The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932)
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86% of critics liked it
(7 reviews) -
57% of users liked it
(899 ratings)
Boris Karloff stars as the villainous Dr. Fu Manchu in this wild and wooly -- and wildly racist -- adventure yarn, based on Sax Rohmer's fiction about the personification of the "yellow peril." Sir Nayland Smith (Lewis Stone) of the British Secret Service recruits Sir Lionel Barton… More Boris Karloff stars as the villainous Dr. Fu Manchu in this wild and wooly -- and wildly racist -- adventure yarn, based on Sax Rohmer's fiction about the personification of the "yellow peril." Sir Nayland Smith (Lewis Stone) of the British Secret Service recruits Sir Lionel Barton (Lawrence Grant) to lead an expedition with Prof. Von Berg (Jean Hersholt) and McLeod (David Torrence) to the Gobi Desert, to find the tomb of Genghis Khan and retrieve the scimitar and golden mask held within. To Barton, these are mere archeological trophies, but Smith has learned that Dr. Fu Manchu also has his designs on them; and if he gets hold of these artifacts, he will use them to cause a rising in the East, and foment a war for the destruction of the white race. The action is fast and furious, resembling a Saturday-morning serial, as Barton is kidnapped and brought to Fu Manchu, who proceeds to torture him to find the location of the tomb. Barton's daughter, Sheila (Karen Morley), replaces her father to guide the expedition, accompanied by her fiancé, Terry Granville (Charles Starrett). They find the tomb and retrieve the sword and mask, and find themselves in the company of Nayland Smith as they try to return to England, and surrounded by enemies on all sides. One man is dead and soon Terry is in the hands of Fu and his sadistic daughter Fah Lo See (Myrna Loy), who proceeds to torture him; Nayland Smith is slowly being lowered into a pit of crocodiles, Von Berg is trapped between moving spiked walls, and Sheila Barton is about to be sacrificed as part of the ritual in which Fu will declare himself the reincarnation of Genghis Khan. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi
- Directed By
- Charles Brabin
- Written By
- Irene Kuhn, Edgar Allan Woolf, John Willard
- Genres
- Drama, Action & Adventure, Horror, Mystery & Suspense
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Nov 5, 1932 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Steve Biodrowski, Cinefantastique
This is a creaky but entertaining relic from the early sound era. Basically an adventure story...it edges into the horror category thanks to the fiendish torture devices used by the Oriental criminal mastermind - and his sadistic daughter.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
An entertaining but politically incorrect hokum escapist adventure story.
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John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
It's hard not to giggle at the sheer awfulness of the action or be put off by the overt racism of the characters.
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John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...the film is filled with high camp, Karloff in droopy mustache and long, curled fingernails and Loy in slinky gown and dangly headdress.
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Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
A classic with a towering performance by Karloff as Fu Manchu. Only the movie's overt racism can be a mark against it today.
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Cast
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Boris Karloff
as Dr. Fu Manchu
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Lewis Stone
as Nayland Smith
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Karen Morley
as Sheila Barton
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Charles Starrett
as Terrence Granville
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Myrna Loy
as Fah Lo See
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Jean Hersholt
as Prof. Van Berg
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Lawrence Grant
as Sir Lionel Barton
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David Torrence
as McLeod
- Herbert Bunston
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Willie Fung
as Ship's Steward
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Ferdinand Gottschalk
as Museum Official
- Gertrude Michael
- C. Montague Shaw
