At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

'Phantom of Chinatown, released in 1940 by Monogram Pictures, known for low budget films, it is remarkable in that it momentarily reversed a trend in the detective genre.Keye Luke had the starring role in this predictable murder mystery, as James Lee Wong detective.Better known as Charlie Chan's number one son, Kato in the Green Hornet and the blind master Po in the Kung Fu, Phantom of Chinatown offered him the chance to defy the stereotyping of Asians in cinema.Although there were capable Asians to play the role, the role was given to a European or white American actors, extravagantly disguised as a creation of social and cultural mores of the time.As Sax Rohmer's idea of a Yellow Peril, British-born Boris Karloff became Dr. Fu Man Chu; the Georgian Akim Tamiroff the wily warlord in Frank Capra's The General Dies at Dawn or the Swede Warner Oland the deceitful war lord in Josef Sternberg's Shanghai Express.On the other hand, a more comic buffoon character Charlie Chan amused Americans for almost 20 years with his fortune cookie philosophy, oddly cadenced English and exaggerated gestures bordering on the obsequious, as he solved crimes the world over.A creature from the pen of Earl Derr Bigger, Chan reinforced the stereotype of Chinese. As a stock sidekick, he had his number one son, American born, educated and speaking a colloquial English to heighten the ridiculous among second generation born Chinese, who although born in the US remained 'foreign'. John Marquand's Mr. Moto, played by the Hungarian Peter Lorre had all the features of the Japanese that became more exaggerated and racist during world war two. Wily, clever and speaking correct English resonated through his nasal cavity, he too was mysteriously different as a solver of murder and mayhem. (Imperial Japan's bombing of Pearl Harbor ended the Moto series.) And then there was Hugh Wiley's creation in The Saturday Evening Post, James Lee Wong detective. Played in five films by Treasury agent Boris Karloff, who played him in a scholar gown, with a self- effacing and -deprecating manner.Karloff's English, correct as it is, distanced his Chinese detective by a lisp and a clipped to stress his foreignness.And the in 1940, Keye Luke plays Wong, the first Asian actor in a title role and a sound film as detective.Oh, what a difference: Luke's Wong is a Yale graduate; he speaks an impeccable American English; dress in a well-cut suit; he wears a dashing, raffish, pencil-like mustache, which makes him not only handsome, but shows that he is the leading man.Luke plays Wong with style, energy and youth enthusiasm, a good chip from the American Plymouth Rock.In consequent, the wisecracks and stereotyping are held to a bare minimum, a welcome relief.He's bright, no nonsense and lends an invaluable hand to the police captain who treats on an equal foot.The story line is formulaic, and tersely hold in a little over 60 minutes. The narrative holds our attention without taxing it.Of course what would a murder mystery picture with Asians be without exotic elements.. And Phantom of China doesn't let us down.Well we have scenes of the Gobi desert, search for a lost Ming Temple, an eternal sacred fire and a mysterious scroll to stitch the intrigue together.The murder is quick, by poison. The foot work quick without much fanfare to catch the killer.And there is the dead archaeologist assistant, played in a down-to-earth fashion by the Lotus Lang as Wen Lin, who keeps her counsel to herself.Wen Lin is written as a serious, supporting character whose manners and intelligence enhances the strength of Luke's Wong.Moreover, the film is peopled with many, nameless Chinese American actors and actresses who speak a standard English, are professional in demeanor and dignified in their roles. But for that one moment of stereotypical relief—Keye Luke's cook who speaks in a broken singsong cadence. And yet, he, too, is not made out to be a pumpkin nor a fool, the minor white detective assumes that role.Phantom of Chinatown directly shies away any allusions to the bloody Sino-Japanese war. Remember we are in an America with a strong isolationist streak, and substantial popular of America First, meaning keep out foreign wars.Suddenly the denouement is disconcerting: not in who the murder is nor his motive greed, but in the explanation of the scroll and the sacred fire that never stops burning.The scroll is the key to the secret of the Ming Tomb. It explains why the flame is eternal; it is fed by an unquenchable pool of petroleum that would be of great value to the forces of Chan Kai Check's troops fighting the Imperial Japanese invaders. (And by extension, after the war the fuel for China's growth and economic health.) Wen Lin is Chang's agent and as the film rushes to its conclusion, Wong and Lin will bring the news to China to bolster the war effort.Alas, the bombing of Peal Harbor put the kibosh on the Wong series, but not on the silliness of the Charlie Chan films.And no more did Hollywood until much later feature an Chinese or Asian actor as a leading man. And Luke went back to playing second banana and supporting roles.And it is this relatively obscure film that is worth reviewing for its brief breakthrough the walls of cultural racism in Hollywood and in America.

