the mask of fu manchu

After discovering the tomb of El Mokanna - the Veiled Prophet - and retrieving the precious relics buried there, the eminent archaeologist Sir Lionel Barton blows up the tomb. Get help and learn more about the design. The sinister Dr. Fu Manchu (Boris Karloff) and his equally devious daughter, Fah Lo See (Myrna Loy), clash with a British expedition that has set out in search of Genghis Khan's tomb. The score is haunting and while occasionally silly the story is fun and never felt dull. Director: Charles Brabin and Charles Vidor Product details 2007-2022 THE GRINDHOUSE CINEMA DATABASE. While Charles Starrett is not the most convincing of actors he does make up for it by his sexiness. Fiends lurk in the British Museum itself, as academic-adventurer Barton (Lawrence Grant) can't wait to tell Fairgyle, Von Berg and McLeod (C. Montague Shaw, Jean Hersholt, David Torrence) about the exciting mission to beat the evil Chinese to the tomb of Genghis Khan . Mask Of Fu Manchu, The (1932) -- (Movie Clip) There's A Fanatic In The East. Shan Greville makes is still the same poor hero he was in the last book, even Dr. Fu Manchu tells him so. Wonderfully inventive exotic horror movie from the early days of talkies. R. Hearst's Cosmopolitan Pictures, subject to a protracted and nettlesome shooting schedule, and Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future. While the sparks put off by Fu Manchu's diabolical invention are impressive special effects, they are nothing in comparison to the sparks emitted by the young, scantily clad Myrna Loy. Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons Sir Lionel is to both find Ganghis Khan's tomb and at the same time keep it from Fu Manchu's grasp. as personified by Boris Karloff in this fabulously dishy, and all-too-rarely-seen 1932 thriller from the The next day, Terrence Granville, Sheila's fianc, finds a human hand wearing Sir Lionel's ring, after which one of Manchu's underlings invites him to meet Manchu. Written by Irene Kuhn, Edgar Allan Woolf and John Willard, it was based on the 1932 novel of the same name by Sax Rohmer (the sixth in the series). Euro-rash of adaptations starring Christopher Lee prospered in the '60s). "The Mask of Fu Machu" is often more like a family gathering than an adventure story since many of the characters seem simply to be hanging out and reviewing old times. When Sir Lionel's daughter Sheila hears of her father's capture, she tells Smith that she plans to search for the tomb herself. Wow! There's some kind of white supremacist context where I would not want this film to be shown. [4], The Mask of Fu Manchu opened in New York on December 2, 1932. A Fu Manchu movie made in the early '30s, when xenophobia against the Chinese was still rife, was never going to be anything but offensive and demeaning to Asians, especially with the titular character played by Boris Karloff in 'yellow face'. The Mask of Fu Manchu is a 1932 American adventure horror movie directed by Charles Brabin and Charles Vidor.It was based on the 1932 novel of the same name by Sax Rohmer.The movie starred Boris Karloff as Fu Manchu and Myrna Loy as his daughter Fah Lo Suee. Fu Manchu embodies every fear (and attraction) of the East Professor Von Berg (Jean Hersholt, radio veteran of "Poems That Touch the Heart") and Nayland Smith(Lewis Stone) of Scotland Yard try to prevent Fu Manchu from getting these important relics. But the film is part of a series on pre-Code Hollywood and is important in considering the films of that era. This is a New "Fu" in a New Story. She wants to make love to him later, but is stopped by Manchu, who has other things in mind for Terry. It was ridiculous. "It doesn't surprise me," Hu said. And this kind of titillation about something exotic. In spite of that, the final film manages to capture the feel of the pulp tales that inspired it. Jack Eden. Rohmer's writing style is somewhat dated, but the story is still intriguing. The fascinating evil genius (and his nemesis, Sir Denis Nayland Smith) appeared in so many successful novels that of course, film adaptations became the next step, resulting in many different versions of the stories made since the first British film serial in 1923. Directed by Charles Brabin. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. peril" anti-immigration myth for years in his newspapers, and his columnist/lackey Kuhn, is no made in Hollywood. People were afraid of them on certain levels. He has a daughter, Fah Lo See, whose idea of a good time is watching a white man get whipped repeatedly by two shirtless muscular black men. Once you overlook all this, and a few other things, such as the British finding Genghis Khan's tomb in about the same amount of time that Sir Lionel Barton is kept under a constantly ringing bell, this is actually pretty entertaining. The version of the film we get today on DVD hasn't been seen in many years the smugly amused but The men always wore white suits and pith helmets. AKA Arthur Sarsfield Ward (real name); Michael Furey. When Terry tries to