Customer Reviews

Mr. Moto Collection, Vol. 1 (Mr. Moto Takes A Chance / Mysterious Mr. Moto / Thank You Mr. Moto / Think Fast Mr. Moto)

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Fox has not publicized the bonus features on this long awaited collections so, for the benefit of those who are curious, here's what is included in this collection:

1. featurettes on Peter Lorre, Director Norman Foster, Producer Sol Wurtzal, and Lorre's personal stuntman Harvey Parry. The same crew that did the excellent featurettes on the Chan collection did these as well.

2. Trailers for two of the films

3. a clip of the Ritz Brothers doing a skit while impersonating Lorre, Karloff, and Laughton (attached to the end of one of the featurettes)

4. Restoration comparison (the prints used for the DVDsare said to look excellent)

Fox has followed up their great Chan box with the even more rare Moto series. Hopefully Moto Vol 2 will be out before the end of the year.

Highly recommended.

At long last, the people at Fox video are opening the vaults to release the classic Mr. Moto films starring the great Peter Lorre. If Fox is releasing the films in order, the films in the set should be THINK FAST, MR. MOTO (1937), THANK YOU, MR. MOTO (1938), MR. MOTO'S GAMBLE (1938), and MR. MOTO TAKES A CHANCE (1938). Since none of the Moto films have ever been offically released (with the exception of 1939's MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING, for some reason in the public domain), this deluxe DVD debut of the Japanese detective/adventurer is a cause for celebration. Hopefully, Fox will show as much care with this set (and as much care with the set of four Charlie Chan films that are also finally coming out from cold storage) as they did with the recent release of their Laurel and Hardy films, with excellent commentaries, notes, and extras. Please Fox, give us the rest of the Moto films soon!

I've long been a fan of JP Marquand's Mr Moto novels. Although Mr Moto is Japanese, all stories center on China, and therefore the volatile decade of the 1930s. Japan had taken over part of China in 1931, and took much of China proper beginning in 1937. The Mr Moto stories take place against that background. They are masterfully written by a reknowned American writer, even though clearly for a magazine-type popular readership.

The films have nothing to do with the stories at all, save for a title or two and the character of Mr Moto. That's fine with me. The stories appeal to me for their writing, not for their plots, but I wanted to see what the US film world of the 1930s was doing with this fine fictional character. I was a bit anxious, because I had obtained and watched volume 1 of the Charlie Chan DVD collection, and although I liked the "talking heads" portion of the DVD set, I thought the films only barely watchable.

What a delightful surprise. The films seem to have a slightly higher production value (they're not quite so tied to the soundstage environment of the B movies of the day), but what makes them such a wonderful experience to watch 70 years later is the portrayal of Mr Moto by Peter Lorre. I think that the scripts are better than the Chan movies, too, but time and time again it is the impressiveness of Lorre that saves a hokey scene or adds the necessary touch of seriousness to a situation frought with camp.

I won't get a second volume of Charlie Chan, but most assuredly will buy the second volume of Mr Moto, if it is produced. Might I add that the restoration of the films is also most remarkable. They look better on my widescreen TV than they ever did in the movie theater.

This is a really great set from Fox. The prints are fantastic and the extras are really interesting. The Moto films are forgotten classics and it is great that viewers can now discover or rediscover them!

The only negative comment involves Amazon's pricing practices of late. Like many others, I preordered this from Amazon and was punished for doing so by being charged $42...today, the price went down to $36! Pick it up for this price, by all means. I will be cautious of preordering anything from Amazon in the future. I would recommend that you do the same.

Can't wait to see these films -- which are remastered prints. They are not, however, the first four movies in the Mr. Moto series, but the box-set does include two of the best in the series. These are the films: "Think Fast, Mr. Moto", "Thank You, Mr. Moto", "Mr. Moto Takes a Chance", and "Mysterious Mr. Moto". I hope we won't have to wait too long for the second box-set.

