder appears next. Indeed, newspaper accounts of homicides in Chinatown recur throughout the film. Three slayings occur in rapid succession in the first few minutes. The police believe that the Tongs are on the warpath. The first victim staggers out into a street and collapses. A man searches his body, finds a perforated coin, and plants a note with a Chinese letter on the corpse. The second victim has been hanged and hands rifle his pockets to acquire a coin. The third man is strangled as he sleeps--yes, he is strangled perhaps too quickly, but the Production Code censors might have forced Nigh to accelerate this lurid death scene--and hands plunder his body, extract the coin from a shoe and leave the usual note on his body. Meanwhile, agents of the Keelat province show up in town to thwart Mr. Wong. Phillip Tsang (E. Alyn Warren of "Chinatown Squad") heads up the operation. Eventually, Tsang crosses paths with Mr. Wong and Wong takes him hostage.
A cynical newspaper reporter, Jason Barton (Wallace Ford of "Freaks"), investigates these murders. The authorities are convinced that the Tongs are responsible. Barton disagrees in a news story, and his editor Steve Brandon (Lee Shumway of "The Lone Star Ranger"), packs him off to find a Chinaman named Wong. "Did you ever run into a Chinaman by the name of Wong?" Brandon inquires. "Have I ever run into any that ain't named Wong?" Barton retorts. Our journalistic hero ventures into Sam Toy's Laundry where he encounters an Irish cop, Officer 'Mac' McGillicuddy (Robert Emmett 0'Conner of "Picture Snatcher"), who seems to be the only policeman walking a beat in the district. He shares Barton's racism and refers to the Chinese as "monkeys." None of the other reporters are interested in the murder. Barton checks over the body and learns that Toy died with a pencil in his hand. A breeze blows through the laundry when Mac opens the door and Barton finds a message written in Chinese. He visits the herb shop of Mr. Lysee (Bela Lugosi), but Lysee plays dumb when Barton quizzes him. Barton visits a nearby university where Professor Chan Fu (Luke Chan) works as a translator. Lysee sends one of his minions to steal the note from Barton, but Barton eludes him. Later, Barton ransacks Toy's laundry and finds the last coin, but an assailant gets the drop on Barton and steals the last coin. When Barton recovers, he learns another Chinaman has died. "Say, this is getting monotonous," Barton complains, "I'm supposed to bring in real live news, the best I can do is run down dead Chinamen."
Later, Barton and the newspaper switchboard operator, Peg (Arlene Judge of "Flying Devils"), have dinner in a restaurant and Barton discovers that the man who stole the coin from him is trying to return it. This man dies in the booth next to Barton and Peg. Afterward, Mr. Wong's murderous minions capture Barton and Peg. Eventually, Wong takes them to his underground torture chamber where he plans to stick bamboo shafts up Peg's finger nails unless the reticent Barton surrenders the last coin. Just before the torture commences, Wong and company leave our hero and heroine alone long enough for Barton to find a convenient telephone and call his boss. "I'm somewhere back of old Lysee's herb shop. It's a matter of life and death. There's a secret panel on the back of the counter. You better come well heeled. These babies don't play with marbles."
Nigh was no stranger to directing movies about Asians with white actors impersonated Orientals. He directed all four Boris Karloff mysteries in the "Mr. Wong" franchise: "Mr. Wong, Detective" (1938), "The Mystery of Mr. Wong" (1939), "The Fatal Hour" a.k.a "Mr. Wong at Headquarters" (1940), and "Doomed to Die" (1940). Later, Nigh directed Lugosi again in "Black Dragons" during 1942.
Of course, "Dracula" star Bela Lugosi was atrociously miscast as Mr. Wong with his obvious Hungarian accent. More than likely, Monogram cast Lugosi because Universal had cast Bela's biggest rival Boris Karloff in their 1932 epic "The Mask of Fu Manchu." Nevertheless, Bela delivers his lines with reasonable credibility and doesn't bump into the furniture. He looks pretty sinister as an Asian villain and he is up to his ears in intrigue and murder. "The Mysterious Mr. Wong" wallows in racial prejudice that was part and parcel of its time. Nevertheless, it still ranks as an entertaining B-movie.
 Maybe you like, maybe ? July 5, 2008
The Purple Heart (USA)
This film is a 30's style classic with Wallace Ford starring as a wise cracking, hot shot reporter who is hell bent on solving a series of murders in S.F.'s Chinatown.Although Bela Lugosi is cast as the lead character, all the best lines were written for Ford and his female sidekick played by Arline Judd.
The basic plot is that Mr. Wong ( Bela ) is killing anyone who owns a certain gold coin, that when a collection of 12 is assembled, will give Wong unnatural powers over a province in Chinawhich is Wong's ultimate goal.
