Mr. Moto's Gamble
Encyclopedia
Mr. Moto's Gamble is the third film in the Mr. Moto
series starring Peter Lorre
as the title character. It was released in 1938. It was originally intended to be a Charlie Chan
film called Charlie Chan at Ringside, but Warner Oland
, who had played Chan in several previous films, left the set after a few days of filming due to illness. The script
was rewritten as a Mr. Moto movie, featuring Keye Luke
as Lee Chan (in his only appearance in the Mr. Moto series) as Mr. Moto's student in his criminology
class at San Francisco University. Mr Moto mentions that he has heard from Chan's father in Honolulu, where Charlie Chan was. Mr Moto says he and Riggs (who is head of the Homicide Squad) are but floundering amateurs compared to Chan's father.
) takes Mr Moto and Lee Chan (Keye Luke
) to see a prize fight between Bill Steele (Dick Baldwin) and Frank Stanton (Russ Clark), where the winner gets a chance at the champion, Biff Moran (Ward Bond
). However the fight is fixed and a gangster Nick Crowder (Douglas Fowley
) bets big money that Stanton won't make it to the fifth round. He goes down in the fourth and dies shortly afterward. Bookie Clipper McCoy (Bernard Nedell
) loses a fortune. Mr Moto proves that it was murder and it is revealed that another $100,000 has been won in bets around the country against Stanton. Mr Moto works with Lt. Riggs to solve the murder as the championship fight looms. Comedy is provided by Wellington (Maxie Rosenbloom
) who is a kleptomaniac and Lee Chan. Love interest comes from (Lynn Bari
) (who really loves Steele) and (Jayne Regan) (who only loves winners). Mr Moto has promised to reveal who the murderer is on the night of the big fight but the murderer has plans too and has a hidden gun set up to kill Mr Moto. Also stars (John Hamilton
) as Philip Benton.
Mr. Moto
Mr. Moto is a fictional Japanese secret agent created by the American author John P. Marquand. He appeared in six novels by Marquand published between 1935 and 1957. Marquand initially created the character for the Saturday Evening Post, which was seeking stories with an Asian hero after the death...
series starring Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre was an Austrian-American actor frequently typecast as a sinister foreigner.He caused an international sensation in 1931 with his portrayal of a serial killer who preys on little girls in the German film M...
as the title character. It was released in 1938. It was originally intended to be a Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan is a fictional Chinese-American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers in 1919. Loosely based on Honolulu detective Chang Apana, Biggers conceived of the benevolent and heroic Chan as an alternative to Yellow Peril stereotypes, such as villains like Fu Manchu...
film called Charlie Chan at Ringside, but Warner Oland
Warner Oland
Warner Oland was a Swedish American actor most remembered for his screen role as the detective Charlie Chan.-Biography:He was born Johan Verner Ölund in the village of Nyby, Bjurholm Municipality,...
, who had played Chan in several previous films, left the set after a few days of filming due to illness. The script
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
was rewritten as a Mr. Moto movie, featuring Keye Luke
Keye Luke
Keye Luke was a Chinese-born American actor. He was the first Chinese-American contract player signed with RKO, Universal and, later, MGM and is generally acknowledged as the leading Asian-American actor of this era of American cinema.-Background:...
as Lee Chan (in his only appearance in the Mr. Moto series) as Mr. Moto's student in his criminology
Criminology
Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society...
class at San Francisco University. Mr Moto mentions that he has heard from Chan's father in Honolulu, where Charlie Chan was. Mr Moto says he and Riggs (who is head of the Homicide Squad) are but floundering amateurs compared to Chan's father.
Plot
Police friend, Lieutenant Riggs (Harold HuberHarold Huber
Harold Huber was an American actor who appeared on film, radio and television.-Early life:Huber was born Harold Joseph Huberman in the Bronx to Joseph Huberman and "Mammie" Glassberg, Jewish immigrants from Imperial Russia, who had arrived in the United States as infants. His father was the...
) takes Mr Moto and Lee Chan (Keye Luke
Keye Luke
Keye Luke was a Chinese-born American actor. He was the first Chinese-American contract player signed with RKO, Universal and, later, MGM and is generally acknowledged as the leading Asian-American actor of this era of American cinema.-Background:...
) to see a prize fight between Bill Steele (Dick Baldwin) and Frank Stanton (Russ Clark), where the winner gets a chance at the champion, Biff Moran (Ward Bond
Ward Bond
Wardell Edwin "Ward" Bond was an American film actor whose rugged appearance and easygoing charm were featured in over 200 movies and the television series Wagon Train.-Early life:...
). However the fight is fixed and a gangster Nick Crowder (Douglas Fowley
Douglas Fowley
Douglas Fowley was an American movie and television actor.Fowley was born Daniel Vincent Fowley in The Bronx, New York. The 5'11" actor is probably best remembered for his role as the movie director Roscoe Dexter in Singin' in the Rain . The actor appeared in over 240 films and later in dozens of...
) bets big money that Stanton won't make it to the fifth round. He goes down in the fourth and dies shortly afterward. Bookie Clipper McCoy (Bernard Nedell
Bernard Nedell
Bernard Jay Nedell was an American film actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1916 and 1972. He was born in New York, New York and died in Hollywood, California.-Selected filmography:* The Serpent...
) loses a fortune. Mr Moto proves that it was murder and it is revealed that another $100,000 has been won in bets around the country against Stanton. Mr Moto works with Lt. Riggs to solve the murder as the championship fight looms. Comedy is provided by Wellington (Maxie Rosenbloom
Maxie Rosenbloom
Max Everitt Rosenbloom, known as Slapsie Maxie was an American boxer, actor, and television personality.-Life and career:...
) who is a kleptomaniac and Lee Chan. Love interest comes from (Lynn Bari
Lynn Bari
Lynn Bari , born Margaret Schuyler Fisher, was a movie actress who specialized in playing sultry, statuesque man-killers in over one hundred 20th Century Fox films from the early 1930s through the 1940s.-Career:Bari was born in Roanoke, Virginia...
) (who really loves Steele) and (Jayne Regan) (who only loves winners). Mr Moto has promised to reveal who the murderer is on the night of the big fight but the murderer has plans too and has a hidden gun set up to kill Mr Moto. Also stars (John Hamilton
John Hamilton (actor)
John Hamilton was an American actor, who appeared in many movies and television programs. He is probably best remembered for his role as the blustery newspaper editor Perry White on the 1950s television program Adventures of Superman.-Biography:Burly, stentorian-voiced John Hamilton was born John...
) as Philip Benton.