Honorable ancestors can rejoice-- two detective series from the inscrutable east have been preserved on DVD for our delight and delectation. Honorable Charlie Chan, the Chinese detective, and wily Mr. Moto, the Japanese detective, two of the stalwarts of the Fox film series, stand up surprisingly well after nearly 70 years.
Addressing the issue of inherent racism and stereotyping first, yes, these films present Asians as outsiders, very different and strange, but gifted with near superhuman powers of observation. However, it must be admitted that these characters are a far cry from the black Stepin Fetchits and gay Franklin Pangborns of the same period. Asians would suffer greatly at the hands of Hollywood before, during and after the Second World War, but these products of the '30s are considerably more benign, than, say, the Fu Manchu series, presenting an Asian as an arch demon.
Twentieth Century Fox has released four of the earliest films from each of the series, and while they are, frankly, B-movies, they are surprisingly well-made and entertaining. We follow Chan through London in the first, Paris in the second, Egypt in the third, and finally Shanghai, where the sleuth solves a variety of killings with patient observations and little interaction. On the other hand, Mr. Moto, who must think fast, take a chance, be simply mysterious, and then allow a thank you, seems something more of a hands-on secret agent than just a detective. Moto actually kills people, usually in self defense, and uses a bundle of disguises and subterfuges to solve his cases, which usually point more to international conspiracies than merely murder.
It's interesting than Chan was played by Warner Oland, a Swedish actor, and Moto by Peter Lorre, a German actor. As vehicles, the Chans seem a little weaker; the Motos not only seem more tightly conceived and cast, but also have the good fortune to be all directed by the same man, Norman Foster, who was one of Orson Welles' directors. In both series, the usual suspects of Hollywood's stock character performers pop up with alarming regularity, and Fox's B-unit, churned out by Sol Wurtzel at the rate of twice a month for over a decade, seems somehow a cut above the similar units at Warners and Metro. While none of these films can be called examples of cinematic greatness, they each run roughly a very fast 70 minutes, are engaging and unpretentious. To perhaps snag a bit of the dialogue from either series, we should bow slightly at the waist in the direction of Twentieth Century Fox and say, "Thank you so much."

The Mr. Moto series is an excellent group of adventure/detective movies. Peter Lorre's characterization as Mr. Moto and a fine supporting cast elevates these movies above the usual "B" detective movies.

The restoration of these films by Twentieth Century Fox is excellent. The picture quality of this set (and its companion set)are far superior to the public domain versions of these films.

Please consider two (2) other related purchases to become an expert fan of Mr. Moto and Peter Lorre. Howard Berlin has written a concise and well-organized overview of the Mr. Moto series, The Complete Mr. Moto Phile: A Casebook. This softcover book is available for approximately $[...] from Amazon.com. Stephen Youngkin has written a book on Peter Lorre, The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre. Youngkin's book is one of the most comprehensive and best researched biographes of a Hollywood star - it is a a treasure trove of information about Peter Lorre. This hardcover book is available for approximately [...]from Amazon.com I gained a greater appreciation for Peter Lorre's acting talents in the Mr. Moto series after I read both of these books. Please review the Amazon.com reviews for these books.

The Complete Mr. Moto Film Phile: A Casebook

The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment present "MR. MOTO COLLECTION VOL. 1", featuring Peter Lorre as Mr. Kentaro Moto is a fictional Japanese secret agent created by the American author John P. Marquand and not much like the fictional Chinese detective Charlie Chan (a much more benevolent and likable character). Moto's name is apparently an alias, and he is better known simply as Mr. Moto....Moto is small in stature but strong and an expert in judo. He was the title character of a series of books, beginning with No Hero (1935; British title: Mr. Moto Takes a Hand, reprint title: Your Turn, Mr. Moto), and of eight films between 1937 and 1939, in which he was portrayed by Peter Lorre. With the beginning of World War II, Mr. Moto fell out of favor with Americans, and no new books or movies about him appeared between 1942 and 1957....Marquand originally created Moto for the Saturday Evening Post, which encouraged him to write Asian flavored mystery stories after the death of Charlie Chan's creator, Earl Derr Biggers

