Phantom Of Chinatown (1940)

Starring Keye Luke, Lotus Long, Grant Withers, Charles Miller, Huntley Gordon
Directed by Phil Rosen
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

Jimmy Wong teams with police Captain Street to investigate the murder of an archaeologist who discovered the secret of an "eternal flame" within an emperor's tomb in China.

Luke replaces Boris Karloff in the final entry in the Mr. Wong series of films put out by Monogram Pictures, and I have to say I enjoyed this outing more than the others with Karloff.  Boris always seemed something of an awkward fit in the role of the Oriental detective, although his performances were always dignified and respectful.  Luke, who had already been established in several Charlie Chan films as that sleuth's "Number One Son," steps into the role as a more authentic replacement, lacking Karloff's gravitas, but adding more glibness and humor while still remaining true to the cleverness of the character.  Despite Luke's positivity and Lotus Long's similar portrayal of a suspect and possible love interest for the sleuth, there are still some stereotypes that grate within the film, a product of their time.  Curiously, despite the presence of series regular Withers as Captain Street, this film is portrayed as Wong and Street's first encounter, disregarding the Karloff films that came before.  The plot line also drew me in more than that of the previous pictures with the archaeological hunt and its connection to the murder of far more interest than the more conventional plots of the earlier Wong films.

The Vampire's Ghost (1945)

Starring John Abbott, Charles Gordon, Peggy Stewart, Grant Withers, Emmett Vogan
Directed by Lesley Selander
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

Mysterious murders in Africa lead a plantation foreman to recruit the aid of a saloon owner in touch with the underground, failing to realize he's a vampire and responsible for all the murders.

One of a handful of horror films put out by Republic Pictures in the 1940s, and arguably the best of them, the film has atmosphere and style, as well as a charismatic star in John Abbott.  Abbott, who brought a cultured voice and a memorable countenance to many film roles, is ideally cast as vampire Webb Fallon, who is given some elegant dialogue, and his often heavy-lidded eyes convey both the weariness of his 400 year existence as well as an unsettling stare when hypnotizing his victims.  Vampire lore isn't strictly adhered to in the screenplay, with Fallon doing just fine in sunlight if wearing sunglasses, and although he's not visible in mirrors, his clothes are.  The cinematography by Robert Pittack and Bud Thackery makes good use of shadow for heightening the vampire's menace, while keeping Fallon's attacks off screen until his climactic assault on leading lady Stewart.  All together, it's a worthy horror picture with an unusual jungle setting, and a lead performance to remember.

Doomed To Die (1940)

Starring Boris Karloff, Marjorie Reynolds, Grant Withers, William Stelling, Catherine Craig
Directed by William Nigh
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

When her friend's fiancee is accused of the murder of a shipping magnate, reporter Bobbie Logan calls in Mr. Wong to try and clear the young man. 

This was Boris Karloff's last go-round as Hugh Wiley's Oriental detective, and I found the script of the mystery, with a wealth of suspects and a few clever ideas, somewhat engaging before a hasty conclusion wraps things up without really spelling out the murderer's motive.  Static camerawork and too-dark scenery doesn't help matters, but there are some notable character actors in the cast, including Angelo Rossitto of Freaks in a brief appearance as a midget newsboy.  I found the film to fare no better or worse than Karloff's other Wong films, although the actor doesn't have much to do here, so overall I would rank this near the bottom of his filmography.  

The Fatal Hour (1940)

Starring Boris Karloff, Marjorie Reynolds, Grant Withers, Charles Trowbridge, Frank Puglia
Directed by William Nigh
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

Captain Street counts on the aid of Mr. Wong to unravel the murder of a fellow cop who was drowned while investigating a smuggling ring.

Oriental detectives seemed all the rage in the 1930s and 1940s, with Charlie Chan, Mr. Moto, and Boris Karloff's Mr. Wong all solving mysteries in their own series of pictures.  The Mr. Wong series, distributed by Poverty Row studio Monogram Pictures, had Karloff, but had probably the lowest production values of all the series. Although it's difficult to imagine the British horror icon as passing for Chinese today, the actor had been cast in exotic roles for some time before, notably as the sinister Fu Manchu, and to his credit gives a dignified performance uncouched in stereotype.   This installment is an at times boring affair, with long drawn out scenes and static photography, although I liked it more than other films in the series, due to the presence of Trowbridge, one of my favorite character actors, and a fairly clever plot device establishing a murderer's alibi late in the film.