Think Fast, Mr. Moto
Encyclopedia
Think Fast, Mr. Moto is a 1937 film
about a mysterious Japanese detective named Mr. Moto
. It is the first of eight films in the Mr. Moto series, which are all based on Mr. Moto novels written by John P. Marquand
. The film stars Peter Lorre
as the title character, as well as Virginia Field
and Thomas Beck
. The film sees Mr. Moto trying to stop a secret smuggling operation.
takes down the owner. Later, he reserves a room on a freighter
headed for Shanghai
. Also on the freighter is Bob Hitchings Jr., the son of the owner of the freighter. Before leaving, Hitchings Sr. gives his son a confidential letter to be given to the head of the Shanghai branch of the company. Hitchings and Moto become friends (Moto notices the letter), and Moto helps Hitchings get rid of a hangover
. Hitchings complains to Moto that he has not met any beautiful women on board. After a brief stop in Honolulu, a beautiful woman named Gloria Danton arrives on the ship, and she and Hitchings fall in love. But Gloria is a spy for Nicolas Marloff, who runs a smuggling operation out of Shanghai. She periodically sends him notes and leaves without saying goodbye to Hitchings. Moto finds a steward looking for Hitchings’s letter, and Moto confronts him, knowing he was the same person who killed the man in the wicker basket, as he also has the tattoo. Moto throws the man overboard and takes the letter.
At Shanghai, Hitchings meets up with Joseph B. Wilkie and gives him the letter, but later finds it to be blank. He calls his father, who tells him the letter said to watch out for smugglers. Hitchings is adamant on finding Gloria, and he learns from an unknown person that she is at the “international club”. Both he and Wilkie go there, as well as Moto and his date. Hitchings finds Gloria at the club and goes to her dressing room, as she is a performer at the club. However, the club owner Marloff finds them both, and, knowing Hitchings knows too much, locks them both up. Moto secretly informs his date to call the police, and he looks for Marloff. Posing as a fellow smuggler, he tricks Marloff into leading him to Gloria and Hitchigns. Moto’s date is shot while trying to contact the police, but does manage to tell them where she is. Wilkie finds Marloff, and demands Gloria and Hitchings be released. Marloff finds out that Moto is not a smuggler, but Moto apprehends him. Moto tells Wilkie to get Marloff’s gun, the gun goes off as Wilkie tries to grab it, killing Marloff. The police storm the building, and Moto tells them the Wilkie was the head of the smuggling operation. Wilkie replaced the letter and shot Moto’s date. Moto gave Wilkie the opportunity to kill Marloff, who knew he was in on the plot, and he did. Wilkie is arrested, and everything goes back to normal.
1937 in film
The year 1937 in film involved some significant events, including the Walt Disney production of the first full-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.- Events :*April 16 - Way Out West premieres in the US....
about a mysterious Japanese detective named Mr. Moto
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, which was seeking stories with an Asian hero after the death...
. It is the first of eight films in the Mr. Moto series, which are all based on Mr. Moto novels written by John P. Marquand
John P. Marquand
John Phillips Marquand was a American writer. Originally best known for his Mr. Moto spy stories, he achieved popular success and critical respect for his satirical novels, winning a Pulitzer Prize for The Late George Apley in 1938...
. The film stars Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre was an Austrian-American actor frequently typecast as a sinister foreigner.He caused an international sensation in 1931 with his portrayal of a serial killer who preys on little girls in the German film M...
as the title character, as well as Virginia Field
Virginia Field
Virginia Field was a British-born film actress.Born Margaret Cynthia Field in London, her father was the judge of England's Leicester County Court Circuit. Her mother was a cousin of Robert E...
and Thomas Beck
Thomas Beck (actor)
Thomas Beck was an American actor during the mid to late 1930s.Born in New York City, Beck entered college with the intention of becoming a doctor but abandoned that for engineering. His first professional work was in a stock company and he later played on Broadway. His work interested film...
. The film sees Mr. Moto trying to stop a secret smuggling operation.
Plot
The film opens with Mr. Moto, a mysterious detective, disguising himself as a street salsmen and trying to sell goods to passers-by. He sees a man leaving a shop with a tattoo of the British Flag on his arm. Moto enters and tries to sell a rare diamond to the owner. However, Moto sees a body stuffed into a wicker basket in the store, and using his mastery of judoJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
takes down the owner. Later, he reserves a room on a freighter
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
headed for Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. Also on the freighter is Bob Hitchings Jr., the son of the owner of the freighter. Before leaving, Hitchings Sr. gives his son a confidential letter to be given to the head of the Shanghai branch of the company. Hitchings and Moto become friends (Moto notices the letter), and Moto helps Hitchings get rid of a hangover
Hangover
A hangover describes the sum of unpleasant physiological effects following heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages. The most commonly reported characteristics of a hangover include headache, nausea, sensitivity to light and noise, lethargy, dysphoria, diarrhea and thirst, typically after the...
