Mr Moto, a successor to Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan wasn’t the only positive Asian character to hit our pages and screens. Following the death of Chan creator Earl Derr Biggers, John P. Marquand created another Asian hero, Mr Moto. He was a fictional Japanese secret agent who first appeared in syndication in the Saturday Evening Post before subsequently featuring in six novels between 1935 and 1957.
Moto was initially an agent of expansionist Imperial Japan, but by the 1950s had become a more sympathetic character, working as a senior intelligence official in the pro-Western Japanese government. Despite being a devoted servant of the Emperor, he was often at odds with the Japanese military. While he supported Japanese expansion into China, unlike the military he wanted to see this happen this slowly and carefully.
He was a small, delicate, fragile looking man who dressed formally in a morning coat and striped trousers, had his black hair carefully brushed and a smile that revealed a row of shiny gold fillings. Despite his somewhat innocuous appearance he was tough and ruthless with his enemies, though most people saw him as a harmless eccentric who often called himself stupid. Moto relied on people under-estimating him in order to solve his cases and get the better of his rivals.
The popularity of the books inspired 20th Century Fox to produce eight motion pictures between 1937 and 1939 starring Peter Lorre, an Austrian appearing in Yellow Face. The films ran between 60 and 70 minutes so were realeased as B pictures on double bills. While in the novels Moto was peripheral, revealed through the eyes of the Europeans he encountered, in the films Moto is the central character. Other changes included him becoming a detective with Interpol, wearing glasses and having no gold teeth. The stories became action-oriented, utilising Moto's judo skills as well as his use of multiple disguises.
Other abilities that were revealed across the film series included expertise in Jiu-jutsu, skills in magic and ventriloquism, and the ability to walk silently. He was multi-lingual, being fluent in English, Mandarin, German, and Japanese, was a master of disguise, a devout Buddhist familiar with traditional chants and religious rites, he could compose haikus, draw caricatures, and could play the traditional Japanese instrument the shamisen. He also had an excellent cure for a hangover.
In the first film Mr. Moto claims to be a detective "only as a hobby" but by the second reveals he works for Interpol. In subsequent films Mr. Moto works for private organizations such as the Diamond Syndicate as well as for world governments, but only when it is in Japan's interests. His status as a member of Interpol earns Moto both respect and support from the local police he encounters, which is invaluable during his investigations.
Mr. Moto's keeps details of his personal life close to this chest but in Think Fast, Mr. Moto reveals strange details which verge on the unbelievable. He says that he graduated from Stanford University in 1921 where he was a member of the Alpha Omega fraternity and where he set a pole vaulting record.
Moto travels a great deal during his investigations, usually accompanied by his cat Chunkina. He is also something of a ladies man. In Think Fast, Mr. Moto he asks hotel telephone operator Lela Liu out on a date, and she subsequently proves to be an agent who helps him in his investigation. In Mysterious Mr. Moto, agent Lotus Liu pretends to fall for Moto’s charms so they can be alone to compare notes in their shared investigation. While Moto is cautious when it comes to a woman’s charms, saying "Beautiful girl is only confusing to a man", he is adept at using some women to his advantage. In Thank You, Mr. Moto he manages to bring down his rival Colonel Tchernov (played by Sig Ruman) by manipulating his wife Madame Tchernov. He sums up his success by telling her… "I am so grateful for your suspicious nature. It is not the first time a woman's jealousy has been fatal to the man she loved."
In early 1938, there was talk in the press that Moto would be turned into a Korean due to growing conflict with Japan’s foreign policy. But instead, by the time of the second world war the series was concluded.
Following the war Mr Moto re-appeared in films adapted from Marquand's novels, this time where he wasn’t the central character. In Stopover Tokyo (1957), starring Robert Wagner, Joan Collins and Edmond O’Brien, Moto's character is eliminated entirely while the film’s plot entirely ignores the book it was adapted from. The film ending up being neither a critical nor a commercial success.
In the low budget English production The Return of Mr Moto (1965), the character was revived by a very tall Henry Silva who played him as a James Bond-like playboy who in the fight scenes appeared to have next to no ability in martial arts. Moto speaks like a 'Beatnik' and is never referred to as Japanese. In the film he is called "Oriental" and in the trailer is referred to as a "swinging Chinese cat." It is only when Moto is disguised as a Japanese oil representative, Mr. Takura, that Silva presents him as Japanese, though in a stereotypical fashion.
This final Mr Moto film wasn’t a commercial or a critical success, with the New York Times calling it "extremely garrulous and inane". Whether by accident or out of embarrassment the 20th Century Fox logo does not appear on the film.
Mr Moto reappeared in a 2003 comic book produced by Moonstone Books and later reprinted as Welcome Back, Mr. Moto. But it appears likely that will be his final curtain call.
While in my opinion Charlie Chan would likely succeed in a revival, Mr Moto has likely had his day. A far more complex character, Moto has developed as much backstory as a long running soap opera character, filled with apparent contradictions and too much second world war era baggage. If nothing else Henry Silva’s ridiculous portrayal likely killed off any chance of another Mr Moto film… but I may be wrong. He may silently sneak up on us again.