Oliver Hardy

Stan Laurel

Anna May Wong

Jerry Mandy

Why Girls Love Sailors

Why Girls Love Sailors (1927)

Wallace Beery

Edna Tichenor

Priscilla Dean

Cassie Cook is an opium smuggler in China. In Hong Kong, she meets Jules Repin, her competitor. The two agree to become partners. They move on to Shanghai, where they meet at Madam Polly Voo's café on the Yangsti Road. Cassie argues with Repin; she has sunk her money into a big shipment that Repin said he had, but the merchandise is nowhere to be found. In addition, Repin induced her to purchase a lot of gowns that she is now unable to pay for. At Hong Chow, a small village at the edge of the poppy fields, a mining engineer arrives, ostensibly to open and work a long abandoned mine. In fact, the newcomer is really Captain Arthur Jarvis, who is there to stop the opium trade. Repin suspects the newcomer of being a government agent. He tries to persuade Cassie to go to Hong Chow to investigate, but she refuses. Cassie has befriended Lillian Morton, a girl from the States who has become addicted to opium. Cassie finally realizes the ugliness of her business, and tells Repin she is through and is going to return to the States. She decides to sell off her unpaid-for gowns, and place a bet on the races, with plans to use the winnings to take Lillian with her back to the States. However, her horse loses, and she ends up worse off. Destitute but still wishing to keep her promise to Lillian, Cassie decides to return to smuggling until she can raise enough money for the trip home. She arrives in Hong Chow and meets Dr. Li, from whom she buys her opium. The pair also plan to find out with Jarvis is up to. Cassie meets Jarvis, and poses as a novelist. Jarvis falls for the deception, and becomes interested in Cassie. Meanwhile, Dr. Li's daughter Rose has fallen for Jarvis. But Jarvis' assistant, Murphy, is in love with Rose. When Rose sees Cassie going to Jarvis' cabin while he is away, she follows and watches. She sees Cassie remove a report from an envelope and hen replace it with a blank sheet. When Jarvis returns, Rose tells him what she saw, but he refuses to believe her, and mails the envelope. Now that Cassie has gained the confidence of Jarvis, he tells her what he is doing there and what he thinks of all dope peddlers. Cassie has started to fall for Jarvis, and dreads the day when he learns the truth about her. Repin and Li call on Jarvis in an attempt to get him to agree to let the opium through for a price. When he refuses, they tell him they know who he is, and that if he does not agree to help them, the whole town will be wiped out by the poppy workers. It is then that Jarvis learns the truth about Cassie. Jarvis decides to fight the attack and induces the villagers to arm themselves and resist any effort to destroy the town. A terrific battle ensues, and Cassie and Repin are prevented from leaving with their opium. Murphy fights bravely, but when he sees his side is losing, he rushes off to summon troops. The town's missionary and his wife are killed, but their young son Bruce escapes and later returns to his cabin. Cassie, seeking refuge, locks herself in the cabin with Bruce. Rose sees Jarvis and Repin at her father's home, locked in deadly combat. Knowing how Cassie feels about Jarvis, Rose finds her and tells her he will be killed if she doesn't help him. After Rose leaves, Cassie tries to follow, but the workers discover her and set the cabin on fire. Returning to her home, Rose discovers her father is dead. She picks up his gun and shoots Repin just as he is about to knife Jarvis. Rose then tells Jarvis that Cassie is in jeopardy, and Jarvis rushes out to save her. Rose faints next to the body of her father. Jarvis rescues Cassie and Bruce, just before the troops arrive to quell the attack. The two pledge their love to each other. Murphy rushes to Rose's home and revives her.

Drifting

Drifting (1923)

Anthony Quinn

Richard Denning

J. Carrol Naish

Violence and death stalk the Chinese faction of a large American city, but one man, Dr. Chang Ling, and his daughter, Dr. Mary Ling, defy the racketeers who are responsible and, against terrific odds, bring peace to their oppressed neighbors. Gangland overlord Frank Baturin is shot and only the intervention and operation by Mary Ling saves his life. She performs the operation because it is her duty as a doctor, but she also thinks Baturin was shot by her father following a quarrel with Baturin. The racketeer then sets out for vengeance against the man who had actually tried to kill him in order to take over the Chinatown rackets.—Les Adams