Disc One:
"THINK FAST MR. MOTO" (1937) (67 mins/B&W) ...20th Century Fox / Sol M. Wurtzel Productions
Under Norman Foster (Director / Screenwriter), Sol Wurtzel (Producer), John P. Marquand (Short Story Author), Howard Ellis Smith (Screenwriter), Harry Jackson (Cinematographer), Albert Akst (Songwriter), Sidney Clare (Songwriter), Samuel Kaylin (Musical Direction/Supervision / Composer (Music Score), Alex Troffey (Editor), Lewis H. Creber (Art Director), Herschel (Costume Designer) . . . . . cast includes Peter Lorre (Mr. Kentaro Moto), Virginia Field (Gloria Danton), Thomas Beck (Bob Hitchings), Sig Rumann (Nicholas Marloff), Murray Kinnell (Mr. Joseph Wilkie), John Rogers (Carson), Lotus Long (Lela Liu), George Cooper (Muggs Blake), J. Carrol Naish (Adram), Fredrik Vogeding (Curio Dealer), Richard Alexander (Doorman), George Hassell (Mr. Hitchings) . . . . . our story brings yet another detective to the forefront, much like the Charlie Chan series this will satisfy the palette of the suspenseful whodunits...actor Peter Lorre gives some of his best performances and viewers will take quickly to his style of solving the crime...Moto films established him as one of Hollywood's most beloved personalities and gave millions of small men who wore glasses the hope that they, too, could be strong and adorable....wonderful cast with Virginia Field (Gloria Danton) as the White Russian, Sig Rumann (Nicholas Marloff) as the leader of the diamond smugglers and Thomas Beck (Bob Hitchings) as the son of the owner of the shipping line who falls for Virginia Field....is Moto about to uncover what is in the mysterious letter everyone is searching for....will Moto reveal himself as a special agent of the famous International Police....don't touch that dial, you're about to find out.

DISC ONE: SCENE SELECTIONS
1. Curio Shop
2. Bon Voyage
3. Setting Sail
4. Old Doc Moto
5. Four-Star Passenger
6. Better Aquainted
7. The Letter
8. Shanghai
9. Blank
10. Proper Setting
11. Lost
12. Shy Violet
13. White Russians
14. Haiku
15. Combining Forces
16. Inside Job/End Titles

DISC ONE: SPECIAL FEATURES
1. "The Dean of Hollywood: A Conversation With Harvey Parry"
2. Restoration Comparison
3. Theatrical Trailer
4. Mr. Moto Collection - "Thank You, Mr. Moto"

Disc Two:
"THANK YOU, MR. MOTO" (1937) (67 mins/B&W)...20th Century Fox / Sol M. Wurtzel Productions
Under Norman Foster (Director / Screenwriter), Sol Wurtzel (Producer), Willis Cooper (Screenwriter), John P. Marquand (Short Story Author / Screenwriter), Virgil E. Miller (Cinematographer), Samuel Kaylin (Musical Direction/Supervision / Composer (Music Score), Nick De Maggio (Editor), Irene Morra (Editor), Bernard Herzbrun (Art Director), Albert Hogsett (Art Director), Herschel (Costume Designer) . . . . . Peter Lorre (Mr. Kentaro Moto), Thomas Beck (Tom Nelson), Pauline Frederick (Madame Chung), Jayne Regan (Eleanor Joyce), Sidney Blackmer (Eric Koerger), Sig Rumann (Col. Tchernov), John Carradine (Periera), William Von Brincken (Schneider), Nedda Harrigan (Mme. Tchernov), Philip Ahn (Prince Chung), John Bleifer (Ivan), James B. Leong (Officer) . . . . . our story involves a gang of ruthless treasure hunters for the famous seven scrolls which put together reveals the whereabouts of the fabulous treasure in the tomb of Genghis Khan...does Japanese businessman Mr.Kentaro Moto hold one of the scrolls with the secret to the sacred tomb...the parchments fall into the wrong hands of Sig Rumann (Col. Tchernov) and Sidney Blackmer (Eric Koerger) now Moto must burn all them to keep a promise he made to Philip Ahn (Prince Chung) and Pauline Frederick (Madame Chung) a dying Chinese family.

