Surprisingly incoherent and boring

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

. . . was born in some far-off foreign land such as Hungary, Australia, Romania, or Canadia. THE HATCHET MAN reveals that the LITTLE GIANT's native shore actually was some place in China. Several times during this documentary from the early 1930s Robinson (nee Wong Low Get) spews forth a string of Asiatic Lingo that would do President Xi proud. Many have said that Robinson always looks uncomfortable in the various double-breasted Western Gangster suits in which many of his movie roles doll him up. The explanation for this ill-ease becomes apparent during the opening scenes of THE HATCHET MAN. "Eddie" has never looked more at home than in his Native Tong garb. As he shares with us the ins and outs of a Chinese Sharia Law Variant, Americans can pick up on the many nuances that separate Our way of thinking from the Oriental Mind. Eddie's a hitman who never has to wonder if he's brought enough bullets before the battle begins, or if he's washed off all the GSR when the war has waned. After all, who would bring a gun to a hatchet fight?

Hideously silly dialog just makes the Caucasian actors in Chinese get-up in this thriller about Tong wars in San Francisco look all the more ridiculous, starting with the execution of a traitor by the titled "hatchet man" (Edward G. Robinson, no less!) and his promise to the friend he's been ordered to kill that he'll look over his daughter and marry her when she is of age. None other than Loretta Young is the grown-up daughter, with Robinson now a respectable businessman and the Tong pretty much gone, even though the head man (Dudley Digges in a ridiculous role) is still roaming around in his Fu Manchu get up like nothing has changed. When local rackets demand protection money from the Chinatown businesses (this is "Little Caeser"/"Public Enemy" era still), King Tong demands revenge and Robinson must pull his hatchet out of storage. Wife Loretta falls in love with the bodyguard Robinson has hired to protect her and when they are discovered, Robinson's reaction causes him to be drummed out of the Tong forever.Played oh, so seriously, this leads to even more melodramatics when Robinson discovers that his cheating wife has been turned into a prostitute in China and heads there to rescue her. This leads to a confrontation with a Madame Gin Sling like character and a horrifying plot twist involving Robinson's hatchet. The melodrama of this pre-code drama is like something out of a cheaply made serial and all the talent in it seems wasted because of the ridiculous words coming out of their mouths. Even if you can get past the evil stereotypes and the fact that Robinson doesn't even come close to looking Asian let alone sound Asian and that even with over-the-top eye make-up Young too is obviously an all-American girl, this movie truly takes bad taste to a new level. At least with Myrna Loy in "The Mask of Fu Manchu", you knew she was going for camp even though it was obvious she hated the part.Visually, this movie is gorgeous to look at, but it lacks the subtlety of Von Sternberg's "Shanghai Express" and Capra's "The Bitter Tea of General Yen", even with the great William Wellman directing. Of course, Willie Fung is present for a bit part (as he was in most of the movies which featured the dark side of the Asian culture) and Blanche Frederici, the plump character actress who often wore men's clothing to portray stereotypical butch women, makes the most of her small part as Young's companion. Watch at your own risk, and keep your eyeballs in front. You may end up seeing out of the back of your head from rolling them too much.

This is a Hard-Hitting, Mysterious Looking, Gaudy Movie that Exudes Enough Oriental Charm and Tong Gangsterism to Make it an Oddity Well Worth Seeing. It's a Pre-Code Entry and Therefore has some Welcome Violence and Drug Doings. Of Course, it Seems a Prerequisite to Mention that the Two Leads Playing Chinese are Not Chinese, but Edward G. Robinson and Loretta Young, both with the Help of Makeup and Silks can Pull this Off. So with Apologies to the Politically Correct, this is After All a Time Capsule and Cannot be Faulted for being what it is. A Racist Industry Reflecting a Racist Society Without Such Sensitive Concerns, So We have to Make Our Amends in Retrospect.This is a Gripping Story of Tradition and Circumstance and is a Darn Good Yarn. The Ending is Cutting Edge and the Film has Many Aspects that make it an Interesting Look Back on Hollywood and the Way it Presented Pictures to the Public. Overall, a Must See for Film and Cultural Historians. The Movie Looks Fantastic and is Shadowy and Sultry, Violent and Seductive.

Yes as many have stated, by today's standards, the casting of this movie seems ridiculous, but please keep in mind the time period that this movie was made. All things considered, even with the period specific "whites for ethnic minorities" casting mentality, respect for a certain amount of cultural authenticity was in this movie to a greater degree than in previous films of this era, and so I feel that in that respect this movie was ground breaking and helped slowly pave the way for minorities to eventually take center stage in great theatrical releases. Most other films before and since (until the late 70's early 80's) stereotyped Asian characters as clownish and comical to an absolutely racist degree. Not so here. Robinson (although he did use some stereotyping) created a character who was not only mysterious, but both an anti-hero as well as deep & complex the likes of which would not be seen for a great long time after. His acting ability was amazing and truly well showcased here. He was able to show what really made his characters great and not just the mugging gangster stereotype that became so exaggerated over time. Often people forget what a true talent Robinson was, and if you need to know why... See this one if you ever get the chance!!!