Watched the Paramount Fu Manchu trilogy starring Warner Oland over the weekend and I was pleasantly surprised. The first two entries, The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu (1929) and Revenge of Fu Manchu (1930) were directed by Rowland V. Lee and though hampered by some technical restrictions of the time, there were still some unique visual touches.
The third movie, Daughter of the Dragon (1931) is generally the most written about, but typically the least regarded of the troika and the only one not direct by Lee. Lloyd Corrigan, writer (and adapter of the Sax Rohmer novels) of the first two films, took the helm as director of the final installment. Starring in the movie, which takes place 20 years after the second film) are Anna May Wong, Warner Oland (in a reduced role), Sessue Hayakawa, Mummy victim - -in mind if not body, Bramwell Fletcher, perrenial genre player Holmes Herbert and in on of her rare roles, Frances Dade (Lucy Weston from Dracula!) as the heroin. Not too shabby, I'd say.
While Oland's portrayal of the misguided Oriental fiend is no match for Karloff's superior effort in The Mask Of Fu Manchu (1932), he is only slightly less vile. Along for the ride in parts 1 and 2 are Neil Hamilton (TV Batman's Commissioner Gordon), Jean Arthur, Noble Johnson, and a pre-Bride (and quite in possession of his eyesight) O.P. Heggie as Fu's Scotland Yard foil.
Some comments about these films portray them as "stagey", probably due to the period in which they were made, late 20's early 30's, but I found quite the opposite to be true. By comparison to their contemporary, Dracula, they move along very nicely. I won't comment on any negative stereotyping here (though it obviously exists, much in the way of the Chan films), but if you are able to get past that, the films can be quite enjoyable. Heck, the hero of Daughter of the Dragon isn't (***spoiler alert***) Bramwell Fletcher, its the bonafide Oriental actor, Hayakawa. Hoping that this trio of films gets released on DVD one day.
The third movie, Daughter of the Dragon (1931) is generally the most written about, but typically the least regarded of the troika and the only one not direct by Lee. Lloyd Corrigan, writer (and adapter of the Sax Rohmer novels) of the first two films, took the helm as director of the final installment. Starring in the movie, which takes place 20 years after the second film) are Anna May Wong, Warner Oland (in a reduced role), Sessue Hayakawa, Mummy victim - -in mind if not body, Bramwell Fletcher, perrenial genre player Holmes Herbert and in on of her rare roles, Frances Dade (Lucy Weston from Dracula!) as the heroin. Not too shabby, I'd say.
While Oland's portrayal of the misguided Oriental fiend is no match for Karloff's superior effort in The Mask Of Fu Manchu (1932), he is only slightly less vile. Along for the ride in parts 1 and 2 are Neil Hamilton (TV Batman's Commissioner Gordon), Jean Arthur, Noble Johnson, and a pre-Bride (and quite in possession of his eyesight) O.P. Heggie as Fu's Scotland Yard foil.
Some comments about these films portray them as "stagey", probably due to the period in which they were made, late 20's early 30's, but I found quite the opposite to be true. By comparison to their contemporary, Dracula, they move along very nicely. I won't comment on any negative stereotyping here (though it obviously exists, much in the way of the Chan films), but if you are able to get past that, the films can be quite enjoyable. Heck, the hero of Daughter of the Dragon isn't (***spoiler alert***) Bramwell Fletcher, its the bonafide Oriental actor, Hayakawa. Hoping that this trio of films gets released on DVD one day.