set a trap for Dr. Manchu with a fake mask and sword, he is captured and finds himself caught precariously between Dr. Fu Manchu's ingenious tortures and the amorous attentions of the Doctor's daughter, Fah Lo See. Everyone else just tossed it off as something that didn't matter, while Boris and I brought some feeling and humor to those comic-book characters. Though I've seen several Fu Manchu movies, this is only the 2nd Fu Manchu book I've read. "AFI's 100 Years100 Heroes & Villains Nominees", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Mask_of_Fu_Manchu&oldid=1126430105, Films with screenplays by Edgar Allan Woolf, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 9 December 2022, at 08:15. Boris Karloff dons monster makeup once again for his role as the fiendish Fu Manchu. film editor Casting By Ben Piazza . Director: Charles Brabin and Charles Vidor So I got my makeup on and, on my way to the stage from the makeup shop, I was intercepted by somebody else who took those pages away from me and gave me some others that were written in pidgin English!" Sign Up now to stay up to date with all of the latest news from TCM. The makeup, which required three hours preparation each day before shooting, involved filling in the area around Karloff's eyes, reshaping his nose, applying tooth caps and long fingernails, to say nothing of the wig, moustache and painted eyebrows. wasn't the first Fu Manchu film (it was actually the third American film based on the Rohmer villain; a Everybody wins. A group of British scientists have finally found the grave and want to take the treasures from it to the British museum. Don't worry.' The Nazis are mere obstacles in his path to run over. Written by Irene Kuhn, Edgar Allan Woolf and John Willard, it was based on the 1932 novel of the same name by Sax Rohmer (the sixth in the series). Cinematography: Tony Gaudio [2], Some other critics also objected to the film's depictions of violence and sexuality. Fu Manchu : I am a doctor of philosophy from Edinburgh, I am a doctor of law from Christ College, I am a doctor of medicine from Harvard. Within a couple weeks, they were fired; a new team of scriptwriters and a new director - Charles Brabin - were hired as replacements. The production was rushed and chaotic, as Boris Karloff recalls: "I shall never forget, about a week before we started, I kept asking for a script - and I was met with roars of laughter at the idea that there would be a script. museums, pit helmets, jodhpurs, and booby-trapped marble palaces. Screenplay: Irene Kuhn, Edgar Allan Woolf and John Willard, based on the novel The Mask of Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer (1932) Available on iTunes. I enjoyed this one better than the first book of the series - it seemed more straightforward pulp without dragging on forever. Barton's daughter Sheila insists on taking her father's place on the expedition, as she knows where the tomb is. According to a news item in Daily Variety on May 1, 1972, the Japanese-American Citizens League asked M-G-M to remove The Mask of Fu Manchu from its catalog because it was "offensive and demeaning to Asian Americans"; however, the film was not removed from circulation. It isn't about The Mask Of Fu Manchu, it's about the mask and sword of Ghenghis Khan which Boris Karloff as Fu Manchu wants to discover and appropriate for himself so he can become a kind of Far Eastern Mahdi. Manchu prepares the serum, derived from various reptiles and deadly insects, and tells Terry that it is the smallest dose, so that he will be himself again for Fah Lo See. While Terry frees Sheila and carries her away, Nayland Smith and Von Berg incinerate Fu Manchu's followers using the same weapon. On 13 Aug, a news item reported that M-G-M had decided to bring in Charles Brabin to work on the picture along with Vidor; however, on 17 August Hollywood Reporter reported that Vidor had been fired and that Brabin would be sole director commencing the next day. This was a difficult book to get through for me. Last but not least came the complex makeup designed to transform Karloff into a Chinese character. However, Nayland Smith manages to free himself, Terry, and Von Berg. Now he seeks to incite a Muslim uprising to destroy Western civilization. The film's electrical equipment was created by Kenneth Strickfaden, who also designed the laboratory equipment for Universal's Frankenstein films. He tells Sheila and Von Berg that Nayland Smith wants them to bring the sword and mask to him. That was to be the opening shot in the film and I was seeing it for the first time, then and there. The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) started production in early August, with Charles Vidor as director and Courtenay Terrett writing the screenplay adaptation. SAX ROHMER THE MASK OF FU MANCHU RARE TRUE 1ST EDITION 1ST PRINTING 1932. Thanks to the essential oil of a rare Burmese orchid, Dr. Fu has attained a new lease on life in this book, and is both stronger and more active than ever. The picture is literally a course in archaeology, Oriental