Mr. Wong Detective

Starring:Hooper Atchley, Evelyn Brent, Lynton Brent, Frank Bruno, Lee Tung Foo, William Gould, John Hamilton, Maxine Jennings, Boris Karloff, George Lloyd, Wilbur Mack, Lucien Prival, John St. Polis, Grant Withers, Grace Wood
Director: William Nigh
Studio: Genius Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Product Description
DIGITALLY REMASTERED

Region Code: Region 1: US, CA

Display Format: Full Screen

Genre: Crime & Thrillers

Sub-Genre: Mystery & Suspense

Distributor Description: Mr. Wong is visited by an industralist, Simon Dayton, who fears for his life. When Dayton is found murdered, Wong investigates the killing. Two more murders are discovered, and Wong uncovers an international spy ring that is hoping to steal the formula for a poisonous gas being developed by Simon Dayton's company. Star(s): Boris Karloff.

New Easily Stored Designer cardboard sleeve packaging.

Digitally Remastered B&W 1938 69 minutes

Customer Reviews:

YOU CAN'T GO WONG WITH THIS SET.......2007-04-28

The great Boris Karloff stars in five late 30's as the well educated oriental sleuth Mr. Wong. Unlike many of the stereotypes (Charlie Chan, Mr. Moto), this movie is basically devoid of pidgeon English with a minimal of racial slurs. Karloff's Wong is smart and elegant. Grant Withers co-stars as the detective who always asks Wong for assistance with his cases. The series became more lively in the last three outings beginning with "Mr. Wong In Chinatown" with the edition of Marjorie Reynolds, as a nosy reporter and sometimes girlfriend of of Withers. Their bickering and snappy one liners are terrific and add a lightness and humor to this dark genre.

The transfer and qualty are very good but too expensive. None of these flicks run longer than 70 minutes and the 6th movie does not star Boris Karloff. Key Luke plays Mr. Wong in "Phantom Over Chinatown" with Grant Withers reprising his role. It is hard to determine if this is a relative of the original Mr. Wong or a "younger" Mr. Wong. Further explanation is needed as this becomes a bit confusing and convolutes the sometimes weak plot.

The Karloff series is the best entry in oriental sleuth genre. It is a shame he became bored with it and left in 1940. Don't confuse this with the poor Bela Lugosi "The Mysterious Mr. Wong". This film has nothing to do with the famous detective series and is filled with insulting ethnic stereotypes and slurs.

If you can afford the set, it is recommended. It's a winner.

Fairly Enjoyable.......2004-12-29

Monogram's 'Mr. Wong' series was apparently done as a rip-off of Fox's Charlie Chan series. Like those films, Mr. Wong featured a wise Oriental detective. Oh...and they also both starred non-Asians. Boris Karloff, I think we can all agree, was just about the least Chinese person in the entire known Universe, but his gentlemanly performance gave the Mr. Wong series a bit of dignity and class. The films on their own are mildly enjoyable potboilers, instantly forgettable but entertaining while playing. This two-disc DVD set gathers the six Mr. Wong films: "Mr. Wong, Detective," "The Mysterious Mr. Wong," "Mr. Wong in Chinatown," "The Fatal Hour," "Doomed to Die," and "The Phantom of Chinatown" (starring Charlie Chan's 'number one son,' Keye Luke, as a young Mr. Wong). "Mr. Wong Detective" is the best. "Phantom of Chinatown" is easily the worst - its jaw dropping political incorectness is hard to take.
The DVD from Roan Group has the films in just about the best condition you'll probably find them in. There are still scratches and plenty of grain, but overall the image is quite sharp and as clear as you could expect. Sound isn't great, but that probably has to do with the sub-par and neglected source materials. The biggest disappointment of the set is that there are no extras whatsoever - some liner notes, production notes, or a photo gallery are all I ask for.

OVERPRICED.......2004-07-13

This set is good, but not worth what Amazon is charging. At the Big O I paid a quarter of this price. In fact, all the Roan titles the Big O carries are at a significant discount from Amazon.

