PETER LORRE & AMANDA DUFF IN 'MR. MOTO IN DANGER ISLAND'

Year: 1939 Rating: *1/2

The only two MR. MOTO programmers not directed by Norman Foster were meant to be part of the similar CHARLIE CHAN franchise: but DANGER ISLAND isn't as good as the MR. MOTO'S GAMBLE (where Ward Bond plays a defeated boxer while here he's a defeated wrestler), and there's no real decent use of the titular location, which is neither dangerous or interesting...

Seeming like what they are, studio backlots, and with Peter Lorre's Chinese Agent paired with a punchy fighter, there's none of the usual espionage or suspense, and all the remaining side-characters... including cute ingenue Amanda Duff who's father's a wrongfully accused military officer... seem part of different vehicles, not of them going anywhere, slowly.

Amanda Duff and Peter Lorre in MR MOTO IN DANGER ISLAND

Amanda Duff in MR MOTO IN DANGER ISLAND

WARREN HYMER in MR MOTO IN DANGER ISLAND

WARD BOND TOPS WARREN HYMER in MR MOTO IN DANGER ISLAND