King of Chinatown

King of Chinatown (1939)

Broderick Crawford

An altered remake of 1933's "White Woman," finds cabaret-singer Kim Ling, daughter of a Chinese general who has been accused of absconding with government funds, arriving in the Straits Settlement. There, she meets Gregory Prin, a half-caste gun-runner and head of a jungle empire where he treats the Malaysians ruthlessly. She meets Prin and agrees to accompany him in search of her father, as she has several reasons to believe Prin is holding her father prisoner.—Les Adams

Island of Lost Men

Island of Lost Men (1939)

Ellen Drew

Lloyd Nolan

Racketeer Steve Recka, art patron and political power-maker, rules his town and Madame Lan Ying, his beautiful Oriental friend and hostess (read: mistress), with an iron hand. He meets Margaret Van Kase, a socialite not impressed by his power nor his wealth, having no money herself, and Steve makes frantic efforts to win her and turns away from the loyal Lin Yang. Margaret ignores him as she plans to wed Philip Easton, a penniless bond salesman. The furious Recka, poses as a friend to Easton, while planning to ruin him. His henchmen kidnap Easton when he is carrying a large assignment of bonds, and he is branded as a runaway thief. The only doubters are Margaret and Police Inspector Brandon, who knows Recka's methods and suspects foul play. Easton is found in an abandoned house and arrested as the gangsters have taken the bonds and tipped the police where to find him. Recka offers to clear Easton if Margaret will become his bride and, while her hatred for Recka is intense, her love for Easton is greater and she consents. Recka, however, has reckoned without Lan Ying.—Les Adams

Dangerous to Know

Dangerous to Know (1938)

Warner Oland

Sessue Hayakawa

Mary Wong

The film is set in London. Fu Manchu (Warner Oland) is thought to have died 20 years ago, wrongly believing that Sir John Petrie (Holmes Herbert) was responsible for the death of his family during the Boxer Rebellion. He swore revenge on Sir John and his family. Princess Ling Moy (Anna May Wong) is a celebrated exotic dancer who goes to the house of her agent Morloff (Nicholas Soussanin) to finally see her father, whom has she never met. Morloff is one of Fu Manchu's henchman, and Fu Manchu is Ling Moy's father. Ah Kee (Sessue Hayakawa), a Chinese detective working with Scotland Yard tells Sir Basil Courtney (Lawrence Grant) that Fu Manchu is still alive and he has just seen him. Sir Basil realizes Fu Manchu will try to murder Sir John, but is unable to warn him by phone because the wires were cut. Sir Basil and Ah Kee go to Sir John's home, which is next door to Morloff's house.Sir John Petrie receives a threatening letter from Fu Manchu, who then appears in his study. Fu Manchu drugs and hypnotizes Sir John, and then kills him in front of the Petrie family and police. Ah Kee shoots Fu Manchu before he can kill Sir John's son Ronald (Bramwell Fletcher).The mortally wounded Fu Manchu escapes and meets Ling Moy, making her take an oath as his son to avenge his and their family's deaths. To remove suspicion from her, Fu Manchu apparently attempts to kill her. They are found and he is shot dead by Ah Kee. The police, Ah Kee and the Petrie family are unaware of the link between Fu Manchu and Ling Moy.Ling Moy befriends Ronald, intending to kill him, yet they start to develop a romantic interest despite his engagement to Joan Marshall (Frances Dade). Ah Kee is also attracted to her, although he is only delegated to guard her.Ling Moy finds she is unable to kill Ronald as she loves him, and the henchmen are unhappy with her not acting as the son she had declared to Fu Manchu she would be. She attempts to kill herself but is prevented. A henchman burns the incense of repentance, and she is persuaded to overcome her reluctance to kill Ronald. First she must deal with Ah Kee, whom she charms. He confesses his love for her and tries to persuade her to go to China with him.Joan is kidnapped and, while Ah Kee is occupied, Ronald Petrie and the police are lured to Limehouse to find her. Ronald is captured and brought to Morloff's house where Joan is actually imprisoned. Ah Kee discovers Ronald is in the building and realizes Ling Moy is duping him, and refuses to drink wine he knows is poisoned. Ling Moy reveals that she is the daughter of Fu Manchu. Ah Kee is tied up and locked in the attic.When Ronald hears Joan's screams, he rejects Ling Moy's advances, and she reveals her true identity to him. She declares Ronald must have a thousand bitter tastes of death before he dies, and prepares to have Joan disfigured with acid before he is killed. Ling Moy even tries to coerce Ronald into stabbing Joan to death. Ah Kee escapes, falls from the attic to the ground and is able to alert the police, who raid the house. Ronald and Joan are saved, and Ling Moy escapes. She is caught but attempts to kill Ronald. She is shot dead by Ah Kee, who declares his love for her before expiring at her side.