Mr Wong returns.......2004-06-29

Get this set if you are a fan of Mr Wong! IMHO the series got better as it went on. Mr Wong Detective is the first entry in the series and it's enjoyable, but I thought things got even better after that one. I enjoyed each entry. Karloff is fantastic in the first five films. The sixth entry in the series stars Keye Luke who plays a younger version of the character. I loved that idea! Luke is wonderful. Some claim that Luke's entry doesn't fit the series, but that's not so. It's flashback to the first case Wong and Street ever worked on. That idea really made for great viewing. Grant Withers may not look younger as Street, but he is the perfect man for that role. The younger Wong really brings out the best in him. This is a great set for Wong fans. All six Mr Wong movies are a delight.

Exciting.......2003-06-26

It's exciting to have the entire Mr. Wong series on one DVD. They're all very good movies.

Boris Karloff, although not convincing as a Chinese detective, is a graceful performer as always. The real star of 3 of the movies is Marjorie Reynolds as reporter Roberta Logan. She shows style and great wit. She was known later as the wife in the television series The Life of Riley. Keye Luke in the 6th and last film as Mr. Wong is a great treat, as well.

Description

138 minute double feature film DVD.

Customer Reviews:

Karloff the Chinaman Detective.......2003-09-12

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed these two films. Karloff actually pulls off the role of Mr. Wong AND better yet the films were great little WHO DONE ITS... highly recommend. Prints and sound were fine...

Surprisely Good Movies.......2002-03-05

I had never seen any of the Mr. Wong movies, but I like Boris Karloff so I thought I'd take a look at this DVD.

In the first movie, Mr. Wong, Detective, people are being killed, but the method of the murders are not easily determined. In Fatal Hour, the death of a police officer is investigated. Both movies are well made and better than I expected.

Mr. Wong is not presented as the typical Asian stereotype. Karloff's eyes are made to look Chinese, but that's it. Mr. Wong speaks perfect English and doesn't go around quoting fortune cookies - unlike Charlie Chan. Karloff doesn't change his voice or accent for the role.

The reasons for not giving it 5 stars...

The video company's intro is one and a half minutes long. (Actual time on my DVD player's display, not a guess) That's before you get to the main menu of the DVD. That is way too long to wait before being allowed to view the movie. All functions are locked out during that time. You can't skip to the menu or try to scan quickly through it.

The film appears grainy. I'm going to take a guess and say a 16mm print was used.

Mr. Wong on DVD !.......2000-12-13

This is a great DVD Double Feature! Boris Karloff as Mr. Wong, the two films are "Mr. Wong Detective" and " The Fatal Hour " great old classics. Karloff plays a detective in this old series from the 30's . The quality is very good, and for old B movies they sound and look great. Marengo Films is the company and after visiting their web site they list on the back of the DVD, I'm going to buy a Bela Lugosi Double Feature that is for sale. Good Flicks.....

Average customer rating:

another great Wong movie

The Mystery of Mr. Wong
Starring: Boris Karloff , Grant Withers , Dorothy Tree , Craig Reynolds , and Ivan Lebedeff
Director: William Nigh
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Mr Wong in Chinatown
Mr. Wong, Detective
Doomed to Die (B&W)
Phantom of Chinatown
Fatal Hour (B&W)

ASIN: B00008G8X5
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Customer Reviews:

another great Wong movie.......2004-06-29

Mr Wong was always a fave of mine. Karloff played him and so did Keye Luke. It's so nice to see this movie in print and at a good price! Thanks Alpha!

