Drums of Fu Manchu
Encyclopedia
Drums of Fu Manchu is a 15-chapter Republic
movie serial
very loosely based on the novel by Sax Rohmer
, starring Henry Brandon, William Royle and Robert Kellard
. It was directed by the legendary serial team of William Witney
and John English
and is often considered one of the best movie serials ever made.
of Genghis Khan
, which will unite the people of Asia
under his rule. The action heroics of the serial are provided by an original (for the serial) character, Allan Parker, a young American
, who has allied himself with the traditional British
literary nemeses of Fu Manchu, Sir Denis Nayland Smith and his associate, Dr. Flinders Petrie after his father is kidnapped and killed by Fu Manchu's dacoits.
was $166,312 (a $2,260, or 1.4%, overspend). It was the most expensive Republic serial of 1940, although this year was the first in which Republic's overall spending on serial production was less than in the previous year. Republic spent $597,528 producing serials in 1940 compared to $648,064 in 1939 (1939's total would not be beaten until the $782,204 of 1944). The studio produced four serials in each year, with the same mix of two 12-chapter serials and two 15-chapter serials.
The serial was filmed between 22 December 1939 and 7 February 1940, the longest filming period of any Republic serial. The serial's production number was 995.
Directors Witney
and English
, working with photographer William Nobles, stressed the elements of mystery in the plot over the usual action. Strong use of shadows was made with "the eeriest lighting possible falling upon Fu Manchu."
A 69-minute feature film version, created by editing the serial footage together, was released on 27 November 1943. The feature version had the working title
s Fu Manchu and Fu Manchu Strikes. It was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials. This version changed the ending of the film. Fu Manchu's escape at the end is edited out and he dies in the final car crash instead. A similar change was made in the feature version of the Victory Pictures serial Shadow of Chinatown .
Brandon as Fu Manchu is, in Cline's opinion, "a performance that stands alone."
Hans J. Wollstein, writing at Allmovie, concurs that Drums of Du Fu Manchu is "one of [Republic's] very best" serials. He does, however, note mistakes such as the misspelling of "Ghengis Khan" and Fu Manchu referring to Mary Randolph as "Miss Parker" but considers them part of the charm of the serial. In terms of acting, Brandon is a "compelling and strangely ageless fiend" while Kellard is "competent as the action hero." Witney and English are afforded the usual praise for their work.
Source:
This was one of Republic's two 15-chapter serials in 1940. The other was Mysterious Doctor Satan
. Following their standard practice of 1938-1944, Republic also released two 12-chapter serials in this year, Adventures of Red Ryder
and King of the Royal Mounted
.
movie serial
very loosely based on the novel by Sax Rohmer
, starring Henry Brandon, William Royle and Robert Kellard
. It was directed by the legendary serial team of William Witney
and John English
and is often considered one of the best movie serials ever made.
of Genghis Khan
, which will unite the people of Asia
under his rule. The action heroics of the serial are provided by an original (for the serial) character, Allan Parker, a young American
, who has allied himself with the traditional British
literary nemeses of Fu Manchu, Sir Denis Nayland Smith and his associate, Dr. Flinders Petrie after his father is kidnapped and killed by Fu Manchu's dacoits.
was $166,312 (a $2,260, or 1.4%, overspend). It was the most expensive Republic serial of 1940, although this year was the first in which Republic's overall spending on serial production was less than in the previous year. Republic spent $597,528 producing serials in 1940 compared to $648,064 in 1939 (1939's total would not be beaten until the $782,204 of 1944). The studio produced four serials in each year, with the same mix of two 12-chapter serials and two 15-chapter serials.
The serial was filmed between 22 December 1939 and 7 February 1940, the longest filming period of any Republic serial. The serial's production number was 995.
Directors Witney
and English
, working with photographer William Nobles, stressed the elements of mystery in the plot over the usual action. Strong use of shadows was made with "the eeriest lighting possible falling upon Fu Manchu."
A 69-minute feature film version, created by editing the serial footage together, was released on 27 November 1943. The feature version had the working title
s Fu Manchu and Fu Manchu Strikes. It was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials. This version changed the ending of the film. Fu Manchu's escape at the end is edited out and he dies in the final car crash instead. A similar change was made in the feature version of the Victory Pictures serial Shadow of Chinatown .
Brandon as Fu Manchu is, in Cline's opinion, "a performance that stands alone."
