Mr Moto Movies

Mr. Moto was a mild-mannered, Japanese detective that was the basis for a series of eight films (1937-39) by Twentieth Century-Fox from the stories of novelist John P. Marquand. Hungarian born, Jewish German speaking Peter Lorre portrays Kentaro Moto who was very much unlike Charlie Chan in that he was the master of disguises and physically more active, often using ju-jistsu.

It is seldom clear for whom Moto really works. Perhaps it is the 'International Police'. When asked if he is a detective in the film Think Fast, Mr. Moto, he replies that it done only as a hobby. He's also claimed to be a confidential investigator for the International Association of Importers, a college lecturer in criminology, and a managing director of the Dai Nippon Trading Company, which probably serves as a front for his activities with the International Police.
http://www.reappropriate.com/content/moto.jpg
Many of the actors and crew members who were associated with the Charlie Chan series at Twentieth Century-Fox were also involved with the Mr. Moto films. Most notable of the actors and actresses were Thomas Beck, Harold Huber, Erik Rhodes, Virginia Field, Murray Kinnell, and Lionel Atwill. Even Keye Luke, who had already appeared as Number One son Lee Chan in eight films with Warner Oland, reprised his role as Lee Chan in Mr. Moto's Gamble (1938), much of which was salvaged from Charlie Chan at the Ringside, a 1938 movie project that never was completed.

Being a big fan of Lorre I've always wanted to see the Moto films..even though I know they'll be dated, corny, cheap and a bit of a laugh I have enough confidence in Lorre to know that I will find them enjoyable none the less. Unfortunately, all but one of the Moto films are only available on Region 1. However I recently bought 'Mr Moto's Last Warning' on a multi region copy and just watched it. Lorre is so entertaining despite his accent not really sounding Japanese at all and his rather large, round eyes being the opposite of what you'd expect on a Japanses person. .yet somehow it works. His 'Ju-Jitsu consists of mainly of chopping with his hand any upper part of the body and this seems to be enough to floor his opponent. Failing that, a wrist hold followed by an 'Irish Whip' usually does the trick.
"MM's Last Warning " co stars George Sanders and John Carradine and is set in Port Siad. The plot concerns a plan by a group of multi national bad guys attempting to blow up the French fleet and blaming the British to provoke war..
Port Said is supposed to be this 'international port' but seems to be populated mostly by 'Gor blimey!' C0ckney low lifes and pompous Colonial generals. All arabs are shifty, cowardly and subserviant, the French characters drop in the occasional French word into dialogue spoken in a heavy American accent. George Sanders , for reasons never made clear, speak his usual plummy English to his c0ckney henchman but in an 'Allo-'Allo French accent the rest of the time..Carradine sports a ludicrous false beard as a disguise throughout and a completely ridiculous English 'Hooray Henry' upper class twit tourist who looks like Harold Lloyd is the comedic element.
But Lorre's class shines through this mish mash of stereo typing. Just such a marvelous actor despite the fact he knew he was appearing in cheaply made B-movies which themselves were only made to cash in on the popularity of Warner Oland's Charlie Chan films.

My DVD player is chipped for Region 2 but the picture quality is not perfect..but I am now tempted to get the two box sets of the rest of Moto's adventures.
http://www.quickstopentertainment.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/moto.jpg

Anyone elase seen any moto films or even familar with them?

Excellent thread/post Charlie. I have somehow missed seeing these, can't figure out how that happened. So I am definetly going to find some.

Well the full list reads:
Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937)
Thank You, Mr. Moto (1937)
Mr. Moto's Gamble (1938)
Mr. Moto Takes a Chance (1938)
Mysterious Mr. Moto (1938)
Mr. Moto's Last Warning (1939)
Danger Island (1939)
Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation (1939)

And this (http://www.classicimages.com/1998/april98/peterlorre.html) is quite informative

Several of the films were shown on I think Channel 4 many years ago, when that was the channel to go to for forgotten cinematic gems. I vaguely remember Think Fast Mr Moto, but my clearest memories are of Mr Moto Takes A Chance, filmed very impressively around the ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. In it, Moto poses as an archaeologist and also turns up under heavy makeup as an ancient local holy man. The film's full of quirks, most notably a feisty American aviatrix.

Thanks for the post, Charlie. Very informative and it brought back agreeable memories.

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t222/psionovore/lorretoon.jpg

I finally sent off for the first Vol of the Mr Moto box sets (now I have a proper multi region playing DVD player..my previous one had been 'chipped' and although it would play region 1 discs the picture quality was poor)..it should be here in a few days!

My Mr Moto boxset has arrived!! :D

I think I'll treat myself to a film a night...and on Saturday..I have 'O' Lucky man' to watch!!! :D :D

My Mr Moto boxset has arrived!! :D

I think I'll treat myself to a film a night...and on Saturday..I have 'O' Lucky man' to watch!!! :D :D

I could be on the shuttle to London tomorrow to share it all with you. Haven't seen Oh! Lucky Man in years. Worth it alone for Arthur Lowe in Cherry Blossom.

On the assumption that a double post isn't too heinous after 8 months without a contribution to the thread . . .

I listened yesterday to a very interesting radio play about Peter Lorre, based around a true episode which occurred toward the end of his career.

In 1964, a naturalised American citizen, born in Germany under the name of Weigand, applied to the courts to have his name changed to Peter Lorre jr. The reason he gave was that his friends said he looked like the star, and he felt more comforable with that name than his real one.

The Hollywood legal machine promptly lurched into action to block the application, claiming that the Lorre name was sacrosanct (even though PL's real name was Laszlo Loewenstein). They won the case, though after Lorre died, Weigand renewed his application, was allowed to change his name, and thereafter impersonated PL in TV commercials.

In the course of the play we were informed that Weigand didn't know who his father was. Also that he was born in 1934, which was the same year that Lorre left Germany for Hollywood. With commendable restraint, the playwright avoided drawing the obvious conclusion, but it makes you think, doesn't it?

That story was covered in Lorre's excellent biography, The Lost One.

Another amazing story is that in the two guys responsible for the series of rapes and murders who the press dubbed 'The Hillside Strangler' in the late 70's were out searching for a victim. They had stopped Catherine Lorre with the intent of abducting her, but after learning that she was the daughter of actor Peter Lorre, who was famous for portraying a serial killer in Fritz Lang´s movie M, they let her go. It was only after the two men were arrested that Lorre realized whom she had met.