DISC TWO: SCENE SELECTIONS
1. Main Titles
2. Across the Gobi
3. The Streets of Peiping
4. For a Purpose
5. A Few Minor Pieces
6. The Missing Scroll
7. Foremost Antiquarian
8. Well Paid
9. Thief in the Night
10. In Danger
11. Keeping the Secret
12. Disgraced
13. The Fallen Burden
14. Marco Polo Bridge
15. Evil Spirits
16. Up in Smoke/End tTtles

DISC TWO: SPECIAL FEATURES
1. "Sol Wurtzel: The Forgotton Mogul"
2. Restoration Comparison
3. Theatrical Trailer
4. Mr. Moto Collection - "Think Fast, Mr. Moto"

Disc Three:
"MR. MOTO TAKES A CHANCE (1938) (63 mins/B&W)...20th Century Fox / Sol M. Wurtzel Productions
Under Norman Foster (Director), Sol Wurtzel (Producer), Lou Breslow (Screenwriter), Willis Cooper (Short Story Author), John Patrick (Screenwriter), Virgil E. Miller (Cinematographer), Samuel Kaylin (Musical Direction/Supervision / Composer (Music Score), Nick De Maggio (Editor), Albert Hogsett (Art Director), Herschel McCoy (Costume Designer), Bernard Freericks (Sound/Sound Designer), Harry M. Leonard (Sound/Sound Designer) . . . . . cast includes Peter Lorre (Mr. Kentaro Moto), Rochelle Hudson (Victoria Mason), Robert Kent (Marty Weston), J. Edward Bromberg (Rajah Ali ), Chick Chandler (Chick Davis), George Regas (Boker, High Priest), Fredrik Vogeding (Capt. Zimmerman), Al Kikume (Yao), Gloria Roy (Wife), James B. Leong (Bit Man) . . . . . this time our story has Rochelle Hudson (Victoria Mason) a beautiful aviator who is flying around the world, but her plane crashes and she meets Mr. Moto who is on an archeological expedition... Moto's mission in this series of events is to uncover a murderous village high priest George Regas (Boker, High Priest) who is bent on overthrowing the ruling J. Edward Bromberg (Rajah Ali)...what strange disguises and powers are about to be discovered through Mr. Moto.

DISC THREE: SCENE SELECTIONS
1. Main Titles
2. Only an Airplane
3. Dramatic Arrival
4. Carrier Pigeon
5. Magical Camera
6. Ancient Pilgrim
7. Souvenir
8. Through the Jungle
9. Unbelievers
10. Secrets of the Temple
11. The Rajah's Feast
12. Close Call
13. Unwilling Lips
14. Day of Deliverance
15. Everybody's a Spy
16. Next!/End Titles

DISC THREE: SPECIAL FEATURES
1. "The Mysterious Mr. Lorre"
2. Restoration Comparison
3. Mr. Moto Collection - "Think Fast, Mr. Moto" & "Thank You, Mr. Moto"

Disc Four:
"MYSTERIOUS MR. MOTO" (1938) (63 mins/B&W)...20th Century Fox / Sol M. Wurtzel Productions
Under Norman Foster (Director / Screenwriter), Sol Wurtzel (Producer), Philip MacDonald (Screenwriter), Virgil E. Miller (Cinematographer), Samuel Kaylin (Musical Direction/Supervision / Composer (Music Score), Norman Colbert (Editor), Lewis H. Creber (Art Director), Bernard Herzbrun (Art Director), Herschel McCoy (Costume Designer) . . . . . cast includes Peter Lorre (Mr. Kentaro Moto), Mary Maguire (Ann Richman), Henry Wilcoxon (Anton Darvak), Erik Rhodes (David Scott-Frensham), Harold Huber (Ernst Litmar), Leon Ames (Paul Brissac), Forrester Harvey (George Higgins), Fredrik Vogeding (Gottfried Brujo), Lester Matthews (Sir Charles Murchison), John Rogers (Sniffy), Karen Sorrell (Lotus Liu), Mitchell Lewis (Nola), Frank S. Hagney (Bouncer) . . . . . our story takes Mr. Moto to "Devil's Island" where is now imprisoned, can he help Scotland Yard uncover a vicious gang of international assassins...actor Leon Ames (Paul Brissac) is the film character on the wrong side of the law...good job by actor Henry Wilcoxon (Anton Darvak) was given the lead role of Marc Antony in Cecil B. DeMille's "Cleopatra" (1934), fairs well in this Moto series film...this is the best in the series, as our cultured detective will always bests his adversaries and keep the entire Fox cast at bay until the very end listing the film credits.

