KnotMissPriceless
Why so much hype?
Bardlerx
Strictly average movie
Geraldine
The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.
Staci Frederick
Blistering performances.
John T. Ryan
WITH THE SUCCESS and high popularity of the CHARLIE CHAN Series of movies, the logical next step was for some one to bring us another outstanding sleuth of Oriental extraction. There would be inevitable comparisons and "copycat" accusations. Certainly there is some similarity and there are some definite signs of, if not stealing, at least borrowing from the established CHAN franchise.BUT THAT IS where the similarities end. For Moto is much more of a solitary operator; even though he does employ some operatives in this, the first movie in the series. Also, Moto's deducting appears to be much more introspective, silent and quietly disarming to friend and adversary alike.THAT THE CHARACTER proved to be popular enough to have his own series of seven more entries into the series was largely due to the performance of the former Laszlo Lowenstein; now known to the world as Peter Lorre.BUT THIS STAR'S tour de force, excellent production values, talented & ample supporting cast and memorable musical score wasn't enough to carry the series for more that its three years and eight movies. For the year was 1937 and the Imperial Japanese war machine was already conducting a war of conquest against China; after having conquered Manchuria in 1931.THE ATROCITIES OF Pearl Harbor, Manila and Singapore, among others, would soon follow. The days of a Japanese super sleuth on our movie screens were numbered.
gavin6942
On a freighter going from San Francisco to Shanghai, Mr. Moto (Peter Lorre) solves mysteries caused by a gang of smugglers. First of the series.Director Norman Foster was given this B-movie assignment, but it is probably better remembered today than many of the A pictures that came out at the time. With Peter Lorre, a strong (if under-appreciated) actor taking the lead, this was guaranteed to be something special.Say what you will about the racism, sexism, or anything else of this nature. Such things have to be overlooked sometimes, and this is one of those times. The film is just too clever to be faulted.
bensonmum2
When I arrived home from work today, I found the Mr. Moto Collection waiting on me. I decided to watch the movies in order and start with the first in the series, Think Fast, Mr. Moto. It's the story of a diamond smuggling ring operating aboard a luxury liner between China and the U.S. The mysterious and ever present Mr. Moto is on hand to put a stop to the illegal activity. Think Fast, Mr. Moto is the kind of movie that's best enjoyed curled up on the couch late at night when you want to put your brain on hold and just be entertained. It's like that favorite old, ratty shirt – comfortable and always welcome. The plot in Think Fast, Mr. Moto may not make much sense (even after everything has been explained) but it's a lot fun. The film would hardly be as good without Peter Lorre in the title role. Unlike most everything I've see him in, Lorre gets the chance to be the hero here and is excellent in the role. The final cat and mouse game between Lorre and the always entertaining Sig Ruman is the highlight of the film (although I must admit that it's difficult to watch Ruman and not want to laugh as images of the Marx Brothers pulling off his toupee went through my head).I can't wait to watch the other three films in the collection.
Anne_Sharp
The shame of the Japanese-American concentration camps has cast a shadow over the Mr. Moto series, giving it a sorry reputation as an artifact of Hollywood racism. The truth is that as far as European-in-yellowface portrayals of Asians went, Peter Lorre's Moto was far less racist and considerably more sympathetic than the clownish, epigram-spouting Charlie Chan. In fact, it's easy to forget Moto's Japaneseness altogether and just view him as yet another wondrous manifestation of the white-linen-suited, Austrian-accented Lorreness so prevalent between the wars in films like "Strange Cargo," "Island of Doomed Men," und so wieter. Audiences certainly took to the little fellow in this first entry in the series, which introduces Moto in all his enigmatic glory--the bemused, politely ironical man of action with his love of kittycats, preference for cow's milk over whiskey, and disdainful conviction that beautiful women only confuse a man. Though Lorre reportedly had no idea what the whole thing was supposed to mean and spent his time offstage disconsolately listening to his archenemy Hitler on the radio, the eight Moto films established him as one of Hollywood's most beloved personalities and gave millions of small men who wore glasses the hope that they, too, could be strong and adorable.
