Mr Moto Takes a Chance *** (1938, Peter Lorre, Rochelle Hudson, Robert Kent) – Classic Movie Review 8322

The fourth movie in Peter Lorre’s enjoyable Mr Moto casebook.

Director Norman Foster’s 1938 crime thriller Mr Moto Takes a Chance is the fourth in the enjoyable casebook series of eight films starring Peter Lorre as the Japanese sleuth Mr Moto, although it was the second one to be filmed, after Lorre’s debut in Think Fast, Mr Moto. The 20th Century Fox studio delayed the release of Mr Moto Takes a Chance until after the production of Thank You, Mr Moto and Mr Moto’s Gamble.

Mr Moto Takes a Chance is written by Lou Breslow and John Patrick based on the character of Mr Moto created by John P Marquand and an original story by the director Norman Foster and Wyllis Cooper. This time Mr Moto gets involved in politics as he poses as an archaeologist and holy man to help to foil two insurgencies against the government in Cambodia.

Also in the cast are Rochelle Hudson as Victoria Mason, Robert Kent as Marty Weston, J Edward Bromberg as Rajah Ali, Chick Chandler as Chick Davis, George Regas as Bokor, Frederick Vogeding as Captain Zimmerman, Gloria Roy as Keema, Al Kikume as Yao and James B Leong as a native.

Filming took place on the 20th Century Fox backlot in July and August 1937.

Lorre’s make-up took up to three hours.

Mr Moto Takes a Chance was released on DVD with Think Fast, Mr Moto, Thank You, Mr Moto and Mysterious Mr Moto in 2006 by 20th Century Fox as part of The Mr Moto Collection, Volume One.

The series is Think Fast, Mr Moto, Thank You, Mr Moto, Mr Moto’s Gamble, Mr Moto Takes a Chance, Mysterious Mr Moto, Mr Moto’s Last Warning, Mr Moto in Danger Island, and Mr Moto Takes a Vacation. There was a further film in 1965, The Return of Mr Moto.

 © Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8322

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