Average customer rating:

The Best Mr. Wong
I enjoyed this
a true treasure for Mr Wong fans
Good Prints, But a Forgettable Series
A Fairly Good Detective Film

Mr. Wong Detective
Starring: Boris Karloff , Grant Withers , Maxine Jennings , Evelyn Brent , and George Lloyd
Director: William Nigh
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Mr Wong in Chinatown
The Mystery of Mr. Wong
Mr. Moto Collection, Vol. 1 (Mr. Moto Takes A Chance / Mysterious Mr. Moto / Thank You Mr. Moto / Think Fast Mr. Moto) (4DVD)
Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 1 (Charlie Chan in London / Charlie Chan in Paris / Charlie Chan in Egypt / Charlie Chan in Shanghai / Eran Trece)
Doomed to Die (B&W)

ASIN: B00006AUGR
Release Date: 2002-06-18

Customer Reviews:

The Best Mr. Wong.......2004-07-02

This is a terrific DVD for the atmosphere, the clever Mr. Wong and the great transfer. This is a B picture, to be sure, shot on a budget, but its great fun as Mr. Wong solves his case. The transfer is very good considering there is no restoration. The sound is very good as well. I love this series and Boris is the man to play the character. This is probably the best of the Mr. Wong series with Boris.

I enjoyed this.......2004-06-30

This Mr Wong film really drew me in. I found it most entertaining. Mr Wong is something of an obscure movie detective, but it's great that he is once again available to entertain viewers. All six Mr Wong movies are now on DVD!

a true treasure for Mr Wong fans.......2004-06-30

You wont find a more complete set of DVDs if you are a fan of Mr Wong. All six Wong films are here: Mr Wong Detective, Mystery of Mr Wong, Mr Wong In Chinatown, The Fatal Hour, Doomed To Die, and Phantom of Chinatown. Phantom of Chinatown is one of the most interesting in the series and stars Keye Luke as an earlier and younger Mr Wong. These movies have captivated me since I was just a wee lad and I was thrilled to discover this DVD set. It is the most complete one available and a true must for Mr Wong fans.

Good Prints, But a Forgettable Series.......2004-04-08

When Monogram recruited Boris Karloff for its "Mr. Wong" series in 1938, the studio apparently believed that the horror icon's presence would be strong enough to carry its low-budget product. They were sadly mistaken and the series folded in 1940 after six films, with Karloff appearing in only five of them. (Interestingly, Keye Luke played a younger version of the Chinese detective in the final installment.) Time has not been kind to the "Mr. Wong" series. These mysteries are deadly dull and have virtually nothing to offer except the sincerity of Karloff's performances. On the plus side, these are the best prints you are likely to find. Still, Karloff's association with Monogram was less distinguished than Bela Lugosi's run during the early 1940s. Even Bela's "Mysterious Mr. Wong" (no relation) is more entertaining than the dreary exploits of James Lee Wong.

A Fairly Good Detective Film.......2003-05-06

In MR. WONG, DETECTIVE James Lee Wong is hired by the owner of a chemical manufacturing firm who is accused of stealing a secret formula. The owner and two of his associates are promptly murdered leaving Mr. Wong with three homicides to solve.

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie Cursed With Substandard Release........2007-06-26

This very enjoyable flick featuring Boris Karloff as the crackerjack Chinese detective has certainly withstood the test of time, but this cheapjack release from Reel Enterprises will not. This is not even a factory pressed disc; it is a dvd-r with terrible picture & sound. They even have the company logo in lower corner of screen during film! This makes the Alpha version look like a Criterion release. I must advise all Wong fans to look elsewhere.

Average customer rating:

The Best Mr. Wong
I enjoyed this
a true treasure for Mr Wong fans
Good Prints, But a Forgettable Series
A Fairly Good Detective Film

Mr. Wong, Detective
Starring: Boris Karloff , Grant Withers , Maxine Jennings , Evelyn Brent , and George Lloyd
Director: William Nigh
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Mr Wong in Chinatown
The Mystery of Mr. Wong
Mr. Moto Collection, Vol. 1 (Mr. Moto Takes A Chance / Mysterious Mr. Moto / Thank You Mr. Moto / Think Fast Mr. Moto) (4DVD)
Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 1 (Charlie Chan in London / Charlie Chan in Paris / Charlie Chan in Egypt / Charlie Chan in Shanghai / Eran Trece)
Doomed to Die (B&W)

ASIN: B00006I4ZU
Release Date: 2002-07-01

Description

Here he is . the incomparable Mr. Wong, Detective - starring Boris Karloff! Author Hugh Wiley created the distinguished, gentlemanly Oriental detective for a Collier's magazine story in 1935. Three years later, Monogram Pictures brought Mr. Wong to life on the big screen with 6 feature films, 5 of which starred Boris Karloff. This 3-DVD boxed set includes the complete collection, all 6 films, digitally restored for your viewing pleasure. Nearly 7 hours of detective thrills!

