This was my first Mr. Moto film and I wasn't sure what to expect. Peter Lorre is surprisingly good as the Japanese "international police" detective, altho in this entry he's forced to use a lot of broken English in lieu of a disguise. This isn't a mystery, since we know exactly what's happening all along (Moto is tracking some foreign agents who are up to no good), but it is pretty nifty, especially when Moto mixes it up with the heavies and gives as good as he gets. The acting is passable, particularly from the principals, and the seaside setting is realistic. It's good stuff, especially if you're also interested in early John Carradine work or think you'd enjoy seeing posh George Sanders putting on a French accent(!)
38 Reviews
Maybe the best in the Series...
gazzo-21 September 2001
Has a lotta the old reliable British character actor standbys of the time, E.E. Clive, Coates, Sanders, etc. It's good, the 'great shots' were indeed that, Lorre and Carradine in good form, there was more $$$ thrown into the making of this one than in others in the series. I enjoyed this alot, and if you like Moto or Lorre at all, this one is a must.
*** outta ****
*** outta ****
nice cast in pre-WW II programmer
blanche-227 November 2010
1939's "Mr. Moto's Last Warning" stars Peter Lorre as the Japanese detective, of whom nothing was heard once the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Lorre is surrounded by a great cast, which includes Ricardo Cortez, Virginia Field, John Carradine, and George Sanders. Lorre not only plays Moto, but his cover, who runs an antique store.
The story concerns Moto's investigation of a conspiracy against the British and French governments. One of the "conspirators" is a British agent, and the two of them discover that the group has put mines in the harbor in order to blow up the French fleet -- the group had been desperately trying to find out the arrival date, and once they got it, set the bombs in place. Obviously, this is before Churchill blew the French fleet up in 1940 when the French refused to do so, which would thus give the Germans access to the fleet. The conspirators plan to blame the British for the bombing, hoping to start the Second World War.
Lorre does a great job, and Ricardo Cortez, as the head of the group whose works as a ventriloquist as his cover, makes an effective villain. Sanders uses a strange accent. Virginia Field, one of the "ice cream blondes" of that era was under contract to 20th Century Fox at the time; unfortunately, she never made it to the top, but she was in a lot of good films and is very pretty. John Carradine is in top form.
Entertaining as well as interesting, this is a good entry into the series featuring the brilliant and delightful "Mr. Moto."
The story concerns Moto's investigation of a conspiracy against the British and French governments. One of the "conspirators" is a British agent, and the two of them discover that the group has put mines in the harbor in order to blow up the French fleet -- the group had been desperately trying to find out the arrival date, and once they got it, set the bombs in place. Obviously, this is before Churchill blew the French fleet up in 1940 when the French refused to do so, which would thus give the Germans access to the fleet. The conspirators plan to blame the British for the bombing, hoping to start the Second World War.
Lorre does a great job, and Ricardo Cortez, as the head of the group whose works as a ventriloquist as his cover, makes an effective villain. Sanders uses a strange accent. Virginia Field, one of the "ice cream blondes" of that era was under contract to 20th Century Fox at the time; unfortunately, she never made it to the top, but she was in a lot of good films and is very pretty. John Carradine is in top form.
Entertaining as well as interesting, this is a good entry into the series featuring the brilliant and delightful "Mr. Moto."
Good Setting & Atmosphere; Lorre is Fun to Watch
Snow Leopard22 August 2001
Peter Lorre is always fun to watch, and this 'Mr. Moto' film gives him a good role that allows him to do a lot of things. The story itself is pretty good - although there are some loose ends, it moves quickly and has some offbeat aspects that usually work. Lorre carries the show, but there is a good supporting cast, especially George Sanders and John Carradine.
The setting and atmosphere are interesting, combining the waterfront setting (in Port Said) with an assortment of characters of different nationalities. The stage variety show, which is at the center of much of the action, creates some good moments. All in all, a pretty good feature that works well as light entertainment.
The setting and atmosphere are interesting, combining the waterfront setting (in Port Said) with an assortment of characters of different nationalities. The stage variety show, which is at the center of much of the action, creates some good moments. All in all, a pretty good feature that works well as light entertainment.
"That is my one permanent characteristic."
classicsoncall22 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
My only prior experience with Peter Lorre's work was in two of my favorite Humphrey Bogart films, as Joel Cairo in "The Maltese Falcon", and as the scheming Ugarte in "Casablanca". Both characterizations were excellent and memorable efforts. His casting as a Japanese "International Police" investigator is almost as offbeat as Boris Karloff's portrayal of Mr. Wong in that series of mystery films of the same era.
Lorre actually portrays two characters, besides Moto he operates undercover as antiques shop keeper Kuroki. From that vantage point, he tries to keep tabs on a band of international saboteurs who intend to blow up the French fleet as it enters the Suez Canal. The group is led by "Fabian the Great" (Ricardo Cortez), who plays in theater shows as a ventriloquist, and includes Eric Norvel (George Sanders), and Danforth (John Carradine). Danforth is actually a British Agent attempting to hook up with Moto, and his knowledge of Fabian's plans is intentionally less than complete.
Pay attention to the scene when Fabian first suspects that Danforth is not what he seems. He uses a pen to scribble a beard on a photo of British Intelligence Agent Richard Burke in a notebook dossier. The beard he draws ends in a straight line under Burke's chin. In a later scene, when Fabian shows the photo to Norvel, the beard is thicker and descends with a point toward Burke's collar. The actual beard Carradine wears in his role looks quite humorously phony, and makes one thankful for present day film makeup.
