Thank you, Mr. Moto (1937)

Starting in a Gobi Desert caravan and then on to China, Mr. Moto (Peter Lorre, again, his actual status mysteriously hidden: Is he an adventurer and soldier of fortune? a fugitive from the Chinese police? is he a private agent? is he working for the International Police?) is now on the trail or art smugglers (also the basis of The Legend of Drunken Master (1994), so a meaningful subject in Hong Kong film.)

More specifically he is attempting to find the tomb of Genghis Khan by the clues provided by seven ancient scrolls, one of which was stolen from the museum.

Again, Moto plays matchmaker; shows off his Chinese and German language skills; his jujutsu (this guy is an action hero!); and add to that, expertise in ancient art.

Is there anything the man cannot do?

Though there were hints of it in Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937), now I am certain this series was one of the sources for Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984): In this case a marketplace chase and then a Pieta-like scene when a (Chinese) friend of Moto dies in his arms which are very similar to scenes replicated in the Indiana Jones films.

Add to that: A fake psychic; exciting car chases; murder (Mr. Moto has no problem whatsoever killing or even openly admitting to his guilt to some); (hints of) a corrupt police force (which is weird, since not only did he depended on the police in the previous chapter, but he also calls on them again in this one - there are a couple of inconsistencies in the script*); lost treasure; ancient clues; trickery and subterfuge, adultery, suicide, etc. and we end up with all the basic elements of the pulp serials which were always claimed as the inspiration for Lucas/Spielberg.

The film is also very sensitive to Japanese and Chinese cultures (whose respect of honor and tradition is highlighted: precious time is wasted on these aspects at one point,) and they are never presented as primitive; and instead, it is the Western culture which comes off as uncouth (the accusation of Oriental superstition arises from this end, but it is not something which the script stresses.)

Someone just commented this is the best of the Moto films and if it is that's too bad, as the quality will decline from here on... Nevertheless, this is a high-water mark to live up to, so my hopes remain up.

With Thomas Beck, Pauline Frederick, Jayne Regan, Sidney Blackmer, Sig Rumann and John Carradine.

This one was a lot of fun.

Highly recommended, (don't skip the previous chapters, though.)