DOOMED TO DIE

US, 1940, 68 minutes, Black and white.
Boris Karloff, Grant Withers, Marjorie Reynolds.
Directed by William Nigh.

Mr. Wong, Detective is the first of the Mr. Wong murder mysteries featuring Boris Karloff as the very polished but enigmatic detective in San Francisco. There were five films in all, from 1939 to 1941. This was the last.
Asian detectives were very popular in series at this time, the Mr. Moto series as well as the Charlie Chan series.
The film opens with scenes of San Francisco Harbour and big liners. One of them was set ablaze and 400 killed. The owner of the shipping line works with his secretary about insurance issues and some shady deals he had previously done. His rival comes to visit him and he refuses to cooperate for the bringing together of the companies. The rival’s son also visits him, wanting to marry the magnate’s daughter. Then he is shot.
It takes some time for Mr. Wong to come into the film but when he does, he investigates, is shot at as often happens during the films, and, of course, brings the solution. It is, as often, the person one should least expect, the secretary. However, there are complexities with the arrest of the son, Detective Street being his usual self and overdoing the bluster, along with Bobby Logan tagging along for a story.
There are complications about the Tongs and their influence, the magnate’s daughter and her friendship with Bobby and the prospective marriage, as well as the rival and his being willing to take the blame instead of his son.
The film is interesting of its kind, but a modest small-budget supporting film, of historical interest. San Francisco police headquarters must be the smallest and barest offices in cinema history.
But the film will be of particular interest to followers of Boris Karloff’s career. This performance is quite far from his many appearances in horror films, a much more urbane and intelligent performance than many of his fans might be used to.