lugonian
MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING (20th Century-Fox, 1939), directed and scripted by Norman Foster, is regarded either the second best to the earlier THANK YOU, MR. MOTO (1937), or at least hailed as one of the better products in the eight film series starring the one and only Peter Lorre in the title role. Based on the character "Mr. Moto" created by John P. Marquand, where the Kentaro Moto character is best described in the film as "Nationality, Japanese. Age, 35-40. Short. Ju-jitsu expert. Uses various disguises. Adept at magic. Usually works alone. Has been known to use doubles," what really works here is the fine cast of supporting players, namely those familiar names Ricardo Cortez and George Sanders, along with John Carradine and the lesser known Virginia Field making return engagements in the series, both assuming different character roles from earlier entries.On the Valkin vessel bound for Port Said, an assortment of passengers are introduced: Madame Delacour (Margaret Irving) and her six-year- old daughter, Marie (Joan Carol); the French accented Eric Norvel (George Sanders); Rollo Van Debass (Robert Coote), a novelist and buffoon Englishman; and Mr. Moto (Teru Shimada) of the International Police. It is revealed that Norvel is being spied upon by the famed Japanese detective, with Captain Hawkins (Leyland Hodgson) secretly filling Norvel with details about Mr. Moto. After the boat docks, Moto encounters a Japanese man, the real Mr. Moto (Peter Lorre) who passes him a Japanese written message to keep watching Norvel. After going through customs and into the streets, Norvel drives by and offers the fake Mr. Moto a ride to the Hotel Khedive, turning out to be Moto's final destination. With "Mr. Moto" out of the way, the real Mr. Moto must act as well as keeping his identity secret. As Moto keeps close tabs on Norvel, he also watches a ventriloquist act performed by Fabian the Great (Ricardo Cortez) and his prize dummy, Albert, at the Sultana Theater Music Hall. Also in the audience is Danford (John Carradine), known only to Moto as Richard Burke, British Agent S-14, also on assignment to foil a dynamiting plot of the French fleet at the entrance of the Suez Canal that's to disrupt Franco-British diplomat relations. With Mr. Moto posing as Mr. Hykoroki, a shopkeeper at an antique shop of Oriental treasures located across the street from a pub called Connie's Place (owned by Connie Foster (Virginia Field), a woman with a shady past and Fabian's assistant of six years), Moto meets with some near death experiences along the way, but nothing as deadly as coming face to face with its dangerous ring leader.In the tradition of the initial two entries, MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING is simply 71 minute of fast-paced action and lots of guessing. With the use of the Mr. Moto impersonator fails, the real Moto traditionally goes through measures of disguises, one as a juggler, another as a shopkeeper speaking in Japanese dialect. Near death experiences occur with one tense moment revolving around a ticking bomb hidden inside Moto's shop only moments before it's set to explode. Moto even does some underwater Tarzan-type diving and swimming as he attempts to rescue a victim thrown over and left to drown while tied inside a sack, and to foil a bombing attempt on the French fleet almost simultaneously. There's one moment of unpleasantness where one of the agents is left to die through suffocation while trapped underwater inside a diving bell with no method of escape. Among the villains, Ricardo Cortez comes off best as the most deadly, killing his victims with no remorse. His ventriloquist act is reminiscent to Erich Von Stroheim's performance in THE GREAT GABBO (1929) where he not only performs with his dummy, but converses and treats it as if he were human. Others featured in the cast include: E.E. Clive (The Port Commandant General); Holmes Herbert (Bentham); John Davidson (Hakim); and briefly, Bert Roach (The Hotel Clerk).For being the first 1939 release, MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING gives every indication of this being both a withheld release and one not released to theaters in the chronological order of production. Possibly produced and filmed late 1937 or early 1938, aside from George Sanders' name listed fifth in the cast as opposed to third, and that Sanders, Peter Lorre, Virginia Field and Joan Carol having already been featured opposite Dolores Del Rio in LANCER SPY (1937), there's further evidence revealing its earlier production being out of date by 1939 standards during a movie house sequence with the marque reading, "Charlie Chan in Honolulu" with Warner Oland. Due to Oland's passing in mid 1938, "Charlie Chan in Honolulu" eventually did go into general release by year's end, but starring Sidney Toler as the new Chan.Unlike the other Moto entries, MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING became the only one in the series to fall into public domain, and only one in the series readily available on video cassette from various distributors dating back to the 1980s. Two decades later, this and other Moto escapade, became available on DVD with some informative profiles about the series as part of the extras on individual discs. Television revivals for MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING during the cable and home video era of the 1980s were often broadcast on public or independent television stations through the 1990s before turning up on cable television, most currently on Turner Classic Movies where it premiered October 29, 2004. With Mr. Moto's Last Warning not completely his last, next release in the series: MR. MOTO IN DANGER ISLAND (1939) (***)
bensonmum2
Mr. Moto is tracking a group of foreign spies intent on destroying the French fleet as it enters the Suez Canal. By doing so, the foreign powers hope to stir-up animosity between France and England.Mr. Moto's Last Warning is a decent enough entry in the Mr Moto series, but far from being the best. The biggest problem I have with it is the pacing. Moto films usually have more life and energy to them. This one sort of drags in spots. I can't put all the blame on director Norman Foster as I don't necessarily think this is the best script he was given to work with. The script doesn't seem to have as much "meat" to it. I don't have any proof, but there is probably more padding in Mr. Moto's Last Warning than the other Moto films.Still, this is Moto so it's still going to be a fun movie. Lorre is as good as always. I've typed this a couple of times recently, but I don't think he ever gives a bad performance. Mr. Moto's Last Warning has one of the best supporting casts you'll find in one of these films - Geogre Sanders, Ricardo Cortex, John Carradine, Robert Coote, Virginia Field, and E.E. Clive. What a cast! The rest of the movie is great. Technically, as with all the Moto films, it looks like an A-movie.One small thing that I've always enjoyed about Mr. Moto's Last Warning is the reference to the film Charlie Chan in Honolulu. I understand that this was done in part to pay tribute to Warner Oland who had recently passed away. Nice touch.
Jimmy L.
Although this is a short "B" programmer, there's a lot to like in this espionage thriller. Peter Lorre is joined by a great cast of recognizable character actors including George Sanders, John Carradine, E.E. Clive, and Ricardo Cortez as the villain. Robert Coote plays a hopelessly British tourist. There are some inspired (and intense) scenes, such as a fiendish murder involving a diving bell. Peter Lorre's Mr. Moto again proves to be a master of disguise, a cunning intellect, and an expert at judo. He's a deceptively great fighter and very resourceful, escaping numerous attempts on his life. The nefarious plot isn't too fleshed out, but it's fun watching Moto foil it.
rolandwinters
I think this is one of the best Moto films, with a lot of action. Peter Lorre does a good job alternating between the role of Moto and his disguise role as the meek shopkeeper. A group of spies in Port Said are trying to blow up the French fleet and make it look like England is to blame, thus provoking a war. The leader of the spy ring works as a ventriloquist at the local theater, and the gang works out of a sleazy bar run by a naive Englishwoman. The viewers never precisely find out what nation is employing the spy ring, but at the very end of the film Mr. Moto finds the breakthrough clue hidden in the ventriloquist's dummy. Mr Moto then makes the ventriloquist's dummy talk, saying "Don't talk Mr. Moto, or you may lose your job". Since Mr. Moto works for Japan, the final line in the movie may imply that Japan was behind the spy plot.
