Very well executed

I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

This sorry boxing movie was a great disappointment. Because of necessity, Peter Lorre must take up the mantle of Charlie Chan. In the first two films, he is a riveting character with a complex mind and a murderous impulse. Here he plays straight man to a bunch of gamblers and buffoons. A young boxer is trying to get a title bout when his opponent dies and he is charged with the murder. Lee Chan (Keye Luke) and Slapsy Maxie Rosenbloom pair up to do the silly stuff. Moto even delivers lines like Chan. There are gamblers coming out of the walls, talking to the fighters before the bouts. John Hamilton, Perry White on "The Adventures of Superman," has a lot of irons in the fire as to a whole bunch of other bettors. It just becomes so weak as the thing goes along, including Chan trying to punch Rosenbloom so he can remember where he got a gun.

Mr. Moto (Peter Lorre) investigates a murder during a boxing match, with unwanted help from Charlie's Chan's "Number One Son" Lee (Keye Luke). Most people probably know this, but originally this was intended to be a Charlie Chan film. But when troubled Chan star Warner Oland walked off the set, they reworked the story and turned it into a Moto movie. This explains the appearance of Lee Chan. It also explains why Mr. Moto is less edgy than in his first two films. Here he resemble a more traditional detective like Charlie Chan.While I love Charlie Chan, Peter Lorre is kind of wasted in this type of role. He's better suited to roles with a little menace to them. Keye Luke is fine but the chemistry and rapport he had with Warner Oland is missing. Also appearing are Harold Huber, Douglas Fowley, and beautiful Lynn Bari -- each no stranger to the Charlie Chan series. In addition, there's Ward Bond, George E. Stone, and Maxie Rosenbloom. Lon Chaney, Jr. has a small part. Given the troubled backstory behind the movie, I'm surprised it turns out as well as it does. But a good cast goes a long way with these old detective movies.

Asian detectives, as far as 20th Century Fox was concerned, are interchangeable, so producers had no trouble turning this Charlie Chan film into a Mr. Moto one. Apparently there was some sort of problem between Fox and the current Chan, Warner Oland, so they did a switch. I know some people state the film was switched because Warner Oland died, but he didn't die until five months after this film was released.Anyway, Mr. Moto is teaching a class in the science of investigation and who should one of his students be but Lee Chan (Keye Luke). And it's quite a cast: Lynn Bari, Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom, John Hamilton (Perry White from the TV Superman), Ward Bond, and Lon Chaney Jr.Moto becomes involved in the death of a prize fighter after he's knocked out in the ring, but it turns out the man was murdered with poison on the opponent's glove.Peter Lorre is just terrific, and while this isn't the greatest Mr. Moto film ever made, he's wonderful. Unfortunately, after Pearl Harbor, Mr. M kind of disappeared.

Mr. Moto's Gamble (1938) *** (out of 4) Third in the Fox series has a boxer getting killed inside the ring. What first appears to be a simple accident turns out to be poison and soon Mr. Moto (Peter Lorre) is on the case. This film in the series really doesn't play out like the previous two and that's because this was originally intended to be a Charlie Chan movie but Oland was too ill at the time so the studio simply changed the script to Moto. The change really isn't too bad and this turns out to be another winner no matter who it was originally intended for. The movie contains a nice mystery to work with and there are plenty of possible suspects that pop up throughout the 72-minute running time. The gangsters and gamblers aspect was a nice one and they made for some good villains. Lorre is once again at his very best and we also get some nice supporting performances as well as brief appearances by George E. Stone and Lon Chaney, Jr.. Keye Luke, Chan's son, appears here as a student in Lorre's detective class and delivers a few nice smiles. Maxie Rosenbloom nearly steals the show as another student who can't help but steal things. The movie contains a lot of fun within its short running time so fans of the series will find plenty to enjoy and with the mix of boxing and gambling, those not familiar with the series should enjoy it as well.