DVD #1

Mr. Wong, Detective 1938 Starring Boris Karloff. In the first film in the series, Mr. Wong investigates the killing of a chemical manufacturer and two subsequent murders. (68 min.) . The Mystery of Mr. Wong 1939 Starring Boris Karloff. Mr. Wong attempts to solve the murder of an antique collector who was in possession of a famous jewel known as "The Eye of the Moon." (70 min.)

DVD #2

Mr. Wong in Chinatown 1939 Starring Boris Karloff. A poisoned dart kills a beautiful Chinese woman. When she is discovered to be Princess Lin Hwa, on a secret military mission for Chinese forces fighting the Japanese invasion, Wong takes action. (71 min.) . Mr. Wong in The Fatal Hour 1940 Starring Boris Karloff. When Captain Street's best friend is murdered, he enlists the help of Mr. Wong. (66 min.)

DVD #3

Mr. Wong in Doomed to Die 1940 Starring Boris Karloff. Shipping magnate Cyrus Wentworth is shot and killed and Captain Street is convinced

the murderer is Wentworth's daughter's fiancE9 Dick Fleming. (67 min.) .

Mr. Wong in Phantom of Chinatown 1940 In the last film in the series, Keye Luke replaces Boris Karloff as a younger version of the Oriental sleuth James Lee Wong. Here, "Jimmy" Wong searches for the killer of archeologist Dr. John Benton, who recently returned from an expedition to China where he recovered a valuable ancient scroll. (61 min.)

Customer Reviews:

The Best Mr. Wong.......2004-07-02

I enjoyed this.......2004-06-30

a true treasure for Mr Wong fans.......2004-06-30

Good Prints, But a Forgettable Series.......2004-04-08

A Fairly Good Detective Film.......2003-05-06

Customer Reviews:

Very Enjoyable Collection.......2007-02-12

All 3 of these films are very enjoyable, with clear picture and terrific sound. They are all short, and the time invested watching them was well-spent. They are classics of the B-movie genre; 2 with Karloff, 2 with Dick Tracy (not the same ones!), all with quick editing, rapid-fire dialogue, witty repartee and wonderful characters. Some politically correct persons may take issue with Karloff's Mr. Wong, but it's what they did back then with low-budget films. I enjoyed this trio of films immensely. PS~A lot of reviewers here got this confused with a Sherlock Holmes anthology, apparently of poor quality. Ignore reviews about this product that refer to the Sherlock Holmes product...

Get a clue, people..........2005-07-29

Sherlock Holmes is not even on this video!

The 3 movies on Crime Stoppers Vol 1 are:

Mr. Wong, Detective - Detective Wong investigates the death of a chemical manufacturer and discovers an international spy ring plotting to steal the secret formula for an invisible poisonous gas. Starring Boris Karloff.

Dick Tracy's Dilemma - An evil villain known as The Claw, named for the steel hook in place of his hand, has murdered a man while robbing a shipment of furs. It's Dick Tracy's job to hunt him down and bring him to justice! Starring Ralph Byrd.

Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome - Boris Karloff plays Gruesome, a delightfully creepy mastermind behind a clever group of bank robbers who use a special gas that temporarily immobilizes people in their tracks. Starring Ralph Byrd.

BONUS features:
"Breakdowns of 1940" - Warner Bros blooper reel
Classic Popeye cartoon - "Popeye for President"
Tales of Mystery and Supense radio show - "Consequences" starring Jimmy Stewart, originally broadcast May 19, 1949.