The mystery here is rather straightforward, no murders to solve and no red herrings as in the Charlie Chan franchise. We know who the bad guys are right from the start, and the only revelation needed is how Moto will save the day. This he does by escaping from an underwater death trap and by prematurely detonating the mines intended for the French ships, thereby providing them with enough warning to turn around. As a murderous saboteur, Fabian proves rather inept, as he fails to properly dispatch Moto, and earlier his girlfriend Connie (Virginia Field) who discovers his plot. Too bad, as Connie does the honors of stopping Fabian during his tussle with Moto.
Peter Lorre doesn't look like a very physical guy, small in stature and kind of mousy, so his first on screen jiu jitsu throw caught me off guard. I'd be curious to know if he did his own stunt work and martial moves depicted in the movie, as almost all were done in darkly shaded scenes.
As a Charlie Chan fan, I was curious about the Sultana Theater playbill advertising "Charlie Chan in Honolulu" as one of it's attractions. That movie, released the prior year in 1938, featured Sidney Toler in his first portrayal of the Chinese detective. However the playbill mistakenly states that Chan is played by Warner Oland. It seems to me that the movie should have gotten this right, as 1938's "Mr. Moto's Gamble" was originally begun as "Charlie Chan at Ringside" with Oland. However Oland's illness and subsequent death required it's rewriting as a Moto film. This movie, released a year later, came after Oland's death in 1938.
"Mr. Moto's Last Warning" was at least interesting enough to recommend looking up other titles in the series. I'll be looking forward to more adventures of the Japanese agent Kentaro Moto.
Lorre actually portrays two characters, besides Moto he operates undercover as antiques shop keeper Kuroki. From that vantage point, he tries to keep tabs on a band of international saboteurs who intend to blow up the French fleet as it enters the Suez Canal. The group is led by "Fabian the Great" (Ricardo Cortez), who plays in theater shows as a ventriloquist, and includes Eric Norvel (George Sanders), and Danforth (John Carradine). Danforth is actually a British Agent attempting to hook up with Moto, and his knowledge of Fabian's plans is intentionally less than complete.
Pay attention to the scene when Fabian first suspects that Danforth is not what he seems. He uses a pen to scribble a beard on a photo of British Intelligence Agent Richard Burke in a notebook dossier. The beard he draws ends in a straight line under Burke's chin. In a later scene, when Fabian shows the photo to Norvel, the beard is thicker and descends with a point toward Burke's collar. The actual beard Carradine wears in his role looks quite humorously phony, and makes one thankful for present day film makeup.
The mystery here is rather straightforward, no murders to solve and no red herrings as in the Charlie Chan franchise. We know who the bad guys are right from the start, and the only revelation needed is how Moto will save the day. This he does by escaping from an underwater death trap and by prematurely detonating the mines intended for the French ships, thereby providing them with enough warning to turn around. As a murderous saboteur, Fabian proves rather inept, as he fails to properly dispatch Moto, and earlier his girlfriend Connie (Virginia Field) who discovers his plot. Too bad, as Connie does the honors of stopping Fabian during his tussle with Moto.
Peter Lorre doesn't look like a very physical guy, small in stature and kind of mousy, so his first on screen jiu jitsu throw caught me off guard. I'd be curious to know if he did his own stunt work and martial moves depicted in the movie, as almost all were done in darkly shaded scenes.
As a Charlie Chan fan, I was curious about the Sultana Theater playbill advertising "Charlie Chan in Honolulu" as one of it's attractions. That movie, released the prior year in 1938, featured Sidney Toler in his first portrayal of the Chinese detective. However the playbill mistakenly states that Chan is played by Warner Oland. It seems to me that the movie should have gotten this right, as 1938's "Mr. Moto's Gamble" was originally begun as "Charlie Chan at Ringside" with Oland. However Oland's illness and subsequent death required it's rewriting as a Moto film. This movie, released a year later, came after Oland's death in 1938.
"Mr. Moto's Last Warning" was at least interesting enough to recommend looking up other titles in the series. I'll be looking forward to more adventures of the Japanese agent Kentaro Moto.
A detective with brains and brawn
jcholguin21 May 2001
Peter Lorre as the oriental detective Mr. Moto was truly a delightful experience to behold. A seemingly small man in statue but gifted in the art of judo. When the decoy Moto is murdered you feel that the real Moto will not stop at nothing to bring justice. A man of quick wit and chameleon abilities to blend in, joins up with a british agent to stop the suspected saboteurs. Mr. Moto faces death several times and survives by observational powers of deduction and underwater skills. A top notch performance by Mr. Lorre and George Sanders really make this film a worthwhile experience.
Fun in a foreign backlot
Spondonman22 April 2007
This one starts out especially murky, bristling with bad hats rubbing shoulders with innocent Westerners in a strange land. What they're all up to takes some resolving, but be reassured Moto's in charge, even though he unwittingly sends 2 of his cohorts to their deaths along the way. High production values compliment an interesting if far-fetched storyline.
A gang of jittery international spies working for an un-named foreign power aim to disrupt the French fleet heading into Port Said in Egypt and cause rupture between those very old long-standing allies Britain and France, Moto's aim is to disrupt the baddies first. All-knowing Ricardo Cortez has a strange job as ventriloquist to his unexplained Cockney dummy Alf, while his second George Sanders puts on a seedy French accent with gusto if not skill. Poor old John Carradine though! And good for Cortez's moll with moral fibre Virginia Field! A tense climax is guaranteed with Moto in the bag, and is ingenious when it arrives.
A great little film for those of us who like the genre, not unless.