Hans J. Wollstein, writing at Allmovie, concurs that Drums of Du Fu Manchu is "one of [Republic's] very best" serials. He does, however, note mistakes such as the misspelling of "Ghengis Khan" and Fu Manchu referring to Mary Randolph as "Miss Parker" but considers them part of the charm of the serial. In terms of acting, Brandon is a "compelling and strangely ageless fiend" while Kellard is "competent as the action hero." Witney and English are afforded the usual praise for their work.
Source:
This was one of Republic's two 15-chapter serials in 1940. The other was Mysterious Doctor Satan
. Following their standard practice of 1938-1944, Republic also released two 12-chapter serials in this year, Adventures of Red Ryder
and King of the Royal Mounted
.
movie serial
very loosely based on the novel by Sax Rohmer
, starring Henry Brandon, William Royle and Robert Kellard
. It was directed by the legendary serial team of William Witney
and John English
and is often considered one of the best movie serials ever made.
of Genghis Khan
, which will unite the people of Asia
under his rule. The action heroics of the serial are provided by an original (for the serial) character, Allan Parker, a young American
, who has allied himself with the traditional British
literary nemeses of Fu Manchu, Sir Denis Nayland Smith and his associate, Dr. Flinders Petrie after his father is kidnapped and killed by Fu Manchu's dacoits.
was $166,312 (a $2,260, or 1.4%, overspend). It was the most expensive Republic serial of 1940, although this year was the first in which Republic's overall spending on serial production was less than in the previous year. Republic spent $597,528 producing serials in 1940 compared to $648,064 in 1939 (1939's total would not be beaten until the $782,204 of 1944). The studio produced four serials in each year, with the same mix of two 12-chapter serials and two 15-chapter serials.
The serial was filmed between 22 December 1939 and 7 February 1940, the longest filming period of any Republic serial. The serial's production number was 995.
Directors Witney
and English
, working with photographer William Nobles, stressed the elements of mystery in the plot over the usual action. Strong use of shadows was made with "the eeriest lighting possible falling upon Fu Manchu."
A 69-minute feature film version, created by editing the serial footage together, was released on 27 November 1943. The feature version had the working title
s Fu Manchu and Fu Manchu Strikes. It was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials. This version changed the ending of the film. Fu Manchu's escape at the end is edited out and he dies in the final car crash instead. A similar change was made in the feature version of the Victory Pictures serial Shadow of Chinatown .
Brandon as Fu Manchu is, in Cline's opinion, "a performance that stands alone."
Hans J. Wollstein, writing at Allmovie, concurs that Drums of Du Fu Manchu is "one of [Republic's] very best" serials. He does, however, note mistakes such as the misspelling of "Ghengis Khan" and Fu Manchu referring to Mary Randolph as "Miss Parker" but considers them part of the charm of the serial. In terms of acting, Brandon is a "compelling and strangely ageless fiend" while Kellard is "competent as the action hero." Witney and English are afforded the usual praise for their work.
Source:
This was one of Republic's two 15-chapter serials in 1940. The other was Mysterious Doctor Satan
. Following their standard practice of 1938-1944, Republic also released two 12-chapter serials in this year, Adventures of Red Ryder
and King of the Royal Mounted
.
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
movie serial
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
very loosely based on the novel by Sax Rohmer
Sax Rohmer
Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward , better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English novelist. He is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr...
, starring Henry Brandon, William Royle and Robert Kellard
Robert Kellard
Robert Kellard was an American actor who appeared in over 60 films between 1937 and 1951.-Career:Kellard entered in Hollywood in 1937 in the film Annapolis Salute, directed by Christy Cabanne...
. It was directed by the legendary serial team of William Witney
William Witney
William Nuelsen Witney was an American film and television director. He is best remembered for the movie serials he co-directed with John English for Republic Pictures such as Daredevils of the Red Circle, Zorro's Fighting Legion and Drums of Fu Manchu.He directed many Westerns during his career,...
and John English
John English (director)
John English was an American film editor and film director...
and is often considered one of the best movie serials ever made.
Plot
In this serial, Fu Manchu attempts to conquer the world by acquiring the SceptreSceptre
A sceptre is a symbolic ornamental rod or wand borne in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of royal or imperial insignia.-Antiquity:...
of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
, which will unite the people of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
under his rule. The action heroics of the serial are provided by an original (for the serial) character, Allan Parker, a young American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, who has allied himself with the traditional British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
literary nemeses of Fu Manchu, Sir Denis Nayland Smith and his associate, Dr. Flinders Petrie after his father is kidnapped and killed by Fu Manchu's dacoits.
