WEST OF SHANGHAI

US, 1937, 64 minutes, Black and white.
Boris Karloff, Beverly Roberts, Ricardo Cortez, Gordon Oliver, Sheila Bromley, Vladimir Sokolow, Gordon Hart, Richard Lou.
Directed by John Farrow.

With Boris Karloff as the main star and a film directed by Australian-born John Farrow, this could be expected to be an action adventure. However, it is based on a play and, while there is some action, it is very, very talkative.

For audiences in 1937, this was a contemporary story about contemporary China. There was quite some knowledge about the warlords and their power struggles in China. Americans are there as missionaries as well as exploiting mineral resources. The railways have been developed. There are clashes between the warlords and the military. It is only 12 more years before Mao takes over.

The film focuses on a journey into the hinterland, West of Shanghai. There are various people on the train – the military authority who is murdered by a rebel during the journey, a doctor and his daughter who are interested in owning a mine, and an American who is an adventurer but also a businessman.

The film explains the situation with the important military figure on the train. However, the dangers come from a warlord, played by Boris Karloff, made up to look like a Chinese leader – but with his elegant voice and a touch of accent.

There is a sincere missionary at their destination and the former wife of the adventure has been working there as well. The warlord starts a siege with various difficulties for the Americans, sometimes seen as hostages, sometimes seen as guests, the warlord explaining his humble origins, his success, his power.

The culmination of the action is a confrontation between his followers and the military.

Always interesting to see Boris Karloff, to follow the action career of John Farrow – but both of them were to do much better.