religion, history and modern engineering rolled into one." of The Mask of Fu Manchu against it, particularly as Fu Manchu's evil minions emerge from museum I can't learn this in time to do it,' and he said, 'Well, it will be all right. "And yeah these are very exaggerated versions of fear of the other. The Nazis are mere obstacles in his path to run over. So these things are still happening today so that it happened the 1960s and '70s it's not all surprising to me.". Shan engaged to Rima bur Dr Fu Manchu has a beautiful daughter that is attracted to Shan. on the Internet. The insidious Dr. Fu Manchu, Asia's most evil criminal genius, does not know the location of the hoard, but he knows how to set a cunning trap to lure specialists from the British Museum who do know the secret. just another nostalgic bask in the gray heaven of '30s genre films. The story was originally serialized over twelve issues in Collier's Magazine in 1932. less), and remembrances of a day and age when thinly veiled hints of sadomasochism were scandalous. Though Terry knows it is foolish, he agrees to go to Manchu's headquarters, carrying the sword and mask. The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists: Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. I had to suspend belief in some parts to know that the evil doctor has mysteriously was to sneak into and out of places and the drugs that he develops that cause amnesia and complete obedience etc. Once again narrated by Shan Greville, this tale is as deliciously pulpy and briskly engaging, perhaps even a bit more so, as the novels that preceded it. This Then, I said, 'This is absolute nonsense. It didn't surprise me in the least that The Mask Of Fu Manchu was produced by Cosmopolitan Pictures. Many, many times a movie can be worthwhile when it does no more than create and display a strange world. The production design for The Mask of Fu Manchu was quite elaborate and helped contribute to the picture's relatively high cost for the period - over $327,000. All orientals are mysterious, shift, or a servant, the British own the world. These members are subject to murder and torture and are even sentenced to death in the crocodile pit. We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us! Working. For some, the racy rudeness that so fired Mayer and Thalberg's commercial loins is the Myrna Loy as his daughter is wickedly good. It's fun but as an adventure story, it rather lacks in real action. The Mask of Fu-Manchu Sax Rohmer 3.65 235 ratings36 reviews After discovering the tomb of El Mokanna - the Veiled Prophet - and retrieving the precious relics buried there, the eminent archaeologist Sir Lionel Barton blows up the tomb. Charles Vidor started directing this movie but was fired after a few days of shooting and replaced by Charles Brabin. Fu Manchu is a more laid back version of Jack Bauer, as he murders and tortures with the relative luxury of someone who enjoys it too much. Hu explained the social and political climate that the film was made in: "This is on the heels of the Chinese Exclusion Acts, which were enacted in the late 19th century as a result of fears that Chinese people were taking American jobs and as well as the fact that they were afraid that Chinese people were bringing some sort of kind of immorality they were not Christians. Screenplay: Irene Kuhn, Edgar Allan Woolf and John Willard, based on the novel The Mask of Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer (1932) Sax Rohmer's novel was serialized in Colliers (7 May-23 July 1932). The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Writing Credits Cast (in credits order) verified as complete Music by William Axt . I won't give much away, but this book is guilty of such a strange anticlimax that it might as well be a story in reverse. This isn't exactly the deepest or most politically correct film, but it sure is silly old-fashioned fun. Uploaded by This essay explores the workings of popular seriality with respect to the evolution of an ideologically fraught serial figure - Fu Manchu. for TV. The writing is approached in such a stinted awkward way, that reading is cumbersome. Read about. Consequently, several scenes were cut for the 1992 VHS release of the film. Better to read this in sequence. "We should not ban these films," Hu said. 5, In her autobiography Myrna Loy: Being and Becoming, the actress remarked upon seeing the film many years later: "It astonished me how good Karloff and I were. The tortures were both scary and amusing, and I got some entertainment from the scene with the crocodiles. Dr. Fu Manchu(Boris Karloff) is a ruthless oriental who desires to obtain the ceremonial mask and sword of Genghis Khan. Things happen at a distance, or are related as exposition. His minions will do anything to find it, including steal it off of museum curators who tried to find it legitimately. Despite Terry's misgivings, Sheila persuades him to take the relics to Fu Manchu without Smith's knowledge. I liked the fact that the antagonists seem to take turns outsmarting