Cast
- Henry Brandon as Fu ManchuFu ManchuDr. Fu Manchu is a fictional character introduced in a series of novels by British author Sax Rohmer during the first half of the 20th century...
- William Royle as Sir Denis Nayland Smith
- Robert KellardRobert KellardRobert Kellard was an American actor who appeared in over 60 films between 1937 and 1951.-Career:Kellard entered in Hollywood in 1937 in the film Annapolis Salute, directed by Christy Cabanne...
as Allan Parker - Gloria Franklin as Fah Lo Suee
- Olaf HyttenOlaf HyttenOlaf Hytten was a Scottish film actor. He appeared in over 280 films between 1921 and 1955.He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and died in Los Angeles, California from a heart attack...
as Dr. Flinders Petrie - Tom ChattertonTom ChattertonTom Chatterton was an American actor.Born in Geneva, New York, Chatterton began his film career in 1913 at the New York Motion Picture Company under director Thomas H. Ince. Although never a major star, Chatterton had several leading roles in early silent films...
as Professor Edward Randolph - Luana WaltersLuana WaltersLuana Walters was a motion picture actress from Los Angeles, California.Walters was an expert horsewoman which led to her discovery as an actress at a rodeo in Palm Springs, California. She won a woman's bucking contest which was being watched by a movie scout, who noticed her.Her film career...
as Mary Randolph - John Merton as Loki
- Dwight FryeDwight FryeDwight Iliff Frye was an American stage and screen actor, noted for his appearances in the classic horror films Dracula , Frankenstein , The Invisible Man , and Bride of Frankenstein .-Early life and career:Frye was born in Salina, Kansas...
as Professor Anderson - Lal Chand Mehra as Sirdar Prahni
Production
Drums of Fu Manchu was budgeted at $164,052 although the final negative costNegative cost
Negative cost is the cost of actually producing and shooting a film. It does not include such costs as distribution and promotion.Low-budget movies, for example The Blair Witch Project, can have promotional expenses that are much larger than the negative cost.The term comes from the costs up to the...
was $166,312 (a $2,260, or 1.4%, overspend). It was the most expensive Republic serial of 1940, although this year was the first in which Republic's overall spending on serial production was less than in the previous year. Republic spent $597,528 producing serials in 1940 compared to $648,064 in 1939 (1939's total would not be beaten until the $782,204 of 1944). The studio produced four serials in each year, with the same mix of two 12-chapter serials and two 15-chapter serials.
The serial was filmed between 22 December 1939 and 7 February 1940, the longest filming period of any Republic serial. The serial's production number was 995.
Directors Witney
William Witney
William Nuelsen Witney was an American film and television director. He is best remembered for the movie serials he co-directed with John English for Republic Pictures such as Daredevils of the Red Circle, Zorro's Fighting Legion and Drums of Fu Manchu.He directed many Westerns during his career,...
and English
John English (director)
John English was an American film editor and film director...
, working with photographer William Nobles, stressed the elements of mystery in the plot over the usual action. Strong use of shadows was made with "the eeriest lighting possible falling upon Fu Manchu."
Theatrical
Drums of Fu Manchus official release date is 15 March 1940, although this is actually the date the seventh chapter was made available to film exchanges.A 69-minute feature film version, created by editing the serial footage together, was released on 27 November 1943. The feature version had the working title
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
s Fu Manchu and Fu Manchu Strikes. It was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials. This version changed the ending of the film. Fu Manchu's escape at the end is edited out and he dies in the final car crash instead. A similar change was made in the feature version of the Victory Pictures serial Shadow of Chinatown .
Critical reception
Harmon and Glut regard Drums of Fu Manchu as one of Republic's best film serials.Brandon as Fu Manchu is, in Cline's opinion, "a performance that stands alone."
Hans J. Wollstein, writing at Allmovie, concurs that Drums of Du Fu Manchu is "one of [Republic's] very best" serials. He does, however, note mistakes such as the misspelling of "Ghengis Khan" and Fu Manchu referring to Mary Randolph as "Miss Parker" but considers them part of the charm of the serial. In terms of acting, Brandon is a "compelling and strangely ageless fiend" while Kellard is "competent as the action hero." Witney and English are afforded the usual praise for their work.