A gang of jittery international spies working for an un-named foreign power aim to disrupt the French fleet heading into Port Said in Egypt and cause rupture between those very old long-standing allies Britain and France, Moto's aim is to disrupt the baddies first. All-knowing Ricardo Cortez has a strange job as ventriloquist to his unexplained Cockney dummy Alf, while his second George Sanders puts on a seedy French accent with gusto if not skill. Poor old John Carradine though! And good for Cortez's moll with moral fibre Virginia Field! A tense climax is guaranteed with Moto in the bag, and is ingenious when it arrives.
A great little film for those of us who like the genre, not unless.
There's No one Quite Like Lorre
Hitchcoc29 September 2006
I've always enjoyed Peter Lorre. When you run the gamut of actors from the inception of the motion picture, I can think of no one to match him. Here he plays a Chinese detective. His credibility is in question because of that very fact. Nevertheless, there is a sort of acceptance due to the wisdom of Asians. I suppose this all came out of the Charlie Chan mythos. In this one there is a plot to blow up the French fleet. It would be a major act of war and a great defeat. Mr. Moto is forced to make his way among a bevy of bad guys. There's espionage, double dealing, but he makes his solitary way through this confusing mess. One of the bad guys is a ventriloquist who seems to have a sick fascination with his dummy. Of course, this all works into the plot. Mr. Moto manages to engage the help of several other characters and finds a way to save the day.
very entertaining spy fantasy
winner551 January 2009
The Mr. Moto films went out of circulation immediately after Pearl Harbor. As we can see in this film, they reflected a hope that circulated in John P. Marquand's England (and had some currency in the US) that a reasonably 'civilized' (in the European sense) Japan could be negotiated with over China and then used for political leverage against Russia and Germany. This film was released in early 1939; by September of that year, Germany was in Poland, and England and France were allied against it, so the basic premise of the film was made worthless. Shortly after, the Japanese kicked the British out of China, so the basic hope underlying the film became worthless. The film is thus best approached as a kind of fantasy.
It is, specifically, a spy thriller, not a mystery at all; it's more closely related to the James Bond films (which are also largely fantasies) than to the Charlie Chan style 'oriental detective' movies of its own day.
This is the only widely - and cheaply - available Moto film. I've only seen one other Mr. Moto film, a long time ago, and I don't remember it well. It was a fairly faithful adaptation from the original Marquand material, and seemed very complicated, much as the Marquand novels can be. This film, to the contrary, is an original story. It is streamlined and linear in plotting. It appears to have been made rather quickly on not a lot of money, but the film-making is strictly professional. The pacing avoids a lot of lags, and there are moments of real suspense and real surprise.
Thus we have a well-made, enjoyable genre film here; but the main delight of the film is undoubtedly the performance of Peter Lorre. Lorre achieved some respect in Germany and England before coming to Hollywood - where, alas, he was not treated well, as the type for which he was usually cast - 'suspicious foreigner' - was very narrow. Mr. Moto here allows Lorre a star-turn, a hero's part, and surprisingly considerable latitude in interpretation. He is obviously having a grand time here, and delivers a wonderful performance.
Overall, an excellent B-movie, very entertaining if taken on its own terms.
It is, specifically, a spy thriller, not a mystery at all; it's more closely related to the James Bond films (which are also largely fantasies) than to the Charlie Chan style 'oriental detective' movies of its own day.
This is the only widely - and cheaply - available Moto film. I've only seen one other Mr. Moto film, a long time ago, and I don't remember it well. It was a fairly faithful adaptation from the original Marquand material, and seemed very complicated, much as the Marquand novels can be. This film, to the contrary, is an original story. It is streamlined and linear in plotting. It appears to have been made rather quickly on not a lot of money, but the film-making is strictly professional. The pacing avoids a lot of lags, and there are moments of real suspense and real surprise.
Thus we have a well-made, enjoyable genre film here; but the main delight of the film is undoubtedly the performance of Peter Lorre. Lorre achieved some respect in Germany and England before coming to Hollywood - where, alas, he was not treated well, as the type for which he was usually cast - 'suspicious foreigner' - was very narrow. Mr. Moto here allows Lorre a star-turn, a hero's part, and surprisingly considerable latitude in interpretation. He is obviously having a grand time here, and delivers a wonderful performance.
Overall, an excellent B-movie, very entertaining if taken on its own terms.
Mr. Moto's race against time to stop WWII
sol-kay4 September 2004
****SPOILERS**** International policeman Mr. Moto, Peter Lorre, is in a race against time in the movie "Mr. Moto's Last Warning". Mr. Moto tries to prevent a war from breaking out between the United Kingdom and France that is secretly being instigated by some unnamed country by using a gang of international criminals and saboteurs who plan to use underwater mines. their plan is to blow up a number of French warships at the mouth of the Suez Canal outside the Egyptian port city of Port Said and blame it on the British.
Undercover and underwater Mr. Moto comes through in the clutch and saves the day but not after losing his partner Mr. Moto Jr. Teru Shimada, and British secret agent Richard Blake, John Carradine, in the process. Mr. Moto Jr. posed as the real Mr. Moto and was killed by the saboteurs thinking that he was THE Mr. Moto. Agent Blake, who was undercover with the saboteurs as a criminal named Danford, was caught after the head Saboteur Fabian, Ricordo Cortez, noticed a photo of Blake ripped and minus the cheap stick-on beard he had on and realized that he was the British secret agent Blake.
Having Blake ,fake beard and all, put in a diving-bell Fabian had him lowered to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea and left there to die when he used up all the air inside. Fabian gets his British girlfriend Connie (Virgina Field), who was kicked out of the UK and is a fugitive from the law and Scotland Yard, now living in Egypt to go along with his plan.