Theoretically, "Phantom of Chinatown" is the last one of the "Mr. Wong" detective series that had been starring Boris Karloff, where Monogram had tried in a rather mediocre way to 'copy' 20th Century-Fox' hugely successful 'Charlie Chan' series. But, even in story, directing and acting this movie is way above the 'British Chinese detective' films - and what's much more, it stars not only a REAL Chinese as the detective, but someone known VERY well to fans of the genre in general and to fans of the 'Charlie Chan' movies in particular: Keye Luke, who had played Charlie's 'number one son' Lee in the Warner Oland Charlie Chans...And now he becomes a detective 'in his own right' at last - and a very clever one, too! He does some nice teamwork with the typically American 'flatfoot' Captain Street (Grant Withers), but there's no doubt that the Chinese is smarter - which was a pretty unusual thing at the time: an Asian as protagonist, and being more intelligent than the average US policeman; and on top of it all, 'Jimmy Wong' even makes QUITE a daring remark about all the archaeological excavations being done in China by Americans, suggesting that maybe Chinese archaeologists might dig up George Washington's grave for a change!! Generally, this is a very neat and unusual little 'flag waver': Chinese and Americans work hand in hand for a HUGELY important purpose - the 'Eternal Fire' that the leader of the archaeological expedition had discovered in Mongolia is of such vital importance that it must not under ANY circumstances fall into the hands of both countries' enemy...But it's also a VERY entertaining, suspenseful mystery thriller, where nothing's missing, neither a creepy atmosphere nor some REAL good jokes nor a beautiful romantic element; it can surely compete with almost any of the best crime movies of its time (and especially taking into account that it was made on a budget incomparably smaller than that of the big studios' productions) - and it owes the biggest part of its liveliness and freshness that remains until this day to its wonderful cast; with first and best Keye Luke.

Final film in the Mr Wong series loses Boris Karloff and in its place has Keye Luke as James Wong detective. Luke best known as Charlie Chan's number one son was forever in support so its nice to see him in a lead role. It also gives mystery, and especially Charlie Chan fans a glimpse at how Luke might have played the classic detective.The mystery here is rather bland. During a lecture about an expedition to China the professor giving the talk is killed right in front of everyone. The question is how was it done and by who. You'll have to see the film to find out the why and who, I will tell you why, and thats because of the information that is contained on a scroll that was found in a tomb that will lead to great riches. Its a been there done that sort of affair that reminded me of one of the Mr Moto movies. Its not bad, certainly the cast is game, however the script just doesn't have any real life in it. It just doesn't have any life in it.Still, I have to say that bland or no its an okay time passer best left for a late night or rainy day movie marathon when these kind of movies seem oh so much better.

I have now seem four films of the "Mr.Wong" series and it seems obvious to me that, although they were plagued by very low budgets, this wasn't the main cause of their rapid decline in quality. No - it's the fact that the mysteries themselves (except for the original one, which was very clever) weren't very good, or presented in a way that would engage the viewer and give him a reason to care about the outcome. This one in particular is so forgettable and uninteresting that I defy anyone to remember even the most basic details about it five minutes after the picture is over. As for Keye Luke's casting in the title role, sure, it's good for authenticity, but what's going on here? Why doesn't Inspector Street recognize him at first? If he's playing a younger version of the character Boris Karloff portrayed, why didn't they also get a younger actor to play Street? How can one of them be approximately 20 years younger and the other one the same age as before? Not that it's something to keep you up at night. 0.5 out of 4 stars.