MOVIEmeter
SEE RANK
Down 2,148 this week

The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932)

Passed  -  Adventure | Horror | Sci-Fi  -  5 November 1932 (USA)
6.5
Your rating:
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -/10 X  
Ratings: 6.5/10 from 1,618 users  
Reviews: 51 user | 25 critic

Englishmen race to find the tomb of Ghengis Khan. They have to get there fast, as the evil genius Dr. Fu Manchu is also searching, and if he gets the mysteriously powerful relics, he and ... See full summary »

Director:

Writers:

(screen play), (screen play), 2 more credits »
0Check in
0Share...

User Lists

Related lists from IMDb users

a list of 13 titles created 7 months ago
 
a list of 152 titles created 3 months ago
 
a list of 8 titles created 5 months ago
 
a list of 19 titles created 27 Apr 2012
 
a list of 196 titles created 26 Apr 2012
 

Connect with IMDb


Share this Rating

Title: The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932)

The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) on IMDb 6.5/10

Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.

Take The Quiz!

Test your knowledge of The Mask of Fu Manchu.
Edit

Cast

Complete credited cast:
...
Lewis Stone ...
Karen Morley ...
Sheila
Charles Starrett ...
...
...
Von Berg
Lawrence Grant ...
Sir Lionel Barton
David Torrence ...
McLeod
Edit

Storyline

Englishmen race to find the tomb of Ghengis Khan. They have to get there fast, as the evil genius Dr. Fu Manchu is also searching, and if he gets the mysteriously powerful relics, he and his diabolical daughter will enslave the world! Written by Ken Yousten <kyousten@bev.net>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

fu manchu | sword | mask | genghis khan | tomb | See more »


Certificate:

Passed | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
Edit

Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

5 November 1932 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

La máscara de Fu-Manchú  »

Box Office

Budget:

$327,627 (estimated)
 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(Western Electric Sound System)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See  »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

As originally scripted, during the torture sequence, it was planned to have Von Berg (Jean Hersholt) suspended over the crocodile pit and Neyland Smith (Lewis Stone) about to be impaled by the walls of spikes. This was reversed when, for reasons unknown, it was thought that a fat captive would make more sense being impaled than a thin one. See more »

Goofs

While he is Fu Manchu's prisoner, it is an important plot point that Sir Lionel Barton has had his hand cut off by Fu, his severed hand falling out of a tree and being discovered by Terrence Granville. But later, when Barton's body is abandoned in front of the expedition headquarters after his murder, he clearly (in long shot) has both hands. See more »

Quotes

Fu Manchu: [to horde of Asians] Men of Asia! The skies are red with the thunderbolts of Genghis Khan! They rain down on the white race... and burn them!
See more »

Connections

Follows The Knocking on the Door (1923) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.

User Reviews

 
The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) ***
5 February 2006 | by (U.S.A.) – See all my reviews

No self-respecting fan of the great Boris Karloff should miss his juicy performance in this raunchy and very unconventional film. As the evil and maniacal Asian mastermind Dr. Fu Manchu, Karloff plans to kill off "the white race" as he hunts down the highly desirable mask and sword of Genghis Khan, which winds up in the possession of a group of British treasure seekers. Boris seems to really relish his part as he tortures his captives with a grinning sadistic glee. Myrna Loy plays his self-described "ugly and insignificant daughter", who harbors a sado-masochistic appetite and nymphomania.

The sets are glorious, some sequences are disturbing for the time they were made, and there is newly restored controversial dialogue in the recent editions of the film, with "politically incorrect" slang being used on both sides of the line. There is sometimes a criticism toward the movie for its usage of this type of speech, but the time in which the feature was produced should be historically considered, as well as fairly noting that no race is spared during the length of the film. While Fu Manchu is referred to as a "yellow devil" by his victims, for instance, he is also denouncing Christianity and roaring with contempt to his eastern followers with his authoritative command for them to "kill the white men and take their women!"

There are also some unintentional laughs to be found on occasion, and many of them come courtesy of Karen Morley as "Shelia", who is just atrocious with her comedic overacting. Running a scant 68 minutes, this is a wild and wacky good time for fans of old movies, serials, and Boris Karloff in particular. Enjoy!


17 of 20 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

Message Boards

Recent Posts
Homoerotic subtext georgegauthier
Great movie, but be forewarned: amartin-11
Karen Morley kennywolf
Just saw this on TCM -- no commercials mccloudnj
'Chinese' utterances of Fu Manchu partnerfrance
Discuss The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) on the IMDb message boards »

Contribute to This Page

Create a character page for:
?