very weak, unfortunately

A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

From Fang to want...er, sorry, Wong, Boris Karloff tries to underact in this Chinese set political thriller where rebel general Karloff holds a group of Americans hostage. Karloff ends up turning into a character from a George Arliss film as he interferes in a romantic triangle while dealing with his political agenda. Ricardo Cortez, separated from wife Beverly Roberts, must deal with the fact that Karloff seemingly is willing to kill him so Roberts can marry Gordon Oliver. With each declaration of "I am Fang", Karloff's subtlety goes out the window, becoming more aggravating than John Malkovich's repeating of "Beyond my Control" in "Dangerous Liasons". With only minimal focus on the Chinese military's efforts to put an end to Karloff's reign of terror, this is an extremely dull programmer, only coming to life through some wisecracks from supporting characters Sheila Bromley and the minimal action and tension towards the end. The mixture of obvious non Asian actors and real Asians is laughably absurd. Still, production design is good, and in spite of the torrid script, decently directed.

A pleasant surprise, "West of Shanghai" is a Warner Brothers B movie that benefits entirely from the performance of Boris Karloff. Unlike his rival Bela Lugosi, who gave his all in even the most wretched films, Karloff is known for walking through movies that he probably deemed beneath him. For every "Frankenstein" or "The Body Snatcher" there are countless examples of him collecting a paycheck while performing monotonously or, even worse, overracting terribly. Thankfully this is not the case here. Perhaps realizing the absurdity of both the film and his role, Karloff has an absolute blast enacting Chinese warlord Wu Yen Fang. Complete with matted down black hair and slanted eyes, he is an absolute hoot in a performance that will make politically correct watchdogs wince.The film itself moves very slowly despite the 64 minute running time. Karloff doesn't appear until almost 21 minutes in but once he does the story picks up dramatically. He alternately amuses, terrifies, extorts, and bewilders the cast around him. The supporting performances are pretty bland which probably enhances Karloff's lively turn. The only actor of note in a substantial role is Ricardo Cortez, famously cast as Sam Spade in the 1931 version of "The Maltese Falcon," who finds himself on the wrong end of Fang's justice.The only reason the film is watchable today is Karloff. He has so many hilarious bits that I scarcely know where to begin. While attempting to seduce the heroine, trading barbs with another saucy ingenue, extorting money from an oil company bigwig in a routine worthy of Abbott and Costello, or praising himself by announcing "I am Fang!" whenever someone questions his audaciousness, Boris is just delightful. His final comment to sidekick Richard Loo before they are executed will have anyone rolling on the floor with laughter. If anyone is frustrated by Karloff's colorless turns in so many mediocre horror films of the 30's and 40's this is the film to watch.

A group of Americans head to a remote part of China to obtain lucrative oil rights. When a warlord named General Wu Yen Fang invades the village they are staying in, it's no longer just a fight for oil - it's now a fight for life. I'm really surprised to read all the positive, glowing reviews for West of Shanghai. I'm sure my comment and 4/10 rating will be voted down like a rock in water. Sure, there are a few things to enjoy (Boris Karloff's wonderful performance as General Fang, the always enjoyable Ricardo Cortez, and some nice double-crosses near the film's end) but there's not enough for me to rate the movie favorably. My chief problem - I found most of West of Shanghai fairly dull and lifeless. Up to the point where Karloff comes in, the movie really drags. At just over an hour, the movie still manages 15 - 20 minutes of padding. The whole first act on the train is completely unnecessary. The murdered General has nothing to do with the rest of the film. And the big battle near the films climax is so poorly filmed, it's hard to tell what's going on. Not very exciting. Director John Farrow would go on to have an excellent career, but you'd have never have predicted it based on this early effort.

Attention All Fans Of Boris Karloff: if you have not yet watched this delightful Boris performance, you are missing a real treat! Sporting an effective Asian makeup, Karloff portrays robber General Wu Yen Fang, a dangerous tyrant in northern China with an endearing sense of humor. Fang seizes command and holds several visiting Americans prisoners, and it's a real pleasure watching the colorful general toying with them. Among the cast members is Ricardo Cortez, but the one to watch and who steals the show is Karloff himself. I would easily rank this role among his best ever; he played Asian parts a few times in his career, but this is the only time he's ever sold me completely on such a character, speaking in broken English and managing to disguise most of his own British accent here. Some of the most humorous scenes involve Fang's charming communication through his always-present trusty interpreter, trying to understand and shoot back some common Americanisms. In no time, Karloff makes us actually like and feel for this murderous criminal. At the time this movie was made, the production of the usual horror movies which Boris Karloff was so well known for were temporarily halted. I think that WEST OF SHANGHAI proves beyond a shadow of any doubt that Boris had no problem holding his own in non-scary character parts and would have gone on to succeed in other dramatic roles, had the ban on horror movies not ultimately been lifted. *** out of ****