Artivels Undescribable Perfection

PodBill Just what I expected

CommentsXp Best movie ever!

Celia A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Tad Pole . . . was born in some far-off foreign land such as Hungary, Australia, Romania, or Canadia. THE HATCHET MAN reveals that the LITTLE GIANT's native shore actually was some place in China. Several times during this documentary from the early 1930s Robinson (nee Wong Low Get) spews forth a string of Asiatic Lingo that would do President Xi proud. Many have said that Robinson always looks uncomfortable in the various double-breasted Western Gangster suits in which many of his movie roles doll him up. The explanation for this ill-ease becomes apparent during the opening scenes of THE HATCHET MAN. "Eddie" has never looked more at home than in his Native Tong garb. As he shares with us the ins and outs of a Chinese Sharia Law Variant, Americans can pick up on the many nuances that separate Our way of thinking from the Oriental Mind. Eddie's a hitman who never has to wonder if he's brought enough bullets before the battle begins, or if he's washed off all the GSR when the war has waned. After all, who would bring a gun to a hatchet fight?

jjnxn-1 This is just awful especially coming from a talent like Wellman. Miscasting doesn't even begin to cover the ridiculous sight of Eddie Robinson and Loretta Young as orientals especially against some true Asians in the cast. Robinson although never believable for an instant at least attempts some depth in his characterization but Young is wretched. She's heavily made up but she lets the makeup do whatever acting she puts forth. She could just as well be at the sock hop as an opium den for all the shading she gives her role. I suppose they were trying for something unusual but if they really wanted to do that they would have cast Sessue Hayakawa and Anna May Wong in the Robinson and Young parts. As it is their complete unsuitability continually distracts from the story.The story itself is routine and with the terrible casting this is one old chestnut best forgotten.

kidboots The tough no nonsense directorial style of William Wellman put together an exciting and unusual movie from a rather old fashioned play. The picture had a few play dates as "The Hohorable Mr. Wong" before a title change to the more sensational "The Hatchet Man". Edward G. Robinson had replaced John Barrymore as First National's top character actor and proved it with searing portrayals in films like "Five Star Final" (1931), "Two Seconds" (1932), and "The Hatchet Man".1916 in Chinatown, the honorable hatchet man, Wong Low Get (Edward G. Robinson) is given orders to kill Lam Sing Tong (J. Carroll Naish, another splendid character actor) who has been found guilty of murder. They have been best friends since boyhood and Wong swears before Buddha that Tong's little daughter, Toya San, will know only happiness.Sixteen years later, Chinatown has changed and Wong is now a legitimate merchant. Toya San (Loretta Young is simply stunning) has also embraced Western ways - cutting class and going dancing, where she meets Harry Hai (Leslie Fenton), a smooth talking Chinese American. Meanwhile, humbled by Wong's devotion and love, Toya consents to be his wife, even though Wong only wants her hand with love, not duty.Harry is one of the new breed of Chinese hoods ("Boys, just boys" comments Wong, to which Harry gives him a particularly filthy look) who has been hired by Wong to be a bodyguard to Toya after the Tong Wars have been declared. The usual happens and before Wong returns from San Francisco (he has had to settle a score on traditional terms when peaceful methods fail) Harry and Toya are having a torrid affair. Rather than kill both Harry and Toya, which is the Tong duty, he now charges Harry with Toya's happiness and because of his peaceful ways is banished from the Tong. Wong falls on hard times, at last finding a laboring job in the rice fields and it is there that a letter reaches him from Toya. She and Harry have been deported to China, he has been caught selling opium, not only that but he then sells Toya, as a maid, to the local brothel owner. Wong, who is now penniless, works his passage to China off as a stoker - he is determined to find Harry and make him pay, which he does in an absolutely chilling finale!!!J. Grubb Alexander's adaptation is a lot more sensational than the original play. An assortment of fine old villainous character actors were on hand to convincingly play Chinese American roles - Dudley Digges, Charles Middleton, Noel Madison and Tully Marshall. There doesn't seem to be much information about on Art Director, Anton Grot, but he had a mammoth career at Warners from 1938 to 1950. In 1940 he won an Academy Award for his invention of a "ripple machine" which created weather and light effects on water.Highly, Highly Recommended.

Derutterj-1 SLIGHT SPOILERS Finally I get to see one of those early Chinese-themed dramas with Hollywood actors made up like Orientals. I'm not talking about a blockbuster like The Good Earth or Dragon Seed, but one of the early sound potboilers. When The Hatchet Man begins, I'm a little leery. A lengthy printed prologue spells out the story premise. I suspect while reading it that this is OK because the cultural norms to be depicted are alien and unfamiliar to a 1932 American movie audience. Edward G. Robinson, always superb, is fine as always; at first I can't recognize Loretta Young though, while on the other hand, Leslie Fenton doesn't initially strike me as Chinese. I'm wondering if the movie is going to be a lot of stereotyped bunk, full of coincidences and contrivance.Before long, it soon wins me over, getting better and than better still. The Hatchet Man approaches racial dynamics with more insight than expected. Director William Wellman applies intelligence, handling this thriller's more lurid aspects with needed detachment, as in less worthy hands it could've all gone melodramatically out of control. It's pre-Code, so I'm not really surprised that drug use is important to setting up the film's climax, and that one figure, formerly an assassin, is unpunished at fade out. Meanwhile, good character actors handle themselves convincingly (except for Charles Middleton, who is too much like Charles Middleton, and there is still the question of Fenton's casting, although he performs well). Also, I'm starting to come around to the realization that Loretta Young's acting range is limited,something her doll-like beauty has been distracting me from noticing through numerous films of this period.But the corker is the clever, shocking, coolly ironic surprise ending. People, you have got to see this. Few movies have ever ended with such a jolt!