Chapter titles
- Fu Manchu Strikes (29min 18s)
- The Monster (17min 39s)
- Ransom in the Sky (17min 38s)
- The Pendulum of Doom (16min 49s)
- The House of Terror (17min 23s)
- Death Dials a Number (17min 43s)
- Vengeance of the Si Fan (18min 15s)
- Danger Trail (16min 48s)
- The Crystal of Death (16min 54s)
- Drums of Death (17min 11s)
- The Tomb of Genghis Khan (16min 59s)
- Fire of Vengeance (16min 39s)
- The Devil's Tattoo (16min 47s)
- Satan's Surgeon (16min 40s)
- Revolt! (16min 45s)
Source:
This was one of Republic's two 15-chapter serials in 1940. The other was Mysterious Doctor Satan
Mysterious Doctor Satan
Mysterious Doctor Satan is a 1940 film serial named after its chief villain. Doctor Satan's main opponent is The Copperhead, a masked mystery man secretly Bob Wayne....
. Following their standard practice of 1938-1944, Republic also released two 12-chapter serials in this year, Adventures of Red Ryder
Adventures of Red Ryder
The Adventures of Red Ryder is a 12-chapter Republic movie serial starring Don "Red" Barry and Noah Beery, Sr. based on the Western comic strip Red Ryder. It was directed by William Witney and John English. This serial was the 18th of the 66 serials produced by Republic...
and King of the Royal Mounted
King of the Royal Mounted (serial)
King of the Royal Mounted is a Republic Pictures northern serial based on the King of the Royal Mounted Comic strip directed by William Witney and John English....
.
See also
- List of film serials by year
- List of film serials by studio
- Yellow PerilYellow PerilYellow Peril was a colour metaphor for race that originated in the late nineteenth century with immigration of Chinese laborers to various Western countries, notably the United States, and later associated with the Japanese during the mid 20th century, due to Japanese military expansion.The term...
External links
Drums of Fu Manchu (1940) is a 15-chapter RepublicRepublic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
movie serial
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
very loosely based on the novel by Sax Rohmer
Sax Rohmer
Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward , better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English novelist. He is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr...
, starring Henry Brandon, William Royle and Robert Kellard
Robert Kellard
Robert Kellard was an American actor who appeared in over 60 films between 1937 and 1951.-Career:Kellard entered in Hollywood in 1937 in the film Annapolis Salute, directed by Christy Cabanne...
. It was directed by the legendary serial team of William Witney
William Witney
William Nuelsen Witney was an American film and television director. He is best remembered for the movie serials he co-directed with John English for Republic Pictures such as Daredevils of the Red Circle, Zorro's Fighting Legion and Drums of Fu Manchu.He directed many Westerns during his career,...
and John English
John English (director)
John English was an American film editor and film director...
and is often considered one of the best movie serials ever made.
Plot
In this serial, Fu Manchu attempts to conquer the world by acquiring the SceptreSceptre
A sceptre is a symbolic ornamental rod or wand borne in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of royal or imperial insignia.-Antiquity:...
of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
, which will unite the people of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
under his rule. The action heroics of the serial are provided by an original (for the serial) character, Allan Parker, a young American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, who has allied himself with the traditional British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
literary nemeses of Fu Manchu, Sir Denis Nayland Smith and his associate, Dr. Flinders Petrie after his father is kidnapped and killed by Fu Manchu's dacoits.
Cast
- Henry Brandon as Fu ManchuFu ManchuDr. Fu Manchu is a fictional character introduced in a series of novels by British author Sax Rohmer during the first half of the 20th century...
