Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937)

When his import/export business is infiltrated by international diamond smugglers, an amateur Japanese sleuth (Peter Lorre) follows a trail of clues from San Francisco's Chinatown to the alleys of Shanghai. Based on the novel by John P. Marquand (STOPOVER TOKYO) and directed by Norman Foster (JOURNEY INTO FEAR). The first of eight Mr. Moto films made by 20th Century Fox and all starring Peter Lorre. It's good fun but many of the Moto movies that followed are better. This has a mystery that isn't all that interesting and the supporting characters are rather bland. But the film gave a chance to Lorre to play a hero which also gave him an opportunity as a leading man albeit as a character actor. There's even a hint of romance as Lorre's Mr. Moto goes on a date with a pretty switchboard operator (Lotus Long) though unfortunately she gets shot on the date. With Virginia Field, J. Carrol Naish, Thomas Beck and Sig Ruman.