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Mr. Moto's Gamble
1938·72 min·★ 6.4
MysteryComedyCrime
Celebrated as supersleuth, Mr. Moto comes out fighting when a brutal boxing match turns into cold-blooded murder! Assisted by detective-in-training Lee Chan, Moto sets out to track down the killer based on a single ominous clue: a poisoned boxing glove! But when Moto's hunch points to a corrupt gambling syndicate, he's forced to wager his very life to unmask the culprit—or go down for the count...permanently!
Status
Released
Cast
Peter Lorre
Kentaro Moto
Keye Luke
Lee Chan
Dick Baldwin
Bill Steele
Lynn Bari
Penny Kendall
Douglas Fowley
Nick Crowder
Jayne Regan
Linda Benton
Discussion
CinemaSerf★ 7/10
Certainly, there is something of the Charlie Chan about this engaging little mystery. Peter Lorre (complete with his studious-looking round spectacles) is the eponymous detective required to investigate the poisoning of an heavyweight boxer - mid fight. There are no absence of suspects - so "Mr. Moto" has his work cut out for him. It's a fun film, no menace, very little suspense - just a good effort from the star with a workmanlike cohort of familiar faces to support or antagonise him, and a decent standard of production and writing to pass 75 minutes. It won't strain your "little grey cells", but is worth a watch.