Daughter of the Dragon

Daughter of the Dragon (1931)

Lon Chaney

John George

Melbourne MacDowell

In this early collaboration with director Tod Browning (Dracula, Freaks), Chaney delivers a dual performance of dramatic intensity, starring as Ah Wing, a kind-hearted student of Confucian philosophy, and Black Mike Sylva, a murderous rake of the San Francisco underworld.—Anonymous

Outside the Law

Outside the Law (1920)

Reginald Owen

Alan Dinehart

Hobart Cavanaugh

In London, a secret society led by lawyer Thaddeus Merrydew collects the assets of any of its deceased members and divides them among the remaining members. Society members start dropping like flies. Sherlock Holmes is approached by member James Murphy's widow, who is miffed at being left penniless by her husband. When Captain Pyke is shot, Holmes keys in on his mysterious Chinese widow as well as the shady Merrydew. Other members keep dying--Malcom Dearing first, then Mr. Baker. There is also an attempt on the life of young Eileen Forrester, who became a reluctant society member upon her father's death. Holmes' uncanny observations and insights are put to the test.—Gary Jackson

A Study in Scarlet

A Study in Scarlet (1933)

Ray Milland

Charles Laughton

Cyril Ritchard

The star attraction of the Piccadilly Club is the dancing team of Mabel and Vic. Victor is infatuated with Mabel, but she rejects his advances, since she is in love with Valentine Wilmot, the club's owner. As Mabel and Vic perform their act one night, a customer unhappy about a dirty plate causes a disruption. When Wilmot goes back to the kitchen to investigate, he finds several employees in the scullery watching Shosho, one of the dishwashers, dancing on a table. Wilmot fires both Shosho and Victor that night, but the club's sagging fortunes soon lead him to re-evaluate Shosho's talent.—Snow Leopard

Piccadilly

Piccadilly (1929)

Noble Johnson

Douglas Fairbanks

David Sharpe

A thief falls in love with the Caliph of Bagdad's daughter. The Caliph will give her hand to the suitor that brings back the rarest treasure after seven moons. The thief sets off on a magical journey while, unbeknownst to him, another suitor, the Prince of the Mongols, is not playing by the rules...—Erik Gregersen

The Thief of Bagdad

The Thief of Bagdad (1924)

Esther Ralston

Betty Recklaw

Robert Milasch

Peter Pan, the boy who doesn't want to grow up, arrives at the Darling home searching for his shadow. He meets the Darling children and takes them to Never-Never Land, where they will fight against Captain Hook and his pirate ship and crew. At the end the children will be back in their warm beds.—Adalberto Fornario

Peter Pan

Peter Pan (1924)

Marlene Dietrich

Eugene Pallette

Many passengers on the Shanghai Express are more concerned that the notorious Shanghai Lily is on board than the fact that a civil war is going on that may make the trip take more than three days. The British Army doctor, Donald Harvey, knew Lily before she became a famous "coaster." A fellow passenger defines a coaster as "a woman who lives by her wits along the China coast." When Chinese guerrillas stop the train, Dr. Harvey is selected as the hostage. Lily saves him, but can she make him believe that she really hasn't changed from the woman he loved five years before?—Dale O'Connor

Shanghai Express

Shanghai Express (1932)

6 / 10

Comedy

6.7 / 10

Drama

6.3 / 10

Action
Crime

5.9 / 10

Crime
Drama

6.4 / 10

Crime
Drama

5.7 / 10

Crime
Drama

6.5 / 10

Crime
Romance

5.6 / 10

Action
Drama

7.1 / 10

Crime
Drama

7.7 / 10

Action
Adventure

7.1 / 10

Action
Adventure

7.3 / 10

Action
Adventure