This has to be the best of the low budget Monogram series of crime programmers made briefly from 1938 to 1940, more for the sense of fun it provides, and partially for the more interesting plotline. The set-up is fascinating, too, showing the murder of Tong princess Lotus Long in Mr. Wong's apartment, shot in the neck by a teeny tiny poisoned darts. Long takes her time in expiring, dramatically writing down a clue for Boris Karloff's Wong to follow. A nosy reporter (Marjorie Reynolds) becomes a thorn in police detective Grant Withers' side, delighting in showing him up with her expertise in the breaking down of a murder investigation. Karloff, too, has a glint in his eye this time around, perhaps pleased by the fact that some thought went into the script which makes it more fun for the audience too.
For once in the series, the investigation drops enough hints for the audience to get more involved, bringing in some interesting supporting characters, most notably Angelo Rossito ("Freaks", many Monogram programmers as Bela Lugosi's sidekick) as a mute Chinese dwarf and Bessie Loo as a Chinese matron. There's also a bit more action than normal, crisp dialog and not a lot of dramatic poses that made me fight to stay awake in others in the series. I really enjoyed the playful rivalry between Reynolds and Withers which had the potential to become a series itself. It reminded me of the later Monogram two part crime comedy/drama with Jean Parker as Detective Kitty O'Day and Tim Ryan as the flustered police detective. This is an example of how sometimes you can make a silk purse out of a sow's war.
For once in the series, the investigation drops enough hints for the audience to get more involved, bringing in some interesting supporting characters, most notably Angelo Rossito ("Freaks", many Monogram programmers as Bela Lugosi's sidekick) as a mute Chinese dwarf and Bessie Loo as a Chinese matron. There's also a bit more action than normal, crisp dialog and not a lot of dramatic poses that made me fight to stay awake in others in the series. I really enjoyed the playful rivalry between Reynolds and Withers which had the potential to become a series itself. It reminded me of the later Monogram two part crime comedy/drama with Jean Parker as Detective Kitty O'Day and Tim Ryan as the flustered police detective. This is an example of how sometimes you can make a silk purse out of a sow's war.