Movie spotlight
A pretty Chinese woman, seeking help from San Francisco detective James Lee Wong, is killed by a poisoned dart in his front hall, having time only to scrawl "Captain J" on a sheet of paper. She proves to be Princess Lin Hwa, on a secret military mission for Chinese forces fighting the Japanese invasion. Mr. Wong finds two captains with the intial J in the case, neither being quite what he seems; there's fog on the waterfront and someone still has that poison-dart gun...
Detective Mr. Wong, a respected Chinese-American detective, is called upon to investigate the murder of a wealthy businessman's wife. The investigation leads him through a labyrinth of deceit and betrayal, involving stolen jewels and a dangerous conspiracy. Wong must use his keen intellect to unravel the truth before the killer strikes again.
As part of the 'Mr. Wong' series starring Boris Karloff, this film was a standard B-movie mystery of its time, offering modest entertainment value. While not critically acclaimed, the series was popular with audiences for its formulaic plots and Karloff's engaging performance as the titular detective.
The film provides a standard whodunit plot typical of the era.
Boris Karloff is praised for his dignified portrayal of Mr. Wong.
The production values are adequate for a low-budget mystery film.
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Boris Karloff, famous for his role as Frankenstein's monster, played the Chinese detective Mr. Wong, a character created by author Hugh Wiley, in a total of five films produced by Monogram Pictures.
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When the Princess "Lin Hwa" (Lotus Long) is killed by a poisoned dart in the home of our eponymous San Francisco detective (Boris Karloff) she leaves him one, singly enigmatic, clue which he must utilise to thwart a gang involved with the J...