- William Royle as Sir Denis Nayland Smith
- Robert KellardRobert KellardRobert Kellard was an American actor who appeared in over 60 films between 1937 and 1951.-Career:Kellard entered in Hollywood in 1937 in the film Annapolis Salute, directed by Christy Cabanne...
as Allan Parker - Gloria Franklin as Fah Lo Suee
- Olaf HyttenOlaf HyttenOlaf Hytten was a Scottish film actor. He appeared in over 280 films between 1921 and 1955.He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and died in Los Angeles, California from a heart attack...
as Dr. Flinders Petrie - Tom ChattertonTom ChattertonTom Chatterton was an American actor.Born in Geneva, New York, Chatterton began his film career in 1913 at the New York Motion Picture Company under director Thomas H. Ince. Although never a major star, Chatterton had several leading roles in early silent films...
as Professor Edward Randolph - Luana WaltersLuana WaltersLuana Walters was a motion picture actress from Los Angeles, California.Walters was an expert horsewoman which led to her discovery as an actress at a rodeo in Palm Springs, California. She won a woman's bucking contest which was being watched by a movie scout, who noticed her.Her film career...
as Mary Randolph - John Merton as Loki
- Dwight FryeDwight FryeDwight Iliff Frye was an American stage and screen actor, noted for his appearances in the classic horror films Dracula , Frankenstein , The Invisible Man , and Bride of Frankenstein .-Early life and career:Frye was born in Salina, Kansas...
as Professor Anderson - Lal Chand Mehra as Sirdar Prahni
Production
Drums of Fu Manchu was budgeted at $164,052 although the final negative costNegative cost
Negative cost is the cost of actually producing and shooting a film. It does not include such costs as distribution and promotion.Low-budget movies, for example The Blair Witch Project, can have promotional expenses that are much larger than the negative cost.The term comes from the costs up to the...
was $166,312 (a $2,260, or 1.4%, overspend). It was the most expensive Republic serial of 1940, although this year was the first in which Republic's overall spending on serial production was less than in the previous year. Republic spent $597,528 producing serials in 1940 compared to $648,064 in 1939 (1939's total would not be beaten until the $782,204 of 1944). The studio produced four serials in each year, with the same mix of two 12-chapter serials and two 15-chapter serials.
The serial was filmed between 22 December 1939 and 7 February 1940, the longest filming period of any Republic serial. The serial's production number was 995.
Directors Witney
William Witney
William Nuelsen Witney was an American film and television director. He is best remembered for the movie serials he co-directed with John English for Republic Pictures such as Daredevils of the Red Circle, Zorro's Fighting Legion and Drums of Fu Manchu.He directed many Westerns during his career,...
and English
John English (director)
John English was an American film editor and film director...
, working with photographer William Nobles, stressed the elements of mystery in the plot over the usual action. Strong use of shadows was made with "the eeriest lighting possible falling upon Fu Manchu."
Theatrical
Drums of Fu Manchus official release date is 15 March 1940, although this is actually the date the seventh chapter was made available to film exchanges.A 69-minute feature film version, created by editing the serial footage together, was released on 27 November 1943. The feature version had the working title
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
s Fu Manchu and Fu Manchu Strikes. It was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials. This version changed the ending of the film. Fu Manchu's escape at the end is edited out and he dies in the final car crash instead. A similar change was made in the feature version of the Victory Pictures serial Shadow of Chinatown .
Critical reception
Harmon and Glut regard Drums of Fu Manchu as one of Republic's best film serials.Brandon as Fu Manchu is, in Cline's opinion, "a performance that stands alone."
Hans J. Wollstein, writing at Allmovie, concurs that Drums of Du Fu Manchu is "one of [Republic's] very best" serials. He does, however, note mistakes such as the misspelling of "Ghengis Khan" and Fu Manchu referring to Mary Randolph as "Miss Parker" but considers them part of the charm of the serial. In terms of acting, Brandon is a "compelling and strangely ageless fiend" while Kellard is "competent as the action hero." Witney and English are afforded the usual praise for their work.
Chapter titles
- Fu Manchu Strikes (29min 18s)
- The Monster (17min 39s)
- Ransom in the Sky (17min 38s)
- The Pendulum of Doom (16min 49s)
- The House of Terror (17min 23s)
- Death Dials a Number (17min 43s)
- Vengeance of the Si Fan (18min 15s)
- Danger Trail (16min 48s)
- The Crystal of Death (16min 54s)
- Drums of Death (17min 11s)
- The Tomb of Genghis Khan (16min 59s)
- Fire of Vengeance (16min 39s)
- The Devil's Tattoo (16min 47s)
- Satan's Surgeon (16min 40s)
- Revolt! (16min 45s)
Source:
This was one of Republic's two 15-chapter serials in 1940. The other was Mysterious Doctor Satan
Mysterious Doctor Satan
Mysterious Doctor Satan is a 1940 film serial named after its chief villain. Doctor Satan's main opponent is The Copperhead, a masked mystery man secretly Bob Wayne....