Fabian getting his co-saboteur Norvel, George Sanders,to go underwater with a diving suit to blow up the flagship of the French Fleet steaming towards the Suez Canal is foiled by Mr. Moto. In an underwater skirmish with Norvel whom Mr. Moto dispatched and then blows up the mines before the French Warships are about to steam over them. Mr. Moto has it out with Fabian who is about to crack Mr. Moto's skull in with a pipe but is shot dead by Connie who changed her mind and came to the aid of jolly old England France and Mr. Moto instead.
It was just too darn bad that after Mr. Moto did everything to prevent a major war from breaking out in Europe just some eight months after the release of the movie "Mr.Moto's Last Warning" on January 20, 1939 on September 1, 1939 WWII broke out!
Undercover and underwater Mr. Moto comes through in the clutch and saves the day but not after losing his partner Mr. Moto Jr. Teru Shimada, and British secret agent Richard Blake, John Carradine, in the process. Mr. Moto Jr. posed as the real Mr. Moto and was killed by the saboteurs thinking that he was THE Mr. Moto. Agent Blake, who was undercover with the saboteurs as a criminal named Danford, was caught after the head Saboteur Fabian, Ricordo Cortez, noticed a photo of Blake ripped and minus the cheap stick-on beard he had on and realized that he was the British secret agent Blake.
Having Blake ,fake beard and all, put in a diving-bell Fabian had him lowered to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea and left there to die when he used up all the air inside. Fabian gets his British girlfriend Connie (Virgina Field), who was kicked out of the UK and is a fugitive from the law and Scotland Yard, now living in Egypt to go along with his plan.
Fabian getting his co-saboteur Norvel, George Sanders,to go underwater with a diving suit to blow up the flagship of the French Fleet steaming towards the Suez Canal is foiled by Mr. Moto. In an underwater skirmish with Norvel whom Mr. Moto dispatched and then blows up the mines before the French Warships are about to steam over them. Mr. Moto has it out with Fabian who is about to crack Mr. Moto's skull in with a pipe but is shot dead by Connie who changed her mind and came to the aid of jolly old England France and Mr. Moto instead.
It was just too darn bad that after Mr. Moto did everything to prevent a major war from breaking out in Europe just some eight months after the release of the movie "Mr.Moto's Last Warning" on January 20, 1939 on September 1, 1939 WWII broke out!
Mildly Entertaining Entry In the 20th Century Fox Series
gftbiloxi3 February 2008
As originally created by author John P. Marquand, Moto was an icy and distinctly lethal Japanese agent; 20th Century Fox, which had earlier created the extremely popular Charlie Chan series, toned down his more deadly qualities, cast German actor Peter Lorre in the role, and between 1937 and 1939 made eight films featuring the character. Although they did not really challenge the Chan films, they were popular in their own right, and it was not until American sentiment began to turn against the Japanese that 20th Century Fox dropped the character.
Made in 1939, MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING is the sixth film in the series, and it finds Moto (Lorre) working to foil an attempt to set the English and French against each other by blowing up the French fleet as it enters an English-controlled canal in the middle east. Although the film has a slow start, it is graced with a gifted cast that includes George Sanders, John Carradine, and Ricardo Cortez, and it soon comes up a snappy pace and proves unexpectedly watchable.
Over the years the Chan films have drawn considerable condemnation from Chinese Americans due to the fact that Chan was never played by an Asian actor; somewhat curiously, the Moto films have escaped the same degree of politically-correct derision. This is all the more odd because Lorre is even less of Japanse than Oland and Toler were Chinese. Even so, Lorre is always interesting to watch, and his unexpected physicality (Moto is a master of judo) drives the film remarkably well.
MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING is the only film in the series presently in public domain, a circumstance that seems more accidental than intentional. The Alpha release is very much in line with that: the picture is shaky, particularly in the opening segments, and the sound is quite weak. Fans of the series would do better to go with the series editions now in release through 20th Century Fox--but no matter which copy you lay hands on, you'll find the film an enjoyable bit of flyweight fun. Recommended to fans of 1930s mysteries, thrillers, and espionage movies.
GFT, Amazon Reviewer
Made in 1939, MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING is the sixth film in the series, and it finds Moto (Lorre) working to foil an attempt to set the English and French against each other by blowing up the French fleet as it enters an English-controlled canal in the middle east. Although the film has a slow start, it is graced with a gifted cast that includes George Sanders, John Carradine, and Ricardo Cortez, and it soon comes up a snappy pace and proves unexpectedly watchable.
Over the years the Chan films have drawn considerable condemnation from Chinese Americans due to the fact that Chan was never played by an Asian actor; somewhat curiously, the Moto films have escaped the same degree of politically-correct derision. This is all the more odd because Lorre is even less of Japanse than Oland and Toler were Chinese. Even so, Lorre is always interesting to watch, and his unexpected physicality (Moto is a master of judo) drives the film remarkably well.
MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING is the only film in the series presently in public domain, a circumstance that seems more accidental than intentional. The Alpha release is very much in line with that: the picture is shaky, particularly in the opening segments, and the sound is quite weak. Fans of the series would do better to go with the series editions now in release through 20th Century Fox--but no matter which copy you lay hands on, you'll find the film an enjoyable bit of flyweight fun. Recommended to fans of 1930s mysteries, thrillers, and espionage movies.
GFT, Amazon Reviewer
Great Moto Flick
rolandwinters11 March 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I think this is one of the best Moto films, with a lot of action. Peter Lorre does a good job alternating between the role of Moto and his disguise role as the meek shopkeeper. A group of spies in Port Said are trying to blow up the French fleet and make it look like England is to blame, thus provoking a war. The leader of the spy ring works as a ventriloquist at the local theater, and the gang works out of a sleazy bar run by a naive Englishwoman. The viewers never precisely find out what nation is employing the spy ring, but at the very end of the film Mr. Moto finds the breakthrough clue hidden in the ventriloquist's dummy. Mr Moto then makes the ventriloquist's dummy talk, saying "Don't talk Mr. Moto, or you may lose your job". Since Mr. Moto works for Japan, the final line in the movie may imply that Japan was behind the spy plot.
