The Honourable Mr. Wong (1932)
"The Hatchet Man" (original title)

San Francisco Tong hatchet man Wong must execute his boyhood friend Sun. Sun knew his time was up and wrote out his will just prior to Wong showing up at his door. When Sun realizes Wong is... See full summary »

Director:

William A. Wellman

Writers:

Achmed Abdullah (play), David Belasco (play),

Stars:

Edward G. Robinson, Loretta Young, Dudley Digges

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Edward G. Robinson	...	Wong Low Get
Loretta Young	...	Sun Toya San
Dudley Digges	...	Nog Hong Fah
Leslie Fenton	...	Harry En Hai
Edmund Breese	...	Yu Chang
Tully Marshall	...	Long Sen Yat
J. Carrol Naish	...	Sun Yat Ming (as J. Carroll Naish)
Charles Middleton	...	Lip Hop Fat
E. Alyn Warren	...	Soo Lat, the Cobbler
Edward Peil Sr.	...	Bing Foo (as Eddie Piel)

Storyline

San Francisco Tong hatchet man Wong must execute his boyhood friend Sun. Sun knew his time was up and wrote out his will just prior to Wong showing up at his door. When Sun realizes Wong is there to kill me he tries to set his friend's mind at ease by telling him he is the beneficiary of all Sun's worldly possessions and convinces Wong to promise to take care of Sun's young daughter, Toya San who Sun has bequeathed to become his wife. Years later, when she becomes of age, she marries Wong, now a powerful figure, though she loves evil Harry. When Wong learns Toya will be happier with Harry he allows them to leave. Still later Wong learns that Harry has been deported and since Toya could not prove she was married to someone else she too was deported to China. When Wong learns of this, he goes after them.

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Plot Keywords:

hatchet | last will and testament | gang war | drug addiction | chinese | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 February 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Honorable Mr. Wong

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

First National Pictures, Vitaphone Corporation, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

74 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

With the closing line uttered, off camera, by "The Hatchet Man" (Edward G.Robinson), "Wherever You are The Hatchet Man will get you", at least a sequel to "The "Hatchet Man" may have been contemplated. Possibly and luckily the upcoming 1934 Production Code helped rule out that idea.

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Connections

Referenced in Slaying the Dragon (1988)

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Soundtracks

"Alabamy Bound"
(uncredited)
Music by Ray Henderson
Played at the dance hall

User Reviews

They couldn't make this movie today...or could they?

Naturally, the casting of Caucasian actors in Asian roles (see also "The Good Earth," "Dragon Seed," Charlie Chan, Mr. Moto, etc.) is a thing of the past. Casting Edward G. Robinson as a Chinese hit man is equivalent to doing a revival of "Flower Drum Song" with Hugh Jackman and Britney Spears. However, the plot of "The Hatchet Man" is well-thought out and surprisingly respectful of Chinese culture in America. Okay, they're killing each other, but is that any worse than, say, "The Godfather" series as relates to Italian-American culture? At least that don't have the Chinese characters saying things like, "Oh, me velly solly." Plus, the ending (which I won't spoil) is absolutely right and decidedly welcome.