. Following their standard practice of 1938-1944, Republic also released two 12-chapter serials in this year, Adventures of Red Ryder
Adventures of Red Ryder
The Adventures of Red Ryder is a 12-chapter Republic movie serial starring Don "Red" Barry and Noah Beery, Sr. based on the Western comic strip Red Ryder. It was directed by William Witney and John English. This serial was the 18th of the 66 serials produced by Republic...
and King of the Royal Mounted
King of the Royal Mounted (serial)
King of the Royal Mounted is a Republic Pictures northern serial based on the King of the Royal Mounted Comic strip directed by William Witney and John English....
.
See also
- List of film serials by year
- List of film serials by studio
- Yellow PerilYellow PerilYellow Peril was a colour metaphor for race that originated in the late nineteenth century with immigration of Chinese laborers to various Western countries, notably the United States, and later associated with the Japanese during the mid 20th century, due to Japanese military expansion.The term...
External links
Drums of Fu Manchu (1940) is a 15-chapter RepublicRepublic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
movie serial
Serial (film)
Serials, more specifically known as Movie serials, Film serials or Chapter plays, were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. They were related to pulp magazine serialized fiction...
very loosely based on the novel by Sax Rohmer
Sax Rohmer
Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward , better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English novelist. He is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr...
, starring Henry Brandon, William Royle and Robert Kellard
Robert Kellard
Robert Kellard was an American actor who appeared in over 60 films between 1937 and 1951.-Career:Kellard entered in Hollywood in 1937 in the film Annapolis Salute, directed by Christy Cabanne...
. It was directed by the legendary serial team of William Witney
William Witney
William Nuelsen Witney was an American film and television director. He is best remembered for the movie serials he co-directed with John English for Republic Pictures such as Daredevils of the Red Circle, Zorro's Fighting Legion and Drums of Fu Manchu.He directed many Westerns during his career,...
and John English
John English (director)
John English was an American film editor and film director...
and is often considered one of the best movie serials ever made.
Plot
In this serial, Fu Manchu attempts to conquer the world by acquiring the SceptreSceptre
A sceptre is a symbolic ornamental rod or wand borne in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of royal or imperial insignia.-Antiquity:...
of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
, which will unite the people of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
under his rule. The action heroics of the serial are provided by an original (for the serial) character, Allan Parker, a young American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, who has allied himself with the traditional British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
literary nemeses of Fu Manchu, Sir Denis Nayland Smith and his associate, Dr. Flinders Petrie after his father is kidnapped and killed by Fu Manchu's dacoits.
Cast
- Henry Brandon as Fu ManchuFu ManchuDr. Fu Manchu is a fictional character introduced in a series of novels by British author Sax Rohmer during the first half of the 20th century...
- William Royle as Sir Denis Nayland Smith
- Robert KellardRobert KellardRobert Kellard was an American actor who appeared in over 60 films between 1937 and 1951.-Career:Kellard entered in Hollywood in 1937 in the film Annapolis Salute, directed by Christy Cabanne...
as Allan Parker - Gloria Franklin as Fah Lo Suee
- Olaf HyttenOlaf HyttenOlaf Hytten was a Scottish film actor. He appeared in over 280 films between 1921 and 1955.He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and died in Los Angeles, California from a heart attack...
as Dr. Flinders Petrie - Tom ChattertonTom ChattertonTom Chatterton was an American actor.Born in Geneva, New York, Chatterton began his film career in 1913 at the New York Motion Picture Company under director Thomas H. Ince. Although never a major star, Chatterton had several leading roles in early silent films...
as Professor Edward Randolph - Luana WaltersLuana WaltersLuana Walters was a motion picture actress from Los Angeles, California.Walters was an expert horsewoman which led to her discovery as an actress at a rodeo in Palm Springs, California. She won a woman's bucking contest which was being watched by a movie scout, who noticed her.Her film career...
as Mary Randolph - John Merton as Loki
- Dwight FryeDwight FryeDwight Iliff Frye was an American stage and screen actor, noted for his appearances in the classic horror films Dracula , Frankenstein , The Invisible Man , and Bride of Frankenstein .-Early life and career:Frye was born in Salina, Kansas...
