An archaeologist, Dr. Benton(Charles Miller)returns from a camel caravan across Mongolia returning with a valuable ancient scroll. During his fact-finding lecture at Southern University, Benton collapses...he's dead. Key Luke(better known as Charlie Chan's number-one son)steps in for his predecessor Boris Karloff; Detective James Lee 'Jimmy' Wong at your service. He calls himself a researcher when San Francisco Police Captain Street(Grant Withers)at first considers him a suspect. The investigation has several people of interest like Win Len(Lotus Long),Benton's secretary;Dr. Wilkes(Huntley Gordon),Benton's partner and Charles Frasier(John Dilson),the expedition's photographer. The plot is very simple and very inexpensive to film; after all its a Monogram Pictures 62 minute mystery. A few twists and turns keeps the story moving at a nice pace. This is the sixth and final film based on stories by Hugh Wiley. Take note that out of all the Asian detective films(Charlie Chan, Mr. Moto and Mr. Wong), Key Luke is the first actual Asian to play the lead role. Also in the cast:Virginia Carpenter, John Holland and Lee Tung Foo.

The biggest novelty of this rather dull little mystery is that for once during this era, a person of Chinese ancestry actually plays a Chinese-American amateur detective!! That's right, unlike Charlie Chan, Mr. Moto and the previous Mr. Wong films, this one does not feature some Western guy with his eyes taped so that he looks Chinese-ish. And, also interesting is that this actor is none other than Keye Luke--the guy who played Number One Son in the Chan films. In some ways, this was very culturally sensitive and forward-thinking and Luke's character was bright and articulate--using definite articles in conversation and seeming less like a walking stereotype. At the same time, the writers were still in the 1940s mindset, as some of the remarks of the incredibly imbecilic chief of detectives are awfully crude stereotypes. An example of this was when he asked all the people what they had for dinner. When he came to the Chinese lady, he said "I assume you just had Chop Suey". Uggh!!! Now as for the film itself, it seems like a lower than usual quality B-movie--with most of the usual clichés but with none of the energy or excitement of films from the Boston Blackie, Charlie Chan, Falcon or Sherlock Holmes series. While there were some interesting story elements (such as the whole oil angle), the film was so low energy and dull that it rarely engages the viewer. I think most of this is due to the painfully low budget--making productions by second-rate poverty row studios (like rival Monogram Films) seem vastly superior to this one. It is obvious in this film that the end of the Wong series was in sight and there wasn't much more when it comes to innovation other than the casting of the ever-capable Luke in the lead.

No offense to Boris Karloff, who had previously played Mr. Wong, but this film shows how an "oriental" action-thriller can be improved by casting a gifted Chinese actor in the role. Keye Luke is handsome, charming, dashing, brave, clever, and just downright sexy as James Lee Wong, and he meets his perfect match in Lotus Long, the mysterious Chinese secretary of a famous Anglo-American archaeologist. The ending, which would have featured some romance between Luke and Long had they both been Caucasians, is still satisfying, as Luke shows his feelings for Long with his eyes and smile. Lee Tung Foo also deserves mention in a fun turn as Wong's servant. Of the many oriental-exploitation films of the era, this is perhaps the best, featuring some fine Asian art objects, superb set decoration, social commentary about Westerm archaeological appropriation of cultural treasures, unusual documentary footage of an expedition to Mongolia, and real Chinese people playing Chinese people. It's by no means an "A" picture, and seeing the star-god Shou depicted as a "god of vengeance" is silly, but "Phantom of Chinatown" deserves a better reputation than others of its ilk.

Pretty good who-dunnit thriller about the death of an archaeologist. After he returns from the Orient. The archaeologist presents a lecture about his findings, a hidden tomb. Funny thing, is that he points out certain people in the room that went with him during the expedition, so right then and there you know that the archaeologist is toast and the people he just introduced are suspects ha ha. Mr Wong, smoothly played by Keye Luke, gets to the bottom of things. I really like how he solved this, using calm logical ways instead of having obvious clues thrown at us. I also liked the clueless homicide detective who sort of played a foil to Wong's character who essentially just followed Wong while he went on his crime-solving ways. Nifty little movie here.