King of Chinatown *** (1939, Anna May Wong, Anthony Quinn, J Carrol Naish, Akim Tamiroff, Sidney Toler, Philip Ahn) – Classic Movie Review 10,745

Director Nick Grinde’s 1939 black and white crime thriller King of Chinatown is an intriguingly written, fast-moving and atmospheric mob story that rattles along thanks to effective performances and tough action scenes.

Akim Tamiroff stars as Frank Baturin, the underworld king of Chinatown, who finds himself betrayed by an ambitious underling, Mike Gordon (Anthony Quinn). Anna May Wong plays Dr Mary Ling, J Carrol Naish plays Professor, Philip Ahn plays ‘Bob’ Li and Sidney Toler plays Dr Chang Ling.

Frank Baturin is a supposedly benevolent gangster who runs a lucrative gambling house in Chinatown. The aged herbalist Dr Chang Ling views Frank Baturin as just a crook, but, after Baturin is shot in an assassination attempt, Ling’s gifted surgeon daughter Dr Mary Ling (Anna May Wong) saves his life and the two become friends, and then Baturin sets out for vengeance against the man who tried to kill him.

King of Chinatown is a re-match for the three stars Anna May Wong, Anthony Quinn and J Carrol Naish, who made Island of Lost Men earlier in the same year. They are all on good form, and so are co-stars Akim Tamiroff, Philip Ahn and Sidney Toler as well as the tip-top character players, in a fine, short B-movie better than many made on a much bigger budget.

Also in the cast are Bernadene Hayes as Dolly Warren, Roscoe Karns as ‘Rip’ Harrigan, Richard Denning as Protective Association Henchman, Ray Mayer as ‘Potatoes’, Charles Trowbridge as Dr Jones, Charles B Wood as Henchman Red,  Archie Twitchell as Hospital Interne, Eddie Marr as Henchman Bert, George Anderson as Detective, George Magrill as Second Gangster, Lily King as Chinese Woman, Wong Chung as Chinese Man, Chester Gan as Mr Foo, Pat West as Fight Announcer, Guy Usher as Investigator and Pierre Watkin.

King of Chinatown is directed by Nick Grinde, runs 57 minutes, is made and released by Paramount Pictures, is written by Lillie Hayward (screenplay), Irving Reis (screenplay) and Herbert J Biberman (story), is shot in black and white by Leo Tover, is produced by Stuart Walker and Harold Hurley, and is scored by Gerard Carbonara, John Leipold and Boris Morros (musical director), with Art Direction by Hans Dreier and Robert Odell and Costume Design by Edith Head.

The film was released on March 17, 1939.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,745

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