The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu (1929)

During the 1900 Boxer Rebellion, the wife and child of the wise and kindly Dr. Fu Manchu (Warner Oland) are killed by allied troops. He then swears vengeance on the Caucasians he considers responsible for their deaths and becomes the diabolical Fu Manchu! Based on the novel by Sax Rohmer and directed by Rowland V. Lee (BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY). Filmed during the transition from silent cinema to sound, this was filmed in both a silent and talkie version and both played theatres. The transfer I watched was the talkie version. It's pretty creaky and stagnant and the awkwardness eventually does the movie in. After a Fu Manchu sequel two years later, Oland would abandon Fu Manchu but still play Chinese for the Charlie Chan franchise at Fox. As Fu Manchu's ward, Jean Arthur shows none of the spark that would make her one of Hollywood's biggest stars in the 1930s and 40s. It's a chilling reminder of what her career might have been if she hadn't been rescued by Columbia who saw her ability as a comedienne. Interesting as an archival blip in the trajectory of Oland and Arthur's career as well as the Fu Manchu character. With Neil Hamilton and O.P. Heggie.