When the #1 heavyweight contender is mysteriously poisoned during a bout, Moto knows that identifying the gambler who placed large bets against him is the key to solving the murder.When the #1 heavyweight contender is mysteriously poisoned during a bout, Moto knows that identifying the gambler who placed large bets against him is the key to solving the murder.When the #1 heavyweight contender is mysteriously poisoned during a bout, Moto knows that identifying the gambler who placed large bets against him is the key to solving the murder.
- Sammy
- (as Edward Marr)
- District Attorney
- (as Pierre Watkins)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaBegun as a Charlie Chan film ("Charlie Chan at the Ringside"), but after difficulties between 20th Century-Fox and Chan star Warner Oland, the script was hastily rewritten to accommodate Fox's other Asian sleuth, Mr. Moto. The presence of Chan's son Lee is evidence of the grafting of one movie onto another series. Producer Sol M. Wurtzel specifically ordered the writers to include Keye Luke's character in the revised screenplay. Though it has been reported that Oland's death was the reason for this change from Chan, this was not the case. This film was released theatrically on 3/25/38; Oland died on 8/6/38.
- GoofsWhile the minimum weight now for a heavyweight is 200lbs, at the time of the film it was 175lbs. Thus when the boxers are announced as 179lbs and 194lbs they are actually over the required minimum weight for their category.
- Quotes
Lee Chan: Oh, Mr. Moto?
Kentaro Moto: Yes, Lee?
Lee Chan: I though you would like to know I got a letter from Pop yesterday.
Kentaro Moto: Oh, you did?
Lee Chan: Mm-hmm. He sent his best to you.
Kentaro Moto: Thank you. And, uh, how is your honorable father enjoying his homelife in beautiful Honolulu?
Lee Chan: He seems fine, but he kind of worries about me. Y'see, I'm really supposed to be studying art here at the university... but gosh, I want to be a detective!
Kentaro Moto: [chuckles] I understand. My parents wanted me to be an acrobat.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Film Breaks: Detectives from the Orient (1999)
The backstory of this movie is almost as interesting as the film itself. This started out as a Charlie Chan feature, and much of it was filmed, but star Warner Oland had some "issues" and left the set. He wouldn't return, and in fact would be dead a few months later. Fox felt too much had been spent already, so they took what they had, reshot a few scenes, and added a handful of new ones to make this into a Mr. Moto movie. Keye Luke's #1 son character was too integral, so they left him in, continuing to play the same character, establishing that Moto and Chan operate within the same cinematic world. Moto even has a line of dialogue where he says that he's been in contact with Charlie Chan about his son's schooling.
The end result movie is entertaining, although it bears more resemblance to the Oland/Chan films than to the two previous Moto features, which were more exotic, violent, and unpredictable. Moto still manages to toss a few people around like rag dolls, but he's more of the quiet center around whom the others gravitate. Maxie Rosenbloom is very amusing as a kleptomaniac who is taking Moto's detective course so that he can track down the people from whom he's stolen. Maxie and Keye Luke make for an unlikely but humorous duo.
- AlsExGal
- Dec 20, 2022
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Mr. Moto's Diary
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 12 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1