Watching the Detectives: Boris Karloff is James Lee Wong in Mr. Wong, Detective
Following in the footsteps of Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto came Boris Karloff’s interpretation of Hugh Wiley’s fictional detective. Karloff’s Wong is Sherlock Holmes with funny hair and a moustache, always a step ahead of the criminals and two ahead of the police. Karloff never convinces as an Asian but then neither did Peter Lorre as Moto, with Warner Oland slightly more successful as Chan.
Here Wong’s trying to get to the bottom of a murder by nerve gas and while the film plods in places the final ten minutes are worth the wait. Karloff’s revelation of the killer’s identity is a surprise and the way he cleverly outwits the criminals is a joy to watch.
It’s Karloff’s film but he gets good support from Grant Withers in the Lestrade type roll of the oafish Captain Sam Street. Made by Monogram Pictures this is a cheap B movie quickie but Karloff makes it watchable.