. Hitchings complains to Moto that he has not met any beautiful women on board. After a brief stop in Honolulu, a beautiful woman named Gloria Danton arrives on the ship, and she and Hitchings fall in love. But Gloria is a spy for Nicolas Marloff, who runs a smuggling operation out of Shanghai. She periodically sends him notes and leaves without saying goodbye to Hitchings. Moto finds a steward looking for Hitchings’s letter, and Moto confronts him, knowing he was the same person who killed the man in the wicker basket, as he also has the tattoo. Moto throws the man overboard and takes the letter.
At Shanghai, Hitchings meets up with Joseph B. Wilkie and gives him the letter, but later finds it to be blank. He calls his father, who tells him the letter said to watch out for smugglers. Hitchings is adamant on finding Gloria, and he learns from an unknown person that she is at the “international club”. Both he and Wilkie go there, as well as Moto and his date. Hitchings finds Gloria at the club and goes to her dressing room, as she is a performer at the club. However, the club owner Marloff finds them both, and, knowing Hitchings knows too much, locks them both up. Moto secretly informs his date to call the police, and he looks for Marloff. Posing as a fellow smuggler, he tricks Marloff into leading him to Gloria and Hitchigns. Moto’s date is shot while trying to contact the police, but does manage to tell them where she is. Wilkie finds Marloff, and demands Gloria and Hitchings be released. Marloff finds out that Moto is not a smuggler, but Moto apprehends him. Moto tells Wilkie to get Marloff’s gun, the gun goes off as Wilkie tries to grab it, killing Marloff. The police storm the building, and Moto tells them the Wilkie was the head of the smuggling operation. Wilkie replaced the letter and shot Moto’s date. Moto gave Wilkie the opportunity to kill Marloff, who knew he was in on the plot, and he did. Wilkie is arrested, and everything goes back to normal.
Cast
- Peter LorrePeter LorrePeter Lorre was an Austrian-American actor frequently typecast as a sinister foreigner.He caused an international sensation in 1931 with his portrayal of a serial killer who preys on little girls in the German film M...
as Mr. MotoMr. MotoMr. 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, which was seeking stories with an Asian hero after the death... - Thomas BeckThomas Beck (actor)Thomas Beck was an American actor during the mid to late 1930s.Born in New York City, Beck entered college with the intention of becoming a doctor but abandoned that for engineering. His first professional work was in a stock company and he later played on Broadway. His work interested film...
as Bob Hitchings Jr. - Virginia FieldVirginia FieldVirginia Field was a British-born film actress.Born Margaret Cynthia Field in London, her father was the judge of England's Leicester County Court Circuit. Her mother was a cousin of Robert E...
as Gloria Danton - Murray KinnellMurray KinnellMurray Kinnell was an English actor. He appeared in 71 films between 1930 and 1937. He was best known as the two-timing petty-larceny hood Putty Nose in The Public Enemy...
as Joseph B. Wilkie - Sig RumanSig RumanSig Ruman was a German-American actor known for his comic portrayals of pompous villains.-Life and career:...
as Nicolas Marloff - George CooperGeorge Cooper (actor)George Cooper was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared on stage first, then in 210 films between 1911 and 1940...
as Muggs Blake - John RogersJohn Rogers-Europeans:*John Rogers , editor and part translator of the Matthew Bible, and the first English Protestant martyr under Queen Mary...
as Carson the steward - Lotus LongLotus LongBorn Lotus Pearl Shibata in New Jersey, Lotus Long was an American actor born to a father of Japanese ancestry and a mother of Hawai'ian ancestry. She came to Southern California during the 1920s to act in Hollywood films, and usually portrayed ethnic Asian female characters in supporting roles. ...
as Lela Liu - J. Carrol NaishJ. Carrol NaishJoseph Patrick Carrol Naish was an American character actor born in New York City. Naish was twice nominated for an Academy Award for film roles, and he later found fame in the title role of CBS Radio's Life With Luigi , which was also on CBS Television .Naish appeared on stage for several years...
as Adram - George Hassell as Robert Hitchings Sr. (uncredited)
- William Law as Shanghai Police Chief (uncredited)
- Bert RoachBert RoachBert Roach was an American film actor. He appeared in 327 films between 1914 and 1951.He was born in Washington, D.C., and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:* Fatty's Magic Pants...
as The Ship's Bartender (uncredited)