Moto Lives!
gavin694215 July 2014
Moto (Peter Lorre) thwarts a ruthless band of international agents who try to foment an international incident by mining the entrance to the Suez Canal and blaming the British.
Worth noting is that one of the saboteurs (Danforth) is played by John Carradine, the patriarch of the Carradine family. At this point he was part of John Ford's stock company, but had not quite broken out with his roles in "Stagecoach" (1939) and "Grapes of Wrath" (1940), so his Moto role could reasonably be called pre-fame.
Thanks to its accidentally falling into the public domain, this is the most-seen Moto film. While not the best, it is a good entrance into his world, and hopefully a cheap copy will encourage fans to seek out better versions.
Worth noting is that one of the saboteurs (Danforth) is played by John Carradine, the patriarch of the Carradine family. At this point he was part of John Ford's stock company, but had not quite broken out with his roles in "Stagecoach" (1939) and "Grapes of Wrath" (1940), so his Moto role could reasonably be called pre-fame.
Thanks to its accidentally falling into the public domain, this is the most-seen Moto film. While not the best, it is a good entrance into his world, and hopefully a cheap copy will encourage fans to seek out better versions.
As long as Britain and France stay friends, there will be no war
bkoganbing17 January 2012
With a little bit of a bow to Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps, Mr. Moto's Last Warning has Peter Lorre going undercover at Port Said to help prevent disaster at the Suez Canal. As a member of the International Police (Interpol) Lorre goes in disguise as a harmless Japanese antique dealer to prevent skulduggery by Ricardo Cortez, George Sanders and assorted henchmen.
Cortez plays a music hall entertainer, a ventriloquist to be precise in the pay of a mysterious foreign power. The idea is to set off some undersea mines they've planted just as the French Fleet is going through the canal and get a nice incident going between Great Britain and France. After all as we learn in the film as long as the British and French stay friendly there can be no war.
It's good to remember that the Japanese while at war in China had not yet made an alliance with Germany and Italy. So in 1939 a film could still be made about a Japanese operative saving the British and French alliance.
Cortez is a very clever villain and Lorre gives himself away when he goes to the aid of Robert Coote playing a silly English agent who gets mugged. No mild little antique dealer could know judo like that as Cortez correctly surmises.
Of course Lorre saves the day, but it's a close run thing. Mr. Moto's Last Warning is a nicely paced, action packed film and actually correct for its time.
Cortez plays a music hall entertainer, a ventriloquist to be precise in the pay of a mysterious foreign power. The idea is to set off some undersea mines they've planted just as the French Fleet is going through the canal and get a nice incident going between Great Britain and France. After all as we learn in the film as long as the British and French stay friendly there can be no war.
It's good to remember that the Japanese while at war in China had not yet made an alliance with Germany and Italy. So in 1939 a film could still be made about a Japanese operative saving the British and French alliance.
Cortez is a very clever villain and Lorre gives himself away when he goes to the aid of Robert Coote playing a silly English agent who gets mugged. No mild little antique dealer could know judo like that as Cortez correctly surmises.
Of course Lorre saves the day, but it's a close run thing. Mr. Moto's Last Warning is a nicely paced, action packed film and actually correct for its time.
Perhaps the Best in the Series
Michael_Elliott3 July 2009
Mr. Moto's Last Warning (1939)
*** (out of 4)
Mr. Moto (Peter Lorre), believed dead, is assisted by an undercover British agent (John Carradine) as the two try to stop a couple international agents (Ricardo Cortez, George Sanders) from using the Suez Canal to blow up some French ships and blaming the British. This sixth entry in the series is a major step up from the previous two entries and one could say this one here was the best of the series. The story is a pretty good one but what really works here is the wonderful cast of character actors who really make this a must see. It's fun seeing Lorre's Moto up against various other actors who played famous roles themselves and that includes Perry Mason and Sam Spade (Cortez), The Saint (Sanders) and Dracula (Carradine) too. Seeing the four character actors share the same film makes for a lot of fun and the story itself also helps build some drama and that includes a wonderful underwater sequence that certainly won't be forgotten by anyone who sees it. The story is certainly a bit far fetched but it's made believable due to the actors all giving very good performances and Foster handles the material very well. The ending contains some great action with our hero kicking it into high gear to do major damage. The guys get to have a lot of fun but so does Virginia Fields in her small but fun role. Lorre is great as usual but it's actually Cortez who steals the film as the ruthless villain. Carradine also offers up an excellent performance and his scene at the bottom of the ocean is quite creepy and highly effective. Overall this here is certainly one of the best films in the series and one that even non-fans should be able to enjoy.
*** (out of 4)
Mr. Moto (Peter Lorre), believed dead, is assisted by an undercover British agent (John Carradine) as the two try to stop a couple international agents (Ricardo Cortez, George Sanders) from using the Suez Canal to blow up some French ships and blaming the British. This sixth entry in the series is a major step up from the previous two entries and one could say this one here was the best of the series. The story is a pretty good one but what really works here is the wonderful cast of character actors who really make this a must see. It's fun seeing Lorre's Moto up against various other actors who played famous roles themselves and that includes Perry Mason and Sam Spade (Cortez), The Saint (Sanders) and Dracula (Carradine) too. Seeing the four character actors share the same film makes for a lot of fun and the story itself also helps build some drama and that includes a wonderful underwater sequence that certainly won't be forgotten by anyone who sees it. The story is certainly a bit far fetched but it's made believable due to the actors all giving very good performances and Foster handles the material very well. The ending contains some great action with our hero kicking it into high gear to do major damage. The guys get to have a lot of fun but so does Virginia Fields in her small but fun role. Lorre is great as usual but it's actually Cortez who steals the film as the ruthless villain. Carradine also offers up an excellent performance and his scene at the bottom of the ocean is quite creepy and highly effective. Overall this here is certainly one of the best films in the series and one that even non-fans should be able to enjoy.
