lugonian THANK YOU, MR. MOTO (20th Century-Fox, 1937), directed by Norman Foster, stars Peter Lorre in the title role of Kentaro Moto best described as "venture explorer and soldier of fortune," but actually a Japanese confidential investigator who "wherever he shows up, something always happens." Following its initial entry, THINK FAST, MR. MOTO (1937), this second installment overall, is quite good, in fact, the best in the entire series of eight. After viewing it, it's easy to see why.Based on the story by its creator, John P. Marquand, with original screenplay by Norman Foster and Wallis Cooper, the plot opens in the Great Gobi Desert in China where Mr. Moto (Peter Lorre), disguised as a Mongolian camel driver, immediately suspecting his life to be in danger. His hunch is right after nearly getting hoofed by a horse rider in the windy desert sands, and later finding a mysterious figure entering his tent with intent to kill. In Peiping, Mr. Moto is discovered holding a secret document, leading to a merry chase through the city streets before making it to his hotel room (Number 303) to his manservant, Wing (Chester Gan), and pet cat. After removing his disguise, Moto arrives to a garden party of various guests, including Thomas Nelson (Thomas Beck), a young American; Eleanor Joyce (Jayne Reagan) from California who's preparing to author a book about Chinese art; Colonel Tchernov (Sig Rumann) and his wife (Nedda Harrigan); and guests of honor of Chinese nobility, Madame Chung (Pauline Frederick) and her son, Prince Chung (Philip Ahn). The once quite wealthy Chungs are learned to be the only remaining members of twelve generations to possess six of the seven scrolls to be the key to the hidden treasure of Genghis Khan. Later, Colonel Tchernov, demanding to get the scrolls from Prince Chung at gunpoint, is later found dead. Learning the value of the missing scroll, Mr. Moto assists Prince Chung in helping with its whereabouts, tracing it to the antique shop of Mr. Pereira (John Carradine, in fine characterization). The antique dealer soon becomes a murder victim himself before he could reveal to Mr. Moto how he was able to acquire the actual missing scroll. Moto, now in possession of the seventh scroll, must outwit its ringleader, Eric Koerger (Sidney Blackmer), and his henchmen, to prevent all seven scrolls from getting into the wrong hands of treasure hunters who will stop at nothing, including murder, to obtain it.Naturally, Peter Lorre, the master of many disguises, is the whole show here. Lorre's fine characterization certainly indicates how he was born for the role for which he's letter perfect. The film also finds time for occasional humor, abductions, chases, shootings, fight scenes, as well as surprising elements that classify THANK YOU, MR. MOTO as least typical yet with enough fast-pace entertainment during its 67 minutes to go around. Thomas Beck and Sig Rumann, who previously co-starred in THINK FAST, MR. MOTO, return in different character roles. William Von Brincken (Schneider); John Bleifer (Ivan); and Gino Corrado are others who also appear in the supporting cast.The possibility of those ranking THANK YOU, MR. MOTO as the best in the series might have been the reason for it to have been the first one chosen over the seven other "Mr Moto" films for its themed subject matter of "Asian Images on Film" on Turner Classic Movies, where it premiered June 10, 2008. For anyone who's yet to see this and/or any other of the Lorre/Moto movie episodes, would have a great opportunity to say "Thank You, Mr. Moto" or 20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment for that matter, after obtaining all eight in the series (1937-1939) available on DVD. Next installment: MR. MOTO'S GAMBLE (1938) (*** scrolls)

Michael_Elliott Thank You, Mr. Moto (1937)*** (out of 4)Second film in the series has Peter Lorre returning as Mr. Moto. This time out Moto must battle bad guys who will stop at nothing to get the seven pieces of a map that when put together shows an endless treasure of Genghis Khan. This second film is certainly a major step up from the previous film, which in itself was good. This one here takes everything that worked in the first movie and just builds more fire around it and then pours some gas on it for a real explosion of entertainment. The movie runs an extremely fast 67-minutes and there's really nothing dull throughout the film. The story itself is a very interesting and entertaining one as pieces together a treasure map always makes for many enjoyable situations. Lorre really nails his character down perfectly with some great vocabulary and some even better fighting scenes. Even though there weren't as many fights this time around I can't help but get a huge smile when Lorre goes into action. It's also very refreshing to see Moto kill, which is something other stars of this genre wouldn't do in a million years. Moto will even take it a step further and rub the killings in. The supporting cast of Thomas Beck, Pauline Frederick and Sidney Blackmer are all great as well. John Carradine nearly steals the film in his role as a Chinese art dealer. I'm going through the series one by one so I'm not sure if any of them will eventually top this one but fans of the genre will certainly get a kick out of this one.

whpratt1 Enjoyed this 1937 film starring Peter Lorre as Mr. Kentaro Moto who is an Interpole Detective and also an adventurer. Mr. Moto is assigned to track down some very rare Chinese scrolls or Treasure Maps which will lead to the secret treasure of Genghis Khan worth over 10 Million Dollars. There are many women and men looking for these maps and they need all seven of them in order to solve the mystery as to just where the Genghis Khan fortune is hidden. John Carradine gives a great supporting role as a Peniera, Antique Dealer who is a very shady character and tries to sell people phony antiques at very high prices. Peter Lorre tried to play a Chinese Detective, but I am afraid his voice and rolling hard boiled eyes gives him away. This is a very entertaining film and if you like Peter Lorre, you will love this Moto Series. Enjoy.

Spondonman This was the 2nd of the 8 Fox Moto's, and like its predecessor Think Fast, was a fast paced action/detective film with high production values and a fine cast of goodies and baddies.It starts out in the Gobi Desert with Moto in possession of something valuable, stabbing an attacker to death and burying him without a pause – all becomes clear an hour later. Back in civilised China he and a bunch of gangsters are after 7 linen scrolls which indicate the whereabouts of Genghis Khan's fortune – Moto has one, nouveau poor Prince Chung and his rigid mother have the others … for the time being. When Moto finally gets to see them his monotone evaluation of their beauty: "The harmony of line and colour – this is truly a voiceless poem" – always makes me think of John Wayne's immortal line in The Greatest Story Ever Told. Non-Oriental Austrian Peter Lorre again plays the importer and detective with class, vim and believably if you understand you're using up your time watching a work of fantasy. Thomas Beck's in here playing handsome devil to glamorous Jayne Regan this time; both had short movie careers. And from the collection of baddies nasty Sidney Blackmer especially stood out, but even he didn't get to kill as many as Moto did! There's a chase sequence near the end which is brought to a rather dramatic conclusion – attention recommended!Great stuff as usual for the enlightened, nothing here for the serious. You watch this, you savvy?