Tonight's Movie: Mr. Wong in Chinatown (1939) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

I've now watched MR. WONG IN CHINATOWN (1939), the third film in the five-film Mr. Wong Collection from Kino Lorber.

This time around Princess Lin Hwa (Lotus Long) dies in the home of detective James Lee Wong (Boris Karloff). She had visited Mr. Wong for help and while waiting alone in a room was killed with a poison dart shot through a window!

Before dying, the princess writes "Captain J" on a piece of paper. That and the unusual murder method are the only clues for Mr. Wong and Police Inspector Bill Street (Grant Withers).

MR. WONG IN CHINATOWN runs 71 minutes, which is two or three minutes longer than the previous couple entries, but it felt a little longer. The sprawling plot isn't as tightly organized, and it was a bit harder to follow.

The movie does benefit greatly from the presence of Marjorie Reynolds as brash reporter Bobbie Logan. As the spunky, sassy Bobbie Reynolds lifts the film's energy whenever she appears. She's a key player when Wong's own life is at risk partway through the film.

Inspector Street had a girlfriend in the first film, played by Maxine Jennings, who was a good character and missed in the second entry. Reynolds' Bobbie Logan provides the series with a needed leading lady and some comic relief. I'm glad to know she's also in the final two films in the set.

Interestingly the actress playing this film's murder victim, Lotus Long, was also in the previous film, THE MYSTERY OF MR. WONG (1939) -- though playing a different role. That tends to happen in "B" mysteries; for example, I remember the same actresses appearing multiple times in the SAINT series.

All in all MR. WONG IN CHINATOWN was slightly less interesting than the prior films, but I still enjoyed it and am looking forward to seeing the rest of the series.

William Nigh directed, with black and white photography by Harry Neumann. The supporting cast includes Huntley Gordon, Peter George Lynn, James Flavin, Bessie Loo, Angelo Rossitto, and Richard Loo.

Like the other films in the set, the print was a new master from a 2K scan of the fine grain film. It looks good, particularly compared to prints I've seen my husband watch on TV in years past!

For more on the Mr. Wong Collection, please visit my reviews of MR. WONG, DETECTIVE (1938) and THE MYSTERY OF MR. WONG (1939).

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray collection.

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