A Good Movie of the Series
Rainey-Dawn6 September 2016
This time Mr. Moto is after Fabian the Great! Fabian is an international agent posing in a traveling show as a ventriloquist along with his henchmen. Fabian and gang are trying to blow up the entrance to the Suez Canal and start an international war. The particular country Fabian is working for and the motives as to why are kept a secret, it's up to the viewer to guess because they never tell us - Mr. Moto may loose his job over it (you'll have to watch the film until the ending to get a full understanding of what I mean).
The movie is fun to watch. It has it's moments of intensity, comedy and sometimes quite a bit of action. Worth your time watching if you like the other Mr. Moto films, Peter Lorre or mysteries in general.
7.5/10
The movie is fun to watch. It has it's moments of intensity, comedy and sometimes quite a bit of action. Worth your time watching if you like the other Mr. Moto films, Peter Lorre or mysteries in general.
7.5/10
"Moto, I'm beginning to believe all the stories I've heard about you."
bensonmum213 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Mr. Moto is tracking a group of foreign spies intent on destroying the French fleet as it enters the Suez Canal. By doing so, the foreign powers hope to stir-up animosity between France and England.
Mr. Moto's Last Warning is a decent enough entry in the Mr Moto series, but far from being the best. The biggest problem I have with it is the pacing. Moto films usually have more life and energy to them. This one sort of drags in spots. I can't put all the blame on director Norman Foster as I don't necessarily think this is the best script he was given to work with. The script doesn't seem to have as much "meat" to it. I don't have any proof, but there is probably more padding in Mr. Moto's Last Warning than the other Moto films.
Still, this is Moto so it's still going to be a fun movie. Lorre is as good as always. I've typed this a couple of times recently, but I don't think he ever gives a bad performance. Mr. Moto's Last Warning has one of the best supporting casts you'll find in one of these films - Geogre Sanders, Ricardo Cortex, John Carradine, Robert Coote, Virginia Field, and E.E. Clive. What a cast! The rest of the movie is great. Technically, as with all the Moto films, it looks like an A-movie.
One small thing that I've always enjoyed about Mr. Moto's Last Warning is the reference to the film Charlie Chan in Honolulu. I understand that this was done in part to pay tribute to Warner Oland who had recently passed away. Nice touch.
Mr. Moto's Last Warning is a decent enough entry in the Mr Moto series, but far from being the best. The biggest problem I have with it is the pacing. Moto films usually have more life and energy to them. This one sort of drags in spots. I can't put all the blame on director Norman Foster as I don't necessarily think this is the best script he was given to work with. The script doesn't seem to have as much "meat" to it. I don't have any proof, but there is probably more padding in Mr. Moto's Last Warning than the other Moto films.
Still, this is Moto so it's still going to be a fun movie. Lorre is as good as always. I've typed this a couple of times recently, but I don't think he ever gives a bad performance. Mr. Moto's Last Warning has one of the best supporting casts you'll find in one of these films - Geogre Sanders, Ricardo Cortex, John Carradine, Robert Coote, Virginia Field, and E.E. Clive. What a cast! The rest of the movie is great. Technically, as with all the Moto films, it looks like an A-movie.
One small thing that I've always enjoyed about Mr. Moto's Last Warning is the reference to the film Charlie Chan in Honolulu. I understand that this was done in part to pay tribute to Warner Oland who had recently passed away. Nice touch.
Mr. Moto is still fun, but the movies are starting to be little more than programmers
Terrell-421 March 2008
Warning: Spoilers
By now the Mr. Moto series was becoming no more than the Saturday matinée filler Peter Lorre knew it would be. The greatest interest in Mr. Moto's Last Warning lies in keeping track of how many deaths Mr. Moto will cause in the pursuit of his kind of justice. By my count it was a draw with the bad guys, with one ringer thrown in. Please note that elements of the plot are discussed.
We're in Egypt and an unknown country is plotting to create an incident involving the Suez Canal that will have France and Britain at each other's throats. A master criminal and his gang, taking orders from this nameless country, will set mines at the entrance of the Canal. When the French fleet starts to pass though...kablooie! False evidence will point to Britain. However, Kentaro Moto of the International Police has been working to expose this plot for weeks. He knows the master criminal is in fact Fabian the Great (Ricardo Cortez), a smooth, quick-thinking and ruthless individual posing as a ventriloquist at a seedy Egyptian music hall. It would be hard to decide which is worse, Fabian's utter lack of scruple or George Sanders' awful German accent. (He plays Eric Novel, who tends to show up too often at places he shouldn't be.) Moto quickly finds he is alone. Every time he thinks he can call for assistance, death gets in the way. Finally, with only a foolish Englishman, played to perfection by Robert Coote, to help, Moto prevails and world peace is insured for a few more weeks. (The movie was made in 1939)
Peter Lorre continues to do a fine job as Kentaro Moto. He gives Moto an interesting blend of innocence, shrewdness and ruthlessness. Ricardo Cortez, a great success as a leading man in the silent movies, was by now doing movies like this. He may be a stolid actor, but he still is interesting enough to carry the role without breaking a sweat. George Sanders, however, is just about as bad as his accent. My heart, however, was captured by Virginia Field as Connie, proprietor of Connie's Place, a seedy dive. Connie loves Fabian too much but at least she can tell the difference between right (smuggling) and wrong (blowing up the French fleet). Field plays Connie as a kind of dime-store version of Joan Blondell...blond, plump, good-hearted and luscious.
