The Mask of Fu Manchu

 This is a creaky but entertaining relic from the early sound era. Basically an adventure story focusing on a race to prevent Fu Manchu from obtaining some lost relics, the movie feels like a proto-type for RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, with some science-fiction overtones; it edges into the horror category thanks to the fiendish torture devices used by the Oriental criminal mastermind – and his sadistic daughter. The pacing is frequently slack, especially in the early scenes, but the film has a genuinely, sometimes kinky (if admittedly offensive) kick, thanks to the unabashed racism of its plot. Boris Karloff gives a delicious performance in the title role, one of his relatively few portraits of outright evil. Although a horror star thanks to his performance as the monster in FRANKENSTEIN, Karloff tend to imbue most of his monsters with sympathy. Not so here – this is about as close as the actor ever came to camp, and it works, in an unbelievable, movie-movie sort of way.

MASK OF FU MANCHU was made at MGM before the Hayes Commission began cracking down on Hollywood. Previous movies based on the Sax Rohmer character had starred Warner Oland; with Karloff (a major horror star after FRANKENSTEIN and THE OLD DARK HOUSE) in the role, the emphasis was placed on torture and sadism, pushing the limits of what was acceptable in a Hollywood movie of the era. For example, Fu Manchu’s daughter has the young leading man stripped to the waist and whipped repeatedly while she watches with what can only be described as orgasmic joy.

Later, when the film was re-released, the offending material was cut out, creating numerous visible jump-cuts. Because the film is so old, unaware viewers might think these jumps represented a worn-out print missing a few frames. Actually, these jumps represented several extensive sequences, mostly involving dialogue of an outrageous racist nature that borders on camp.

With Karloff (an Englishman) as Fu Manchu and with Hollywood starlet Myrna Loy as his daughter, it’s no secret that MASK OF FU MANCHU is a racist portrait of the so-called “Yellow Peril” (the same sort of stereotyping that later gave us “Ming the Merciless” in the FLASH GORDON serials). There are a handful of authentically Asian actors in bit parts, but in general this is one of those movies wherein Occidental actors are made up to look Oriental.

As if that were not bad enough, the plot centers quest to beat Fu Manchu to the discovery of the golden sword and golden mask of Genghis Kahn. If Fu Manchu obtains them, the entire Eastern world will accept him as Kahn reborn and follow him as he leads an Oriental uprising to overthrow the Western (i.e., White) world.

Much of the missing dialogue involves Fu Manchu’s racist exhortations to his follows, including this hysterical battle cry to the Eastern warlords: “Conquer and breed! Kill the White Man and steal his women!”

The racist tone could be considered offensive; fortunately, it’s far too far over-the-top to take seriously. And in any case, from a historical perspective, it’s essential to preserve films in their original form: good or bad, they are a document representing popular tastes and attitudes of their times. We shouldn’t let this stuff go down the memory hole. (Cinefantastique)