If you are into good old fashioned 1930's movies ( helped by Ford, Lugosi, and Ms. Judd ) then you are sure to like this film as I do. Every time I watch it the funny parts keep getting even more so. A lot of stereo-typing in this, but, this was 1935. One of the best scenes is the 'phony phone call' at the restaurant.
Buying this one used is an even better entertainment value for your dollar. Great for the grandkids too. By all means - ENJOY !!
"15 Frightful Horror Films ... Bela Lugosi ... Passport Video" October 15, 2006
J. Lovins (Missouri-USA)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Passport Video presents "The Bela Lugosi Box - 15 Frightful Films" (1942) --- (Dolby digitally remastered) --- Béla Lugosi was the stage name of actor Béla Ferenc Dezs Blaskó (October 20, 1882 - August 16, 1956) --- Lugosi was born in Lugos, Hungary, at the time part of Austria-Hungary (now Lugoj, Romania), the youngest of four children of a baker --- best known for his portrayal of "Dracula" in the American Broadway stage production, and subsequent film, of Bram Stoker's classic vampire story.
Late in his life, he again received star billing in movies when filmmaker Edward D. Wood, Jr., a fan of Lugosi, found him living in obscurity and near-poverty and offered him roles in his films, such as "GLEN OR GLENDA?" (1953) (in which his role made no more sense than the rest of the movie) and as a Dr. Frankenstein-like mad scientist in "BRIDE OF THE MONSTER" (1955), during post-production of the latter, Lugosi entered treatment for his addiction, and the premier of the film was ostensibly intended to help pay for his treatment expenses. The extras on an early DVD release of "PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE" (1959) include an impromptu interview with Lugosi upon his exit from the treatment center, which provide some rare personal insights into the man --- this was one of Lugosi's most infamous roles was released after he was dead. Ed Wood (Director) features footage of Lugosi interspersed with a double --- Wood had taken a few minutes of silent footage of Lugosi, in his Dracula cape, for a planned vampire picture but was unable to find financing for the project --- Wood later conceived of Plan 9, Wood wrote the script to incorporate the Lugosi footage and hired his wife's chiropractor to double for Lugosi in additional shots --- notice however the "double" is thinner than Lugosi, and covers the lower half of his face with his cape in every shot --- Leonard Maltin (Famous Film Critic) was quoted - "Lugosi died during production, and it shows."
Lugosi died of a heart attack on August 16, 1956 while lying in bed in his Los Angeles home. He was 73 --- Bela Lugosi was buried wearing one of the many capes from the Dracula stageplay, as per the request of his son and fifth wife, in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California --- Contrary to popular belief, Lugosi never requested to be buried in his famous cloak; Bela Lugosi, Jr. has confirmed on numerous occasions that he and his mother, Lillian, arrived at their decision independently.
BIOS:
1. Bela Lugosi (aka: Béla Ferenc Dezsõ Blaskó)
Date of birth: 20 October 1882 - Lugos, Austria-Hungary. [now Lugoj, Romania]
Date of death: 16 August 1956 - Los Angeles, California
2. Edward D. Wood Jr. (Director, Writer and Producer)
Date of birth: 10 October 1924 - Poughkeepsie, New York
Date of death: 10 December 1978 - North Hollywood, California
This collection of "The Bela Lugosi Box - 15 Frightful Films" (1942) --- still has the magic that we remember from those bygone years --- but as long as we have the labels and networks who play and show these wonderful films of yesteryear, they will never be forgotten ... Plus the half-hour tribute "100 Years of Horror: Bela Lugosi", hosted by Christopher Lee --- and a great job by Passport Video for this release --- looking forward to more of the same from the '20s and '50s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or Passport Video, stay tuned once again for more remarkable films from the vaults of classic television and Hollywood during the Golden Era of Entertaiment.
Total Time: 1034 mins on DVD ~ Passport Video #5260 ~ (9/05/2006)
Mysterious Mr. Wong August 31, 2006
TICOOO (Boston, MA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
If you like 1930s mystery films with a "Chinatown" theme,
this IS FOR YOU! Dark Chinatown street scenes,lurking Chinamen, hidden underground rooms and passageways add to the
flavor of this vintage mysterious and sometimes hilarious film in
search valuable ancient coins. Lugosi is the star here as the evil Mr.Wong in a duel role with his hidden torture chamber under the streets of Chinatown. Great sets, costumes and good one-liners by other members of the cast add to the addictive charm of this overlooked classic Lugosi. The video quality is excellent considering the age of the film...love the DVD cover art as well! DON'T MISS THIS ONE!!!! ...GREAT PRICE TOO!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 9
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