For those who also like to keep score, here's what I came up with. Caused by the bad guys: Death by knifing; death by diving bell. Caused by Kentaro Moto: Death by judo chop; death by too much Suez water. Caused by the ringer: Death by bullet into the chest.
We're in Egypt and an unknown country is plotting to create an incident involving the Suez Canal that will have France and Britain at each other's throats. A master criminal and his gang, taking orders from this nameless country, will set mines at the entrance of the Canal. When the French fleet starts to pass though...kablooie! False evidence will point to Britain. However, Kentaro Moto of the International Police has been working to expose this plot for weeks. He knows the master criminal is in fact Fabian the Great (Ricardo Cortez), a smooth, quick-thinking and ruthless individual posing as a ventriloquist at a seedy Egyptian music hall. It would be hard to decide which is worse, Fabian's utter lack of scruple or George Sanders' awful German accent. (He plays Eric Novel, who tends to show up too often at places he shouldn't be.) Moto quickly finds he is alone. Every time he thinks he can call for assistance, death gets in the way. Finally, with only a foolish Englishman, played to perfection by Robert Coote, to help, Moto prevails and world peace is insured for a few more weeks. (The movie was made in 1939)
Peter Lorre continues to do a fine job as Kentaro Moto. He gives Moto an interesting blend of innocence, shrewdness and ruthlessness. Ricardo Cortez, a great success as a leading man in the silent movies, was by now doing movies like this. He may be a stolid actor, but he still is interesting enough to carry the role without breaking a sweat. George Sanders, however, is just about as bad as his accent. My heart, however, was captured by Virginia Field as Connie, proprietor of Connie's Place, a seedy dive. Connie loves Fabian too much but at least she can tell the difference between right (smuggling) and wrong (blowing up the French fleet). Field plays Connie as a kind of dime-store version of Joan Blondell...blond, plump, good-hearted and luscious.
For those who also like to keep score, here's what I came up with. Caused by the bad guys: Death by knifing; death by diving bell. Caused by Kentaro Moto: Death by judo chop; death by too much Suez water. Caused by the ringer: Death by bullet into the chest.
Peter Lorre as Mr Moto races the clock to stop sabotage against French & British Naval maneuvers in Egypt.
maksquibs28 November 2007
Warning: Spoilers
In the long line of 'politically incorrect' Hollywood racial casting, Hungarian born Peter Lorre's Mr Moto is probably the least in need of historical/cultural apologies to facilitate our enjoyment of the eight dandy pics he made as the polite, but not quite knowable Japanese detective. This one is a particularly good outing as Lorre/Moto benefits from regular helmer Norman Foster's visual flair and his original storyline which has George Sanders & Ricardo Cortez plotting to disrupt joint Naval maneuvers between France & England @ Port Said, Egypt. Darkly handsome lensing from Virgil Miller (who brought similar chiaroscuro refinement to some of the Universal Basil Rathbone/Sherlock Holmes series), an unexpectedly nasty edge of perverse violence (watch for John Carradine's grim exit), and cleverly integrated Music Hall elements add a nice kick to the proceedings. Even the obligatory comic relief is tightly woven into the narrative fabric. Moto Rules.
Sabotage and murder plots in Port Said to start the Second World War, aborted by Peter Lorre
clanciai16 August 2022
The best thing about this film is not the excellent performances of Peter Lorre as a double agent in many shapes, George Sanders as a typically suave villain, Robert Coote in his first great role as a whimsy Englishman getting into constant trouble but always getting out of it, nor Ricardo Cortez showing off as a ventriloquist with a dummy who actually gets the last word, no, the most valuable ingredient of this film is the wonderful interior shots of a Variety or Cabaret in old Port Said before the war, and all the scenes from this establishment and old Cairo with its drunken sailors and sultry pubs with women on the loose is the real gem of this film, and even Hitchcock would have loved it - moods and atmospheric interiors like this was always to his liking, and although this thriller is not up to Hitchcock standard, the jokes of it certainly are. This is most enjoyable from beginning to end, and only John Carradine has to pay too high a price for it. I have never seen him as a British spy before. And yet another ace of the deck is the general, a very typical such, played by a certain E. E. Clive - the whole show is just gorgeous.
Enjoyable detective/spy movie
michaeljhuman13 January 2015
I really enjoyed this one. I wish an actual Japanese person had been used as an actor, but you know how it was back then.
The plot was interesting enough. The scenes were all pretty good. I was mostly engaged with the movie and did not get bored.
I like this kind of lighter detective/spy movie, not too serious but reasonably believable ( in the Hollywood sends of believable which means, I can suspend my disbelief without much effort.)
Dialog was average, acting was average but somehow the whole thing worked as entertainment. This was in my box set of 50 mysteries, all apparently in the public domain, and a cheap set but audio/video was sufficient to watch it without getting annoyed.
I would have maybe liked to see more of the Mr Moto character - disguise master, judo master, and overall very resourceful and clever. I love characters like that
The plot was interesting enough. The scenes were all pretty good. I was mostly engaged with the movie and did not get bored.
I like this kind of lighter detective/spy movie, not too serious but reasonably believable ( in the Hollywood sends of believable which means, I can suspend my disbelief without much effort.)