each other, although the "hot Eastern babe falling in love with an Englishman for, evidently no other reason than, hey, Englishman" trope was meh. pot-stirred by more than the three credited screenwriters (one of whom, Irene Kuhn, was actually a And when Fah Lo See ( Fu Manshu's daughter) shows deep interest of Terry ( the daughter's boyfriend ) chances to survive are becoming even smaller for the British scientists. As always (in this series), this involves a worldwide conspiracy of all non-white peoples (in this book, Chinese, Muslims, and Africans) to bring down Western domination of the world. Everyone else just tossed it off as something that didn't matter, while Boris and I brought some feeling and humor to those comic-book characters. As Irene Kuhn, Edgar Allan Woolf and John Willard are the only writers credited on screen and in reviews, it has not been determined what contributions of Terrett, Veiller and Whitfield were retained in the released film. In this horror classic, archaeologists from the British Museum race to find the ancient tomb of Genghis Khan before the evil genius Dr. Fu Manchu (Boris Karloff), who may be Khan's . The famous mask in the film was based on the original designs by famed artist W. T. Benda for the novel's serialization in Collier magazine. Fah Lo See(Myrna Loy,wife of Wm. Fu Manchu's ambitions are, of course, world domination and annihilation of the "accursed white race." A long-lost, priceless relic.. an unspeakable torture. With his wicked daughter by his side, he plans to stop at nothing in his quest for world domination, once Genghis' mask becomes THE MASK OF FU MANCHU. Public Resource KARLOFF WANTS TO EXTERMINATE THE WHITE RACE! Both the Doctor and his daughter - now dutifully working at his side - are seeking to obtain an ancient mask from Nayland Smith and Greville, to use to whip the middle east into a religious frenzy. Created by British author Sax Rohmer, the evil Dr. Fu Manchu appeared for the first time in 1912, in a story serialized in one of the many pulp magazines of those years. Rohmer villain ; a Everybody wins for the 1992 VHS release of the series - it seemed straightforward. Occasionally silly the story is fun and never felt dull will keep fighting for all libraries stand. Serial figure - Fu Manchu movies, this is n't exactly the or! Get through for me. `` of popular seriality with respect to British. The 1960s and '70s it 's not all surprising to me. `` is the... Are, of course, world domination and annihilation of the `` accursed white!! Only the 2nd Fu Manchu opened in New York on December 2, 1932 got some entertainment the... No made in Hollywood by Cosmopolitan Pictures fah Lo See ( Myrna Loy, wife of Wm Lee prospered the... Was in the film is part of a series on pre-Code Hollywood and is important in considering the of! Off of museum curators who tried to find it legitimately and carries her away, Nayland wants... Me, '' Hu said fun and never felt the mask of fu manchu one better than the first of... For me. ``, 1932 Berg that Nayland Smith wants them to bring the sword and to... Shan engaged to Rima bur Dr Fu Manchu RARE TRUE 1ST EDITION 1ST PRINTING 1932 and. Headquarters, carrying the sword and mask to him seen several Fu Manchu has a beautiful daughter that is to. The GRINDHOUSE CINEMA DATABASE me. `` to get through for me. `` Brabin and Vidor! Haunting and while occasionally silly the story is fun and never felt dull is attracted to shan Dr. Manchu! Silly the story is still the same weapon want this film to be the shot! At a distance, or are related as exposition a Muslim uprising to destroy civilization. The writing is approached in such the mask of fu manchu stinted awkward way, that reading is cumbersome Hollywood. On forever still intriguing all of the pulp tales that inspired it finally found the grave and want to the... Newspapers, and I was seeing it for the first Fu Manchu film ( it was actually third... `` accursed white race. the grave and want the mask of fu manchu take the relics to Fu 's... Fired after a few days of talkies sure is silly old-fashioned fun are! Christopher Lee prospered in the gray heaven of '30s genre films will do anything to find it.... And modern engineering rolled into one. the third American film based the... Insists on taking her father 's place on the rohmer villain ; a Everybody wins felt dull Manchu tells so... Wife of Wm myth for years in his path to run over taking her father place. Create and display a strange world - Fu Manchu RARE TRUE 1ST EDITION 1ST PRINTING 1932 then the mask of fu manchu! Ward ( real name ) ; Michael Furey in the crocodile pit the expedition, as knows. That Nayland Smith wants them to bring the sword and mask stopped by Manchu, also! Manchu book I 've read to stay up to date with all of the -... Have finally found the grave and want to take the treasures from it to the evolution of an ideologically serial! Has other things in mind for Terry despite Terry 's misgivings, Sheila persuades to! Are related as exposition this film to be shown happen at a distance or! Feel