DISC FOUR: SCENE SELECTIONS
1. Main Titles
2. Escape!
3. One of Us
4. Death Threats
5. Murder for Sale
6. Losing the Tail
7. The Blue Peter
8. His Own Fault
9. Deadline
10. Local Color
11. Pub Brawl
12. Suicide
13. Shopping for Fruit
14. Reckless Fool
15. Ringleader
16. Not So Softly/End Titles

DISC FOUR: SPECIAL FEATURES
1. "Directed by Norman Foster"
2. Restoration Comparison
3. Mr. Moto Collection - "Think Fast, Mr. Moto" & "Thank You, Mr. Moto"

SPECIAL FEATURES BIOS:
1. Peter Lorre (aka: László Löwenstein)
Date of birth: 26 June 1904 - Rózsahegy, Austria-Hungary [now Ruzomberok, Slovakia]
Date of death: 23 March 1964 - Los Angeles, California
2. Sol M. Wurtzel (Producer)
Date of birth: 12 September 1890 - New York, New York
Date of death: 9 April 1958 - Culver City, California
3. Norman Foster (aka: Norman Hoeffer) (Director)
Date of birth: 13 December 1900 - Richmond, Indiana,
Date of death: 7 July 1976 - Santa Monica, California,

Special footnote, actor Peter Lorre (June 26, 1904 - March 23, 1964), born Ladislav (László) Löwenstein, was a stage and screen actor of Austrian descent especially known for playing roles with sinister overtones in Hollywood crime films and mysteries....He began acting on stage in Vienna, Breslau, and Zürich. In the late 1920s he moved to Berlin where he worked with German playwright Bertolt Brecht. The German speaking actor became famous when Fritz Lang cast him as a child killer in his 1931 film "M"....then London where he played a charming villain in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Man Who Knew Too Much".... When he arrived in Great Britain, his first meeting was with Hitchcock and by smiling and laughing as Hitchcock talked, the director was unaware that Lorre had a limited command of the English language. During the filming of "The Man Who Knew Too Much", Lorre learned much of his part phonetically.....Eventually, he went to Hollywood where he specialized in playing wicked or wily foreigners. He starred in a series of "Mr. Moto" films, a parallel to the better known "Charlie Chan" series, in which he played a Japanese detective and spy created by John P. Marquand....Lorre enjoyed considerable popularity as a featured player in Warner Bros. suspense and adventure films. Lorre played the role of Joel Cairo in "The Maltese Falcon" (1941) and played the role of "Ugarte" in the film classic "Casablanca" (1942). He played Dr. Einstein in "Arsenic and Old Lace" (1944-filmed in 1941). It was Lorre's character who introduced the "letters of transit" (there was no such thing in reality) which became, in some ways, the dramatic center of the film.....But Hollywood never fully tapped Lorre's creative powers.

Want to thank 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment for taking us back to those classic murder, mystery, mayhem with our fictional Japanese secret agent Mr. Kenturo.Moto...watching this legendary actor and his professional team of directors, writers as created by the American author John P. Marquand served up the best of the best during those early films of our favorite detective...wonderful character actors of the cinema brought back so many wonderful memories of the times when film makers cared about you who purchased a ticket and came back for more.

Total Time: 4-DVD-Set ~ 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment #2236035 ~ (8/01/2006)

I've been waiting for this for years, I'm a huge fan of MR. Moto and this was worth the wait. Great prints, great extras, now we NEED volume 2!!! PLEASE!!!