Dialog was average, acting was average but somehow the whole thing worked as entertainment. This was in my box set of 50 mysteries, all apparently in the public domain, and a cheap set but audio/video was sufficient to watch it without getting annoyed.
I would have maybe liked to see more of the Mr Moto character - disguise master, judo master, and overall very resourceful and clever. I love characters like that
Another Movie Villain playing a Detective.
mark.waltz27 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
With various villain roles behind him ("M", "Mad Love", "The Man Who Knew Too Much"), Peter Lorre was contracted by 20th Century Fox to star in a series of second string features playing Japanese detective Mr. Moto, a "poor man's" Charlie Chan. Knowing all, seeing all but revealing little, Moto becomes in the case of a colleague murdered by spies and the plot he uncovers along the way involving Fifth Columnists.
An admirable cast of supporting players are featured, including George Sanders, John Carradine and Ricardo Cortez, the later playing a ventriloquist in a vaudeville show. There are also some typically bumbling British nobleman (among them Robert Coote) and a few red herrings. It starts off a little slow, but once the villains' intentions are revealed, the plot speeds up quite a bit. An amusing scene has Moto at the movies where a logo advertises a Charlie Chan movie. This short-lived series will never stand up to that more popular series (also from 20th Century Fox) but is enjoyable and pleasing in its own way.
An admirable cast of supporting players are featured, including George Sanders, John Carradine and Ricardo Cortez, the later playing a ventriloquist in a vaudeville show. There are also some typically bumbling British nobleman (among them Robert Coote) and a few red herrings. It starts off a little slow, but once the villains' intentions are revealed, the plot speeds up quite a bit. An amusing scene has Moto at the movies where a logo advertises a Charlie Chan movie. This short-lived series will never stand up to that more popular series (also from 20th Century Fox) but is enjoyable and pleasing in its own way.
Egypt
bevo-1367821 June 2020
average
Cristi_Ciopron10 February 2015
Warning: Spoilers
A story of espionage set in Port Said, with Kentaro Moto, who has a careless enjoyment of the job, which means he is resourceful in a fantasy, comic book world, where being a spy is mainly fun and mostly harmless, quietly enjoying his renown and skills, with an occasionally eerie playfulness, and the story is mildly suspenseful, more a task to be done while playing, which results in a certain blandness, and Moto is meant as a fairy tale character (more like Fu Manchu, than like Chan or Wong), the thing has charm, ease, fun and lightness; Lorre and Carradine show their class from the 1st moment they are on screen, Carradine is a British agent, and he brings another kind of acting, though Lorre's likely insouciant but shrewd character does have weird undertones.
The action of such movies is not frustratingly forgettable, but enjoyably so.
The action of such movies is not frustratingly forgettable, but enjoyably so.
As long as you can accept Peter Lorre as a Japanese detective, it's not bad
planktonrules10 February 2007
At the outset, I must point out that it's very tough to accept the German-born Peter Lorre as a Japanese detective. His bulging eyes and Western features make him look even less Asian than Sidney Toler and Warner Oland (who both played Charlie Chan). Plus, it's not hard to see that in ALL the fight scenes, Moto is NOT being played by Lorre but by a stuntman. Given that you can look past all this, MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING isn't a bad B-movie detective film--nor is it exactly memorable either.
Mr. Moto is inexplicably investigating a plot to blow up French and English ships around the Suez Canal. This is inexplicable because back in 1939, the Japanese could have probably cared less about this AND because the country behind this plot (which, is NEVER mentioned in this film) must be Germany--and a Japanese detective is a very, very unlikely candidate to unearth this Nazi plot. Heck, I would have probably expected Moto to be the man behind this conspiracy! Despite these shortcomings, the film is pretty good. Ricardo Cortez was an excellent actor and was effective as the bad guy and the rest of the supporting actors, EXCEPT for George Sanders, were very good. Oddly, in Sanders' case, they had him playing someone with a heavy accent (I think it was supposed to be French, but at times it was tough to tell). Also, John Carradine played an English guy. He wasn't bad in the role, but I couldn't see why they didn't just give the English agent role to Sanders and let Carradine take a stab at Sanders' role. I think the highlight of the film for me was the diving bubble section, where Carradine is lowered onto the ocean floor by the bad guys. What a creepy scene.
So overall, the film had a decent number of flaws and was definitely far from being one of the better B-movie detective films. There are simply better series out there that are better--such as The Saint, Sherlock Holmes or Charlie Chan. A watchable time-passer and that's about all.
Mr. Moto is inexplicably investigating a plot to blow up French and English ships around the Suez Canal. This is inexplicable because back in 1939, the Japanese could have probably cared less about this AND because the country behind this plot (which, is NEVER mentioned in this film) must be Germany--and a Japanese detective is a very, very unlikely candidate to unearth this Nazi plot. Heck, I would have probably expected Moto to be the man behind this conspiracy! Despite these shortcomings, the film is pretty good. Ricardo Cortez was an excellent actor and was effective as the bad guy and the rest of the supporting actors, EXCEPT for George Sanders, were very good. Oddly, in Sanders' case, they had him playing someone with a heavy accent (I think it was supposed to be French, but at times it was tough to tell). Also, John Carradine played an English guy. He wasn't bad in the role, but I couldn't see why they didn't just give the English agent role to Sanders and let Carradine take a stab at Sanders' role. I think the highlight of the film for me was the diving bubble section, where Carradine is lowered onto the ocean floor by the bad guys. What a creepy scene.
So overall, the film had a decent number of flaws and was definitely far from being one of the better B-movie detective films. There are simply better series out there that are better--such as The Saint, Sherlock Holmes or Charlie Chan. A watchable time-passer and that's about all.
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