Mysterious Mr. Moto

Mysterious Mr. Moto, produced in 1938 by Twentieth Century Fox, is the fifth in a series of eight films starring Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto.

The film is based on the character of Mr. Moto created by John P. Marquand, from an original screenplay by Philip MacDonald and Norman Foster.

It was originally known as Mysterious Mr. Moto of Devil's Island.

Plot
A daring escape is made from the French penal colony on Devil's Island by Mr. Moto, pretending to be Ito Matsuka, a Japanese murderer, and Paul Brissac, who belongs to a group of assassins. Brissac changes his name to Romero when they arrive in London and Moto stays on as his houseboy.

Moto then uncovers a plot to assassinate pacifist industrialist Anton Darvak.

Cast

 * Peter Lorre as Mr. Kentaro Moto
 * Mary Maguire as Ann Richman
 * Henry Wilcoxon as Anton Darvak
 * Erik Rhodes as David Scott-Frensham
 * Harold Huber as Ernst Litmar
 * Leon Ames as Paul Brissac (alias Romero)
 * Forrester Harvey as George Higgins
 * Fredrik Vogeding as Gottfried Brujo
 * Lester Matthews as Sir Charles Murchison
 * John Rogers as Sniffy
 * Karen Sorrell as Lotus Liu

Production
Henry Wilcoxon replaced Michael Whalen in the cast. It was an early Hollywood role for Australian actor Mary Maguire.

Filming took place in March and April 1938, shortly after completion of Mr Moto's Gamble.

During filming Peter Lorre, as Moto, impersonated a seventy-year-old German painter.

Reception
The film was released in May 1938. The Los Angeles Times praised the "exciting action". It arrived in New York in September.

Home media
This film, along with Think Fast, Mr. Moto, Thank You, Mr. Moto and Mr. Moto Takes a Chance, was released on DVD in 2006 by 20th Century Fox as part of The Mr. Moto Collection, Volume One.