as Professor Anderson - Lal Chand Mehra as Sirdar Prahni
Production
Drums of Fu Manchu was budgeted at $164,052 although the final negative costNegative cost
Negative cost is the cost of actually producing and shooting a film. It does not include such costs as distribution and promotion.Low-budget movies, for example The Blair Witch Project, can have promotional expenses that are much larger than the negative cost.The term comes from the costs up to the...
was $166,312 (a $2,260, or 1.4%, overspend). It was the most expensive Republic serial of 1940, although this year was the first in which Republic's overall spending on serial production was less than in the previous year. Republic spent $597,528 producing serials in 1940 compared to $648,064 in 1939 (1939's total would not be beaten until the $782,204 of 1944). The studio produced four serials in each year, with the same mix of two 12-chapter serials and two 15-chapter serials.
The serial was filmed between 22 December 1939 and 7 February 1940, the longest filming period of any Republic serial. The serial's production number was 995.
Directors Witney
William Witney
William Nuelsen Witney was an American film and television director. He is best remembered for the movie serials he co-directed with John English for Republic Pictures such as Daredevils of the Red Circle, Zorro's Fighting Legion and Drums of Fu Manchu.He directed many Westerns during his career,...
and English
John English (director)
John English was an American film editor and film director...
, working with photographer William Nobles, stressed the elements of mystery in the plot over the usual action. Strong use of shadows was made with "the eeriest lighting possible falling upon Fu Manchu."
Theatrical
Drums of Fu Manchus official release date is 15 March 1940, although this is actually the date the seventh chapter was made available to film exchanges.A 69-minute feature film version, created by editing the serial footage together, was released on 27 November 1943. The feature version had the working title
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
s Fu Manchu and Fu Manchu Strikes. It was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials. This version changed the ending of the film. Fu Manchu's escape at the end is edited out and he dies in the final car crash instead. A similar change was made in the feature version of the Victory Pictures serial Shadow of Chinatown .
Critical reception
Harmon and Glut regard Drums of Fu Manchu as one of Republic's best film serials.Brandon as Fu Manchu is, in Cline's opinion, "a performance that stands alone."
Hans J. Wollstein, writing at Allmovie, concurs that Drums of Du Fu Manchu is "one of [Republic's] very best" serials. He does, however, note mistakes such as the misspelling of "Ghengis Khan" and Fu Manchu referring to Mary Randolph as "Miss Parker" but considers them part of the charm of the serial. In terms of acting, Brandon is a "compelling and strangely ageless fiend" while Kellard is "competent as the action hero." Witney and English are afforded the usual praise for their work.
Chapter titles
- Fu Manchu Strikes (29min 18s)
- The Monster (17min 39s)
- Ransom in the Sky (17min 38s)
- The Pendulum of Doom (16min 49s)
- The House of Terror (17min 23s)
- Death Dials a Number (17min 43s)
- Vengeance of the Si Fan (18min 15s)
- Danger Trail (16min 48s)
- The Crystal of Death (16min 54s)
- Drums of Death (17min 11s)
- The Tomb of Genghis Khan (16min 59s)
- Fire of Vengeance (16min 39s)
- The Devil's Tattoo (16min 47s)
- Satan's Surgeon (16min 40s)
- Revolt! (16min 45s)
Source:
This was one of Republic's two 15-chapter serials in 1940. The other was Mysterious Doctor Satan
Mysterious Doctor Satan
Mysterious Doctor Satan is a 1940 film serial named after its chief villain. Doctor Satan's main opponent is The Copperhead, a masked mystery man secretly Bob Wayne....
. Following their standard practice of 1938-1944, Republic also released two 12-chapter serials in this year, Adventures of Red Ryder
Adventures of Red Ryder
The Adventures of Red Ryder is a 12-chapter Republic movie serial starring Don "Red" Barry and Noah Beery, Sr. based on the Western comic strip Red Ryder. It was directed by William Witney and John English. This serial was the 18th of the 66 serials produced by Republic...
and King of the Royal Mounted
King of the Royal Mounted (serial)
King of the Royal Mounted is a Republic Pictures northern serial based on the King of the Royal Mounted Comic strip directed by William Witney and John English....
.
See also
- List of film serials by year
- List of film serials by studio
- Yellow PerilYellow PerilYellow Peril was a colour metaphor for race that originated in the late nineteenth century with immigration of Chinese laborers to various Western countries, notably the United States, and later associated with the Japanese during the mid 20th century, due to Japanese military expansion.The term...