Damn you Nayland Smith! The world shall hear
from me again. You have to give Fu Manchu credit - he always has an escape
plan and always keeps trying to take over the world. Only Nayland Smith stands
in his way. Time after time after time! This is the second Fu Manchu film
of the five that Christopher Lee starred in as the insane but brilliant Chinese
mastermind. I saw these all ages ago and thought they were very so-so - silly
with absurd plots, poor action and corny dialogue. But I think I have over
the years become more amenable to these sorts of genre films from that period.
It was a unique time in which genre films really flourished.
They could never make a film like this today - not only for the obvious reasons
of a white man in Yellow-face but just the whole Yellow Peril concept that
was the genesis of the Fu Manchu books from Sax Rohmer many years previously.
But looking back at this series some 60-years later they just seem harmless,
clunky, of a time and rather fun if on the edge of dullness. Of course, as
things are developing between the West and China there is a worry that people
will once again bring up versions of the Yellow Peril for political purposes
and Asians in the West will be looked on with suspicion. People nowadays
are very susceptible to fear tactics.
Fu Manchu along with his diabolical daughter Lin Tang (played in all five
films by Tsai Chin) are once again plotting to take over the world. They
are building a wireless device that can generate enough power to destroy
cities. To do this though he has had to kidnap the daughters of scientists
and industrialists all over the world in order to blackmail them into working
with him. In a coincidence they are all stunning and look like they are attending
a slumming party. Not that I am complaining. One of them is played by Carole
Gray (the reason I watched this out of order) whose father is brought to
Fu Manchu's lair deep under a mountain in north Africa. He has to watch Carole
under the spell of Lin Tang send a girl to her death into the cobra pit.
Those are the touches that make these films fun. Also, Gray looks spectacular.
Eventually Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard sees a pattern and realizes that
only Fu Manchu could be behind something so evil. In this one Smith is played
by Douglas Wilmer who looks like he should be selling insurance door to door.
Not a lot of charisma there. In the first film he was played by Nigel Greene
who is a fine actor, Wilmer played him in the next film as well and then
for the final two they brought in Robin Hood also known as Richard Greene.
One of the weaknesses of the film is the hand to hand fighting. It is clumsy
though for that time not really surprising but after watching hundreds of
Hong Kong action films it is shocking to see the Chinese minions fight so
poorly and get beaten up constantly by Smith, his friend Petrie (Howard Marion-Crawford
in all five films) and another white guy. I mean come on Fu Manchu. Get better
help. Speaking of which his main scientist is played by Burt Kwouk. Petrie
is a sort of Watson by way of Nigel Bruce but not quite as slow.
The film has one huge hole and I wonder if it was just edited out from my
version - but a French policeman discovers the headquarters in London and
escapes to tell Smith - but we never see him again. Very odd. It has a very
decent ending in which all these damsels break out of prison and they too
are able to beat up the minions with a few karate chops. Geez. Directed by
Don Sharp with some nice style and set designs (I always love the scenes
of the machines blowing up and everyone in panic mode) and though not officially
a Hammer film as it was produced by Harry Alan Towers it was made at Bray
Studios and certainly has the feel of one of their earlier adventure films.
Carole Gray has a smaller part than I would have liked but her scenes are
quite good. At the end Fu Manchu once again promises that he will be back
and he was in The Vengeance of Fu Manchu!
