Guest Author - Vannie

I finally saw the last film in the Mr. Wong series.

In Phantom of Chinatown we learn how Dr. Wong came to know Captain Street. A very young Keye Luke has the role of James Lee Wong in this final movie in the Monogram Wong series. Wong is so young in Phantom of Chinatown that everyone calls him Jimmy. Jimmy Wong steps in to help Captain Street (Grant Withers), solve the murder of a famous archeologist, Dr. Benton. Dr. Benton had just returned from Mongolia and was showing a film of his archeological dig when he died suddenly while delivering his lecture. It is discovered that Dr. Benton was poisoned and a valuable Mongolian scroll he brought back is missing. Captain believes that Benton's secretary, Win Lee, may know more about the scroll than she is admits. Although Street is originally suspicious of Jimmy he finds that Jimmy inside information is invaluable. They embark as a team to find a killer and the Mongolian scroll.

In this movie as the other others in this series, Captain Street continues to be politically incorrect at every turn and Jimmy's cook, Lee Tung Foo is almost a caricature of a "Chinese Cook". But this time the movie stars Asian actor Keye Luke is the only to have played an Asian detective. Luke received top billing in Phantom of Chinatown and actress Lotus Long (Benton's secretary) was billed under Grant Withers (Captain Street). Keye Luke will be remembered as Charlie Chan's charming and happy go lucky, number one son in the Chan series. If you collect Wong movies, this final film is a must for your collection.

More on the Wong film series.