Quick Watson, we've not a moment to lose!.......2000-07-21

These films of an earlier age are everything a good modern film should not be. They are campy, over-acted, cliche-ish, over dramatised and poorly dubbed (with a british actor's voice for background speech).

In spite of all of that, there is no one else who can play Sherlock Holms and Dr. Watson as can Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. And the bumbling Inspector LeStrade is priceless. These are classic and timeless films - great fun to watch - one can almost put them in a category with Charlie Chaplain. Very good entertainment value in spite of their short running time (each film generally only ran about one hour in length) and obvious age.

I'd managed to tape all 14 of them from the late night movies a while back; and now watch them whenever I'm in the mood for light entertainment. I'm thrilled that they are finally being released in the DVD format -- hopefully we'll see the entire set re-published.

If you're one of those who turn up their nose at older films because of a lack of action, effects and the like, this collection is not for you. But if you enjoy films of the 40's and liked the exploits of the world's most famous detective, this is a set to get. Get your coat, Watson -- the game is afoot!

~P~

The Great Detective lives on!.......2000-06-20

Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce will be forever remembered as "Hollywood's Holmes and Watson". This DVD gift pack (one hopes the first of many) recaptures the timeless duo in four adventures.

In "The Woman In Green", Holmes finds himself wrapped up in Ripper-like murders of young London women. When he investigates a beautiful woman who is also a master hypnotist, he finds he may end up dead. Features Henry Daniell in a wonderful performance of Holmes' most famous nemesis, Professor Moriarty.

"Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon" finds Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson fighting Nazis in World War II. Loosely based on 'The Dancing Men', Holmes must locate and reclaim the secret plans of a devastatig weapon before the Nazis use it for their own evil purposes. The WWII Holmes films are excellent documents of the times. Many people don't remember the militarization of Hollywood during the 1940s when every film had to pass the litmus test of "How will this help us win the war?" Every film from an American studio was used to a degree as propaganda to help in the war effort. The Sherlock Holmes film series was no exception, and thus we find our beloved characters unaged in the then present day - without explanation, but still an enjoyable film.

Getting away from the War, we come to "Dressed to Kill" where Holmes finds that a music box is the key to an elaborate counterfeiting scheme. Patricia Morrison is great in this film and Rathbone and Bruce have their share of moments as Holmes and Watson.

Finally, probably my favorite, "Terror By Night" is a great Holmes adventure which has as much comic relief as intrigue. A murder has been committed on a train, and Holmes must find the killer before the train reaches it's destination. It's high adventure at high speed where Holmes finds himself reunited with bumbling Scotland Yard Inspector Lestrade, who has just the right amount of comic timing.

Customer Reviews:

The Best Mr. Wong.......2004-07-02

I enjoyed this.......2004-06-30

a true treasure for Mr Wong fans.......2004-06-30

Good Prints, But a Forgettable Series.......2004-04-08

A Fairly Good Detective Film.......2003-05-06

Description

When a chemical manufacturer is killed after asking detective James Wong to help him, Wong investigates this and two subsequent murders. He uncovers a international spy ring hoping to steal the formula for a poison gas being developed by the first victim's company. The killer's identity is a real surprise.

Customer Reviews:

Introducing Detective James Lee Wong (Boris Karloff).......2007-06-11

Not to be out detected by Charlie Chan or Mr. Moto, the Oxford-educated oriental sleuth Mr. James Lee Wong (Boris Karloff) has his own series of movies. This is the first and considered the best.
A businessman suspects that he is about to be murdered. He enlists the help of James Lee Wong "detective". Naturally this is a 10 O'clock appointment for the next day. You guessed it; it was the "Wong" move, as he was too late.

You will be familiar with all the elements of this mystery. However these elements were very well put together in this film. Yep, everyone is acting very suspicious, and as usual, it is the last person you would suspect.

Looks like a choice of price versus quality. This copy is not been restored. There other versions that have been restored. However, you get ten minutes into the film and get so intrigued in the mystery that you forget all about quality.

DVD:

DVD

Blacktop (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: House of Clocks

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