''Mr. Moto Takes a Chance'' is the fourth in a series of eight films starring
Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre (; born László Löwenstein, ; June 26, 1904 – March 23, 1964) was a Hungarian and American actor, first in Europe and later in the United States. He began his stage career in Vienna, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before movin ...
as
Mr. Moto
Mr. Moto is a fictional Japanese secret agent created by the American author John P. Marquand. He appeared in six novels by Marquand published between 1935 and 1957. Marquand initially created the character for the ''Saturday Evening Post'', whi ...
, although it was the second one actually filmed, following '' Think Fast, Mr. Moto''. Its release was delayed until after production of '' Thank You, Mr. Moto'' and '' Mr Moto's Gamble''.
The film is based on the character of Mr. Moto created by John P. Marquand, and an original story by Norman Foster and Willis Cooper.
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...
flies the airplane of aviatrix Victoria Mason, supposedly circumnavigating the world. Her actual destination is the kingdom of Tong Moi in
French Indochina
French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China),; vi, Đông Dương thuộc Pháp, , lit. 'East Ocean under French Control; km, ឥណ្ឌូចិនបារាំង, ; th, อินโดจีนฝรั่งเศส, ...
. Already in Tong Moi, Mr. Moto is posing as an archeologist, and newsreel cameramen Marty Weston and Chick Davis are traveling up the river. Once she is overhead, Mason lights a flare and bails out of her smoking plane which crashes nearby. Rescued by Moto, Mason goes into the village with Bokor the head priest of
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
. As Weston and Davis arrive at the crash site, Moto has discovered the flare that “caused” the accident.
While trying to film Mason and Tong Moi's ruler, the Rajah Ali, Keema, the Rajah's favorite wife mysteriously dies. Bokor claims that the foreigners and their camera caused her death and they are taken away for a trial. Meanwhile, Moto finds the true cause of Keema's death, a poison dart.
At the temple of Shiva, Weston and Davis are pronounced guilty and are about to be thrown into a pit when an elderly guru appears. The guru impresses Bokor with his ability to charm a snake and to not be burned by a flaming poker. Bokor releases the foreigners at the orders of the guru.
The following day Moto offers to pay the cameramen for images of the interior of the temple. They agree, and return to the temple with Mason. The three are confronted by the elderly guru who tosses their camera down the well. Bokor, seeing this, asks the guru to kill the foreigner, Moto. The guru agrees and returns to the temple, there discovering a concealed ammunition cache. After disposing of a guard, the guru disappears into a secret passageway. There he reveals himself to be Mr. Moto, in disguise.
Moto writes a note saying that he discovered the ammunition and that Bokor is the leader of the revolt. He sends the message off by carrier pigeon but the Rajah kills the bird and intercepts the message. Later at a feast held in honor of the visitors, Moto is served the cooked bird on his plate and the Rajah reveals that he got the message.
In his cabin, Moto is marking the secret ammunition cache on a map of the temple when one of Bokor's men comes in to kill him. After killing the intruder, Moto disguises himself as the assassin and sneaks into the night. Bokor begins searching Moto's cabin but is interrupted by Mason, who finds the hidden map.
Bokor and his men follow Mason to the temple and capture her. The guru appears and pretends to hypnotize the captive. Meanwhile, Weston followed Mason to the temple and tries unsuccessfully to rescue her. Bonfire signals are made and Capt. Zimmerman the gun-runner arrives with Davis, who is taken captive as well. Zimmerman has been selling weapons to Bokor so that Bokor can start a revolution and depose the Rajah Ali. Zimmerman is killed by Yao in “payment” for his services.
When Mason reveals Moto's identity, a fight ensues. Yao is killed and Bokor escapes and rounds up Zimmerman's men. The four inside the temple hold off the men with the weapons that were just delivered. Mason reveals that she is a British Secret Service agent and Moto reveals that he is also a spy. Rajah Ali arrives with his army and rounds up Bokor and his men. The Rajah's plan is to use the weapons Bokor purchased to revolt against the French. As the Rajah prepares to have Moto and the two cameramen executed, Mason distracts him so Moto can threaten to blow up the ammunition cache. The Rajah falls into the cache and the four heroes escape down the secret passage as the temple explodes.
All ends well with Mason and Weston beginning a romance and Davis planning on becoming Moto's assistant. Davis faints when Moto tells him that his next assignment is to capture a murderer living on a volcanic island as the guest of headhunters.
Cast
*
Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre (; born László Löwenstein, ; June 26, 1904 – March 23, 1964) was a Hungarian and American actor, first in Europe and later in the United States. He began his stage career in Vienna, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before movin ...
Frederick Vogeding Frederick may refer to:
People
* Frederick (given name), the name
Nobility
Anhalt-Harzgerode
* Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670)
Austria
* Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198
* Frederic ...
as Capt. Zimmerman
*
Gloria Roy
Dolores Rousse (August 17, 1901 – December 16, 1985)California, Death Index. 1940-1997 atabase on-line Via Ancestry.com. Provo, Utah. was an American film actress who performed under the name Gloria Roy later in her career.
Career
In May 1922 ...
as Keema (uncredited)
*
Al Kikume
Al Kikume (9 October 1894 – 27 March 1972), born Elmer Kikume Gozier, was an American actor and stuntman of Hawaiian descent. He was born in Topeka, Kansas and died in Los Angeles. Beginning with his first credited role, in the independ ...
as Yao (uncredited)
*
James B. Leong
James B. Leong (born Leong But-jung and sometimes credited as Jimmy Leong) was a Chinese-American character actor and filmmaker who had a long career in Hollywood beginning during the silent era.
Leong was born in Shanghai, and he moved to the ...
as a native (uncredited)
Production
The film was the second filmed in the series and was originally shot under the title ''Look Out, Mr Moto''. ''Think Fast Mr Moto'' was filmed in February 1937 and released in August. In June 1937 Fox said the first three movies in the series would be ''Think Fast, Mr Moto'', ''Thank You Mr Moto'' and ''Mr Moto's Gamble''.
In July 1937 it was announced Lorre and
Rochelle Hudson
Rochelle Hudson (born Rachael Elizabeth Hudson; March 6, 1916 – January 17, 1972) was an American film actress from the 1930s through the 1960s.Angel's Holiday
''Angel's Holiday'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by James Tinling and written by Frank Fenton and Lynn Root. The film stars Jane Withers, Joan Davis, Sally Blane, Robert Kent, Harold Huber and Frank Jenks. The film was released on ...
''.
Reception
The film did not come out until June 1938.NEWS OF THE SCREEN: Claire Windsor to Return to Screen in 'Barefoot Boy'--Fonda Selected for 'Jesse James'--Other Items Coast Scripts Of Local Origin New York Times 7 June 1938: 19.
Mysterious Mr. Moto
''Mysterious Mr. Moto'', produced in 1938 by Twentieth Century Fox, is the fifth in a series of eight films starring Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto.
The film is based on the character of Mr. Moto created by John P. Marquand, from an original screenpl ...
'', was released on DVD in 2006 by 20th Century Fox as part of ''The Mr. Moto Collection, Volume One''.
Mysterious Mr. Moto
''Mysterious Mr. Moto'', produced in 1938 by Twentieth Century Fox, is the fifth in a series of eight films starring Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto.
The film is based on the character of Mr. Moto created by John P. Marquand, from an original screenpl ...
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
''Mr. Moto in Danger Island'' is a 1939 American mystery film directed by Herbert I. Leeds and starring Peter Lorre, Jean Hersholt and Amanda Duff. It is part of the Mr. Moto series of films.
The film was based on the novel '' Murder in Trinid ...