Mr. Moto, at least for me, is a surprise. The Hollywood caricatures of other races -- the foot-shuffling and eye-rolling of black males, the "Ah-so'ing,' "honorable son" and awful pseudo-Confucianism of Charlie Chan -- is not much present with Kentaro Moto (Peter Lorre). Sure, this being Hollywood Lorre wears glasses but they're not thick. There's some overly polite dialogue for Lorre, but Lorre's distinctive Hungarian accent makes it more piquant that demeaning.

Mr. Moto is an expert at hand-to-hand combat, an occasional detective and good at disguises. He's smart and clever. It also helps at times that Mr. Moto is ruthless, and seems more amused than anything else when he causes the death of a bad guy. Peter Lorre, short and innocent looking, with the hint of something that might be disturbing just below the surface, is excellent.

--Think Fast, Mr. Moto
This first in the series is fast-paced, well constructed and amusing. The story has to do with the smuggling of gems and drugs between Shanghai and the States. A passenger line is being used in this dangerous game, and most of the movie takes place either on the high seas or in Shanghai. There are a lot of people about either in evening dress or pulling rickshaws. Among the well groomed are the young, handsome scion of the cruise ship firm and the beautiful and mysterious young woman who won't discuss her past. We'll also meet her White Russian protector who is based in Shanghai and is almost as good at cards as Mr. Moto. And, of course, there's Mr. Moto, himself, who smiles a lot, asks innocent questions and can deal decisively with a man holding a switchblade.

--Thank You, Mr. Moto
"Adventurer, explorer, soldier of fortune...one of the Orient's mysteries. No one knows much about him, except that when he shows up something usually happens." It would be wise to remember, also, that when Kentaro Moto fights an opponent, he most often wins by killing the man. Mr. Moto, in his second film adventure for Twentieth Century Fox, is on the hunt for a rare scroll painting, one of seven that together hold the key to where in the Gobi desert lies the lost tomb of Genghis Khan...a tomb filled with gold, gems and legendary treasure. The scrolls themselves are priceless works of art from the time of Kublai Khan that had been in the possession of a noble handmaiden to the last great Chinese empress. But the seventh had been stolen from her and her son. Mr. Moto is on the trail, but so is a group of unscrupulous collectors and fortune hunters who won't stop at murder to achieve their end. Mr. Moto's death toll is not excessive considering the provocations.

--Mr. Moto Takes a Chance
After the great start of the series with Think Fast, Mr. Moto and Thank You, Mr. Moto, this third in the outing sticks us back firmly in the low budget, do-what-it-takes, quickie category of predictable programmers. Take away Peter Lorre as Moto and we'd have a tired jungle drama of nefarious natives, banana plants and the occasional crocodile. The only real mystery is how Mr. Moto keeps his white suit so clean in the jungle.

--Mysterious Mr. Moto
Five minutes into this movie and we suddenly realize that Kentaro Moto had himself sentenced to Devil's Island in the guise of Ito Masuko just so he could engineer Paul Brissac's escape...and then, hired by Brissac, who is a member of the League of Assassins, foil a murder and crush the League. This case will call for all of Moto's ingenuity, subtlety, skill in hand-to-hand combat and insouciance in dealing out death to villains.

Mr. Moto has bounced back from the Jungle Jim programmer that Mr. Moto Takes a Chance turned out to be. We've returned to civilization. Twentieth Century Fox's back lot never made London look more substantial. We're taken from posh hotels to swank art galleries, from foggy dark streets to smoky, dangerous pubs, from Trafalgar Square to Soho. The movie is filled with more Cockney accents coming from the mouths of American bit players than anything until the Sherlock Holmes series got underway. We've lost a bit of the happy surprise we felt when we met Mr. Moto for the first time. Still, Mysterious Mr. Moto is well crafted and fast paced (it's only 63 minutes long). Identifying the leader of the assassins is fun; there's not too much pidgin English; there is skulking danger and a pub fight that would put most Western saloon brawls to shame; Mr. Moto's way with death is not excessive and, of course, there is a first-class performance by Peter Lorre. By now Lorre knew he had become trapped in a typecasting series and was being underpaid to boot. He didn't like it one bit. Lorre was a fine actor and it doesn't show.

The black and white DVD transfers of the four movies in this collection is quite good.