Mr. Moto's Last Warning (1939)

Director:

Norman Foster

Writers:

John P. Marquand (character)
Philip MacDonald (original screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

20 January 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Plot:

Moto thwarts a ruthless band of international agents who try to foment an international incident by mining the entrance to the Suez Canal and blaming the British.

Plot Keywords:

Mr. Moto | Egypt | Fleet | Ship | Suez Canal

Cast

Peter Lorre	...	Mr. Kentaro Moto
Ricardo Cortez	...	Fabian the Great
Virginia Field	...	Connie Porter
John Carradine	...	Danforth / Richard Burke
George Sanders	...	Eric Norvel
Joan Carroll	...	Mary 'Marie' 'Delacour (as Joan Carol)
Robert Coote	...	Rollo Venables
Margaret Irving	...	Madame Delacour
Leyland Hodgson	...	Captain Bert Hawkins
John Davidson	...	Hakim
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jimmy Aubrey	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Ted Billings	...	Extra as Barfly (uncredited)
A.R. Bogard	...	Hoist Man (uncredited)
Daniel Boone	...	Deep Sea Diver (uncredited)
David Cavendish	...	Deck Officer (uncredited)
E.E. Clive	...	Port Commandant General (uncredited)
Neil Fitzgerald	...	English Sergeant (uncredited)
Harold Goodwin	...	Nightclub Bouncer and Seaman (uncredited)
Holmes Herbert	...	Bentham (uncredited)
George Humbert	...	Stage Manager (uncredited)
Jacques Lory	...	Markaday - Juggler (uncredited)
Pat McKee	...	Seaman Observing Fight (uncredited)
Lal Chand Mehra	...	Customs Officer (uncredited)
Victor Metzetti	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Robert F. Owens	...	Tender (uncredited)
Jack Perry	...	Guard at Door (uncredited)
Georges Renavent	...	Admiral Jacques Delacour (uncredited)
Wayne Rivers	...	Cable Man (uncredited)
Bert Roach	...	Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
C. Montague Shaw	...	Admiral Lord Streetly (uncredited)
Teru Shimada	...	Fake Mr. Moto (uncredited)
H.W. Stroele	...	Tender (uncredited)
Al Wesslen	...	Deep Sea Diver (uncredited)
Eric Wilton	...	Deck Steward (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Foster

Writing credits
John P. Marquand		(character)
Philip MacDonald		(original screenplay) and
Norman Foster		(original screenplay)

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

Original Music by
David Raksin		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Virgil Miller		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Norman Colbert

Casting by
Phillip Moore		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Lewis H. Creber		(as Lewis Creber)
Bernard Herzbrun
Freddie Stoos		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
Helen A. Myron

Makeup Department
Fred B. Phillips	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Jean Thomas	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
V.L. McFadden	....	production manager (uncredited)
Sam Schneider	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jasper Blystone	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Charles Faye	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Larry Haddock	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
George Peckham	....	props (uncredited)
Walter Poggi	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Walter M. Scott	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
William H. Anderson	....	sound
E. Clayton Ward	....	sound
M. Braggins	....	cable person (uncredited)
Emmett O'Brien	....	assistant sound (uncredited)
Harry Roberts	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Tad Gillum	....	still photographer (uncredited)
L.V. Johnson	....	gaffer (uncredited)
F. Mime	....	best boy (uncredited)
Roger Murphy	....	grip (uncredited)
John F. Warren	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
William P. Whitley	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Dan Wurtzel	....	assistant grip (uncredited)

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

Editorial Department
Douglass Biggs	....	assistant cutter (uncredited)

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

Other crew
Helen Torres	....	script clerk (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1939) (USA) (theatrical) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Hollywood's Best (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Hollywood's Best (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Inspired Productions (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• National Film Museum (2004) (USA) (TV) (as National Film Museum Incorporated)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (video)
• Reel Media International (2005) (worldwide) (TV)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Sarjim Video (video)

Other Companies

• Hypercube  digital remastering: National Film Museum Incorporated print (as Hypercube LLC) (2004 National Film Museum Incorporated print)

Also Known As:

Mr. Moto No. 6 (USA) (working title)
Mr. Moto in Egypt (USA) (working title)
Winter Garden (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

71 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 #4445) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Norway:16 | Finland:K-16

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The reason this film is shown more often than any of the others is because it's in the public domain, and no longer under the legal control of 20th Century-Fox.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: The sign for the Sultana Theatre appears to advertise the film Charlie Chan in Honolulu (1938), but it clearly reads "Starring Warner Oland", and that film featured Sidney Toler, not Oland, as Charlie Chan. However, this is very likely not an error but done in tribute to the recently deceased Mr. Oland, a longtime Fox contract star.

Quotes:

Admiral Lord Streetly: [First Lines] The two French squadrons are here now, Benthum, off Tunis. They plan to sail directly to Port Said and proceed through the canal and join our fleet for their maneuvers in the Red Sea.
Bentham: When exactly will they reach the canal?
Admiral Lord Streetly: We had a wire from the French Admiral this morning, says, "Fleet arrives Port Said, 23 o'clock, 16 instant, compliments, Delacour Admiral, Commanding."
Bentham: That's even less time than I thought. Isn't it possible to delay them somehow?

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Slanted Screen (2006)

Soundtrack:

Sobre las Olas (Over the Waves)

Good Setting & Atmosphere; Lorre is Fun to Watch

Peter Lorre is always fun to watch, and this 'Mr. Moto' film gives him a good role that allows him to do a lot of things. The story itself is pretty good - although there are some loose ends, it moves quickly and has some offbeat aspects that usually work. Lorre carries the show, but there is a good supporting cast, especially George Sanders and John Carradine.

The setting and atmosphere are interesting, combining the waterfront setting (in Port Said) with an assortment of characters of different nationalities. The stage variety show, which is at the center of much of the action, creates some good moments. All in all, a pretty good feature that works well as light entertainment.