The Mysterious Dr Fu Manchu **** (1929, Warner Oland, Jean Arthur, Neil Hamilton, O P Heggie, William Austin) – Classic Movie Review 5820

‘DANGER – MYSTERY THRILLS You’ll never forget.’ Warner Oland stars in Paramount’s 1929 chiller as Sax Rohmer’s evil Chinese criminal mastermind Dr Fu Manchu, who sets out to avenge the death of his wife and child during the Boxer Rebellion in early 20th century China by murdering British soldiers.

The Swedish-born star Warner Oland is not obvious casting as Dr Fu Manchu but he is good value in the oriental title role and Rowland V Lee’s enthusiastic, pacy direction emphasises the wildness of the plot and wackiness of Florence Ryerson and Lloyd Corrigan’s screenplay.

It is very creaky but still really enjoyable – though of course just don’t expect too much from the very early film-making styles enforced by the technical problems inherent in talkies in 1929.

Oland’s Fu Manchu has also got it in for Dr Jack Petrie (Neil Hamilton) and Inspector Nayland Smith (O P Heggie), who, along with Jean Arthur and William Austin too, all return in the sequel, The Return of Dr Fu Manchu, in 1930.

Also in the cast are Claude King, Charles A Stevenson, Noble Johnson, Charles Giblyn, Charles Stevens, Tully Marshall, Evelyn Selbie, Lawford Davidson, Chappell Dossett, Donald McKenzie and Laska Winters.

Loosely based on Sax Rohmer’s novel,The Mystery of Dr Fu-Manchu, it is the first Fu Manchu talking picture.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5820

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