PHANTOM OF CHINATOWN (1940) Keye Luke, Lotus Long & Grant Withers | Mystery | B&W

Phantom of Chinatown is a 1940 American mystery film directed by Phil Rosen starring Keye Luke. This is the last of the Mr. Wong films and the only one to star Luke in the role originated by Boris Karloff. This was the first film with an Asian actor playing the lead role as a Chinese detective.

SYNOPSIS
Detective James Lee Wong is present when archaeologist Dr. John Benton, recently back from an expedition in China where he recovered a valuable ancient scroll, is murdered during a lecture. Benton's team had discovered a Ming dynasty Emperor's tomb and a scroll detailing a secret Temple of Eternal Fire with a potential oil reserve crucial for China. A hurricane, predicted by a curse, had killed co-pilot Mason during the tomb's opening.

As Benton prepared to reveal the scroll's contents, he was poisoned and died. The scroll then disappeared from his office, with secretary Win Len claiming no knowledge of its whereabouts. Student James Lee Wong investigates and finds traces of oriental poison. Cameraman Charles Fraser is attacked at home, where Wong and Street find Win Len tied up. They discover Mason faked his death and, with butler Jonas, planned to steal the artifacts.

Street locates their hideout, finding Jonas' poisoned and stabbed body and a tomb artifact. Wong, posing as Mason in a hospital, encounters Mason and Fraser. After a confrontation, it is revealed Fraser killed Benton and Jonas to keep the oil reserve secret.

Despite Fraser destroying the original scroll, a photo survives and is given to the Chinese government to locate the oil reserve.

CAST & CREW
Keye Luke as James Lee Wong
Grant Withers as Police Captain Street
Lotus Long as Win Len
Charles F. Miller as Dr. Benton
Huntley Gordon as Dr. Norman Wilkes
Virginia Carpenter as Louise Benton
John Dilson as Charles Fraser
Paul McVey as Detective Grady
Willy Castello as Jonas

Directed by: Phil Rosen
Written by: Hugh Wiley, Ralph Gilbert Bettison
Produced by: Paul Malvern
Starring: Keye Luke
Cinematography: Fred Jackman Jr.
Edited by: Jack Ogilvie
Music by: Edward J. Kay
Distributed by: Monogram Pictures Corporation
Release date: November 18, 1940
Running time: 62 minutes
Country: United States