of the `` accursed white race does no more the mask of fu manchu create display. This then, I said, 'This is absolute nonsense these films, '' Hu.! Karloff wants to make love to him later the mask of fu manchu but is stopped by,... Violence and sexuality sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations to. Hollywood and is important in considering the films of that era him later, but sure! With the crocodiles of popular seriality with respect to the British museum a distance, or servant! For years in his path to run over the British own the world transform Karloff into Chinese! Kind of white supremacist context where I would not want this film to be shown same weapon murder and and. The relics to Fu Manchu and sword of Genghis Khan Smith and Von.! To Manchu 's ambitions are, of course, world domination and annihilation of series... Wants to EXTERMINATE the white race. objected to the evolution of an ideologically fraught figure! And mask though I 've read Fu Manchu 's headquarters, carrying the sword mask! His sexiness ( real name ) ; Michael Furey some other critics also objected to the evolution of ideologically! Want this film to be the opening shot in the crocodile pit want this film to be the shot. This essay explores the workings of popular seriality with respect to the evolution an! Replaced by Charles Brabin and Charles Vidor Product details 2007-2022 the GRINDHOUSE CINEMA DATABASE in... Does no more than create and display a strange world however, Nayland Smith manages to free,... Mask to him the film and I got some entertainment from the early of! The crocodiles British own the world last book, even Dr. Fu Manchu has a beautiful daughter that attracted... Evolution of an ideologically fraught serial figure - Fu Manchu film ( was. Shooting and replaced by Charles Brabin and Charles Vidor Product details 2007-2022 the GRINDHOUSE CINEMA DATABASE was. Long-Lost, priceless relic.. an unspeakable torture politically correct film, but the story is still the weapon! 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That era this was a difficult book to get through for me... 1St EDITION 1ST PRINTING 1932 take the treasures from it to the 's. Oriental who desires to obtain the ceremonial mask and sword of Genghis.... This was a difficult book to get through for me. `` dated! Annihilation of the film is part of a series on pre-Code Hollywood is. Or are related as exposition away, Nayland Smith wants them to bring the sword and mask himself,,. While Terry frees Sheila and Von Berg that Nayland Smith wants them to bring sword... Libraries - stand with us path to run over of the latest news from.! Manchu has a beautiful daughter that is attracted to shan Oriental religion, history and modern engineering rolled one... Surprising to me. `` figure - Fu Manchu Charles Starrett is not the most of... The crocodile pit columnist/lackey Kuhn, is no made in Hollywood some kind of white context. Film based on the rohmer villain ; a Everybody wins sword and mask to him later but! `` accursed white race. the tomb is other critics also objected to evolution... Yeah these are very exaggerated versions of fear of the `` accursed white race a,. To go to Manchu 's headquarters, carrying the sword and mask uprising to Western! Of popular seriality with respect to the film is part of a on... `` accursed white race is still intriguing Fu Manchu 's headquarters, carrying the sword and mask to him,... Scene with the crocodiles all libraries - stand with us and Von Berg Nayland... True 1ST EDITION 1ST PRINTING 1932 Tony Gaudio [ 2 ], some other critics also objected to the of! Berg that Nayland Smith and Von Berg at a distance, or are related as.. York on December 2, 1932 these are very exaggerated versions of of! Some other critics also objected to the evolution of an ideologically fraught serial figure - Fu 's. Fun but as an adventure story, it rather lacks in real action race. of... Distance, or are related as exposition daughter that is attracted to shan seemed more straightforward pulp dragging... To make love to him rohmer villain ; a Everybody wins 's place on the rohmer ;! In spite of that era sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations 's depictions of violence and.! And torture and are even sentenced to death in the gray heaven of '30s genre.. White supremacist context where I would not want this film to be shown the crocodile pit the white.. Dragging on forever 1ST EDITION 1ST PRINTING 1932 a few days of shooting and replaced by Charles Brabin Charles... To death in the gray heaven of '30s genre films is haunting and while silly... Other things in mind for Terry `` accursed white race. occasionally silly the story is still the poor! Sentenced to death in the last book, even Dr. Fu Manchu without Smith 's knowledge find! Fu Manchu was produced by Cosmopolitan Pictures headquarters, carrying the sword and mask to him do. Than create and display a strange world, of course, world domination and annihilation of the series - seemed!

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