Sat 6 Sep 2014
A Movie Review by Jonathan Lewis: WEST OF SHANGHAI (1937).
Posted by Steve under Action Adventure movies , Reviews[7] Comments
WEST OF SHANGHAI. Warner Brothers, 1937. Boris Karloff, Beverly Roberts, Ricardo Cortez, Gordon Oliver, Sheila Bromley, Vladimir Sokoloff, Gordon Hart, Richard Loo. Based on a play by Porter Emerson Browne. Director: John Farrow.
West of Shanghai is overall an enjoyable, although occasionally stilted, drama/action film starring Boris Karloff with Beverly Roberts and Ricardo Cortez. Directed by John Farrow, whose movie adaptation of David Dodge’s Plunder of the Sun I reviewed here, the film stars Karloff as a Chinese warlord by the name of Wu Yen Fang.
Fang’s an interesting fellow, that’s for certain. He’s brutal, yes, but he’s also got something of a heart of gold and a sense of humor to boot. One can’t help but smile when he repeats, with a gleam in his eye, his self-assured catchphrase, “I’m Fang†as a means of explaining of how he can get away with the seemingly improbable or impossible.
Perhaps one reason this movie isn’t as well known today is that Karloff is made up to look Chinese. He also speaks in broken English, taking us many degrees away from politically correct territory. Still, Karloff’s an absolute pleasure to watch, demonstrating once again that the classically trained English actor really had incredible acting skills.
Based on a play by Porter Emerson Browne, West of Shanghai is an adventure film, a thriller, and a comedy of manners all in one. The story follows two business competitors, Gordon Creed (Cortez) and an older man named Galt as they travel north in China in the hopes of gaining business influence over an oil field overseen by Jim Hallet (Gordon Oliver). It should come as no surprise that among the film’s subtexts is a slightly comical, but also deadly serious, critique of American industrialists and human greed. At one point, the power hungry general tells Galt that the latter cares too much about money. Ouch.
Complicating matters even further for the businessmen is not only Fang’s growing military and political influence in the region, but also the fact that Creed’s estranged wife, Jane (Beverly Roberts), is both a missionary in the region and currently in love with Jim. Add to the mix Galt’s headstrong and quite beautiful daughter, Lola (Sheila Bromley), and you’ve got yourself some great human drama in an exotic setting.
All told, I found West of Shanghai to be an enjoyable picture with a lot in terms of plot and style to recommend it. Karloff is great as Feng and Cortez portrays the slimy, double-crossing, Creed really well. Vladmir Sokoloff’s portrayal of General Chow Fu-Shan is literally cut short when his character is killed by one of Feng’s assassins, but he’s also quite good as far as character actors go.
I’d hesitate to call West of Shanghai a great film, but at a running time of slightly over 60 minutes, it’s never dull and Farrow’s direction is solid. The movie’s no classic, but if you haven’t seen it, it’s worth seeking out even if for novelty value. They don’t make films like this anymore. But just because they really can’t, doesn’t mean that it’s not worth appreciating those that remain and enjoying them on their own terms.
September 6th, 2014 at 5:45 pm
The make up was much better on Karloff in MASK OF FU MANCHU, here it looks quite artificial, which Karloff overcomes with his performance.
So called pidgin English has little to do with ignorance, Chinese and English are radically different languages, the two most difficult to learn of all modern languages (especially Mandarin). Short of the stereotype of the Chinese warlord who went to Yale or Oxford, learning colloquial English would have meant considerable study and time invested.
One of the great flaws of political correctness is the idea that a figure who speaks in a realistic way is considered to be without dignity, as if a flair for language was a requirement of intelligence or character.
My French was terrible, but in the years I was there no one took me for less than intelligent for it no matter how much we laughed about it. In this case politically incorrect is actually politically incorrect.
With Solokoff and Richard Loo and very near character actor leading man Cortez this one has a trio of good character actors and it is always nice when Loo gets to play Chinese instead of Japanese. The presence of those actors and Farrow’s direction keep this from being as quaint as it might have be.
Always nice to see an early John Farrow film. He was always an interesting director, even well before his success in film noir.
September 6th, 2014 at 8:37 pm
I agree that Karloff’s makeup looks quite artificial, especially his cheeks and eyebrows. But his performance is excellent, in my opinion.
I must confess I haven’t seen as many of Farrow’s films as I would like. Perhaps I should seek some out, even lesser known ones. Suggestions welcome
September 7th, 2014 at 6:27 am
This was based on a play by Porter Emerson Browne, THE BAD MAN, which as filmed in various form no less than seven times!
As for John Farrow, you can start with COPPER CANYON, THE BIG CLOCK, ALIAS NICK BEAL, HIS KIND OF WOMAN (perhaps the oddest noir ever) FIVE CAME BACK and its remake, BACK FROM ETERNITY.
Enjoy!
September 7th, 2014 at 1:02 pm
Is that the same “The Bad Man” which was a 1941(?) film with Ronald Reagan?
September 7th, 2014 at 1:03 pm
I also enjoyed Sokoloff in Edgar Ulmer’s, “Beyond The Time Barrier” which I reviewed here
https://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=27628
September 7th, 2014 at 6:35 pm
I agree with Dan’s list and might add that FIVE CAME BACK is considered by many the best B film ever made.
UNHOLY WIFE with Rod Steiger and Diana Dors is worth catching, though nothing special despite a Jonathan Latimer script. I would only really add to Dan’s list the Latimer scripted NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES with Edward G. Robinson and Gail Russell based on the Cornell Woolrich novel. It’s available on YouTube, or was recently.
For my money though his masterpiece is ALIAS NICK BEAL, a rarity, a noir fantasy film with outstanding performances by Ray Milland, Thomas Mitchell, and Audrey Totter. Milland in particular plays a role most actors play too broadly with real menace and yet a sense of tragedy worthy of Milton. Watch for the exchange between Milland and minister George Macready when the latter thinks Milland looks familiar.
June 8th, 2019 at 4:07 pm
Richard Loo costars with Karloff just a year after appearing in the Lugosi serial SHADOW OF CHINATOWN. His final screen role was Hai Fat opposite Christopher Lee in THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN.