Thank You, Mr Moto *** (1937, Peter Lorre, Thomas Beck, Pauline Frederick, Jayne Regan, Sidney Blackmer, Sig Ruman, John Carradine) – Classic Movie Review 11,987

Director Norman Foster’s 1937 B-movie black and white thriller film Thank You, Mr Moto is the second in 20th Century Fox’s series of eight crime mystery films starring Peter Lorre as Mr Moto. It also stars Thomas Beck, Pauline Frederick, Jayne Regan, Sidney Blackmer, Sig Ruman, and John Carradine.

The screenplay by Norman Foster and Wyllis Cooper is based on John P Marquand’s 1936 novel, in which adventurer and soldier of fortune Mr Kentaro Moto battles murderous treasure hunters for priceless ancient scrolls that reveal the whereabouts of the long-lost tomb of Genghis Khan.

Filming took place from October to November 1937.

Jayne Regan and Peter Lorre in Thank You, Mr Moto.

Jayne Regan landed her first lead role here as Eleanor Joyce, and it is the last appearance of Pauline Frederick, playing Madame Chung.

The cast are Peter Lorre as Mr Kentaro Moto, Thomas Beck as Tom Nelson, Pauline Frederick as Madame Chung, Jayne Regan as Eleanor Joyce, Sidney Blackmer as Herr Koerger, Sig Ruman [Sig Rumann] as Colonel Tchernov, John Carradine as Pereira, Wilhelm von Brincken [William Von Brincken] as Schneider, Nedda Harrigan as Madame Tchernov, Philip Ahn as Prince Chung, and John Bleifer as Ivan.

Thank You Mr Moto and Mr Moto is So Sorry by John P Marquand.

Thank You, Mr Moto is the second Mr Moto novel after No Exit. It was published in 1936 after being serialised.

In June 1937 20th Century Fox announced that the first three movies in the series would be Think Fast, Mr Moto, Thank You Mr Moto and Mr Moto’s Gamble. Think Fast, Mr Moto was filmed in February 1937. The second Moto film shot was Mr Moto Takes a Chance, filmed in July, but it was released fourth.

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

The films in the series are Think Fast, Mr Moto (1937), Thank You, Mr Moto (1937), Mr Moto’s Gamble (1938), Mr Moto Takes a Chance (1938), Mysterious Mr Moto (1938), Mr Moto’s Last Warning (1939), Mr Moto in Danger Island (1939), and Mr Moto Takes a Vacation (1939).

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 11,987

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