Mr. Wong In Chinatown (1939)

A Chinese princess (Lotus Long) is in San Francisco to acquire airplane materials for her government. But when she shows up in desperate straits at the home of famed detective Mr. Wong (Boris Karloff), she is murdered before she can even see him. Apparently Asian detectives were the rage in the 1930s. Most notably Charlie Chan and later Mr. Moto, both from 20th Century Fox. The Mr. Wong series was the child of poverty row studio Monogram. MR. WONG IN CHINATOWN is the third entry in the franchise. Clocking at a brief running time of one hours and twelve minutes, it still seems sluggish and drawn out. Karloff's Mr. Wong has no eccentricities, personal quirks nor an amusing wit. In fact, he's pretty blah. If the murder mystery were stronger, perhaps it wouldn't matter much that the central detective is devoid of any personality. As it is, even the most hardcore mystery buff would very little of interest in it. Directed by William Nigh. With Marjorie Reynolds as an annoying perky reporter, Grant Withers as a lunkhead of a police detective, Huntley Gordon and Richard Loo.