Mr. Moto Takes a Chance (1938)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Norman Foster

Writers:

Lou Breslow (writer)
Wyllis Cooper (story)
(more)

Release Date:

24 June 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Drama

Plot:

In the jungle near Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Mr. Moto poses as an ineffectual archaeologist and a venerable holy man with mystical powers to help foil two insurgencies against the government.

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Sequel | Beautiful Woman | Fourth Part | Character Name In Title

Cast

Peter Lorre	...	Mr. Moto
Rochelle Hudson	...	Victoria 'Vicki' Mason
Robert Kent	...	Marty Weston
J. Edward Bromberg	...	Rajah Ali
Chick Chandler	...	Chick Davis
George Regas	...	Bokor
Frederick Vogeding	...	Capt. Zimmerman (as Frederik Vogeding)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
H.W. Gim	...	Rajah Ali retainer (uncredited)
Al Kikume	...	Yao (uncredited)
James B. Leong	...	Man (uncredited)
Gloria Roy	...	Keema - Ali's Wife (uncredited)
Victor Sen Yung	...	Khmer soldier (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Foster

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lou Breslow		writer
Wyllis Cooper		story (as Willis Cooper)
Norman Foster		story
John P. Marquand		character (as J.P. Marquand)
John Patrick		writer

Produced by
Sol M. Wurtzel	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Virgil Miller

Film Editing by
Nick DeMaggio

Art Direction by
Albert Hogsett

Costume Design by
Herschel McCoy		(as Herschel)

Makeup Department
Bill Cooley	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Ed Ebele	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tom Dudley	....	assistant director (uncredited)
William Eckhardt	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Joe Behm	....	props (uncredited)
Ansel Whitlow	....	assistant props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bernard Freericks	....	sound
Harry M. Leonard	....	sound
L.B. Dix	....	assistant sound (uncredited)
P. Kelly	....	cable person (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Bohny	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Eddie Garvin	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Fred Hall	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Steve McNulty	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Roger Murphy	....	grip (uncredited)
Irving Rosenberg	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe supervisor (uncredited)

Music Department
Samuel Kaylin	....	musical director
Samuel Kaylin	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1938) (USA) (theatrical)

Also Known As:

Look Out, Mr. Moto (USA) (pre-release title)

Runtime:

63 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #3842)

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Filmed in 1937, not released until 1938.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The first time Moto reaches for a carrier pigeon to relay a message to his government contact, you'll see that the cage door is already open.

Movie Connections:

Follows Thank You, Mr. Moto (1937)

An adequate entry into the series

Mr. Moto is posing as an archaeologist but in reality he's investigating reports that there is soon to be an uprising against the colonial government. Soon after he arrives, an Amelia Earhart-like woman conveniently "drops in" as well as two wildlife documentary film makers--making this part of rural Thailand about the busiest place in the entire country!!

Some things about MR. MOTO TAKES A CHANCE are very good and make this a stand out film. First, instead of being stuck on a cruise ship or in the big city, Moto is in Thailand--a nice departure indeed. Second, like the earliest Moto films, our hero is NOT above killing his enemies--making Moto quite the different from Charlie Chan. Later Moto films are quite different, with Moto acting almost exactly like Chan--so in general, the later the films were made the worse they were.

Unfortunately, the film also had more than its share of dopey moments, such as the bats that flew up out of the trap door. Not only were they obviously fake, but you could very, very clearly see the strings! There was also an overuse of stock footage. While fortunately the animals were correct (such as Asian elephants, tigers and orangutans) but sometimes the clips were a bit grainy and seemed like they were thrown in for padding. In addition, the one cameraman character (the obviously "goofy" one) was a bit annoying. He seemed to be some sort of unnecessary comic relief and really detracted from the film.''

Overall, not a particularly inspired film and far from one of the better films in the series. Watchable but it's only a time-passer for everyone but Moto fans.