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.

Enjoyable programmer from Warner Bros. about some Americans going to a Chinese village to negotiate oil drilling rights from another American and finding themselves "guests" of a ruthless Chinese warlord named Fang (Boris Karloff). Fang's not all bad, though. One of the oilmen (Gordon Oliver) saved Fang's life before he rose to power and the warlord tries to help him out, in love and business. It's a routine adventure flick from the period when 'the mysterious Orient' was all the rage. Certain elements, such as the yellowface makeup, will offend some today. So gird your loins if you're a sensitive type. Karloff is the primary reason to see this. He's always fun to watch and here he manages to imbue a somewhat villainous character with sympathy and humor. Ricardo Cortez plays the real villain of the piece, a total slimeball. For his part, Gordon Oliver is the hero, albeit a banal one. Beverly Roberts plays Cortez's estranged wife who's in love with Oliver now. Sheila Bromley plays the only other female part and gets several funny lines. Vladimir Sokoloff appears all-too-briefly as a rival to Karloff. The rest of the cast includes Chester Gan, Richard Loo, and Gordon Hart. It's nothing special but a good way to kill an hour. Definitely more fun for Karloff fans than anyone else.

Fans of Boris Karloff should enjoy this B feature not because it is a great example of 1930's horror, but because it isn't. Made at a time when Hollywood had set a self-imposed moratorium on monster movies, "West of Shanghai" proves that Karloff could survive as a character star, delivering a well-conceived interpretation of a likable but mercenary Chinese warlord. He is a joy to watch, engaging his American captives in sardonic broken English, doling out his own brand of makeshift justice, and, at least in his own mind, exercising nobility as he faces execution. The rest of the cast is standard, except for Ricardo Cortez, who registers very well (as he did in Karloff's "The Walking Dead") as an attractive, well-polished heel. Director John Farrow sets a crisp pace and doesn't allow the film to drag. "West of Shanghai" may not be one of the best Karloff films, but his presence certainly makes it more than noteworthy.

Excellent movie directed by John Farrow,(Mia Farrow's father) and involves American promoters Myron Galt(Douglas Wood) and Gordon Creed(Ricardo Cortez) who arrive in a village where bandit's are infested throughout the country side of northern China. They plan to foreclose on a valuable oil concession owned by Jim Hallet(Gordon Oliver). However, Creed finds his estranged wife, Jane (Beverly Roberts), a medical missionary, is falling in love with Hallet. He will not give her a divorce, in the meantime an army of bandits looking for money and possessions are lead by their renegade general,Wu Yen Fang(Boris Karloff), he takes over the entire city and uses the Christian Mission as a headquarters. Americans and missionaries find themselves prisoners of Boris Karloff and he does a good job of terrorizing them. West of Shanghai in 1923 was a silent film and also a talkie version in 1930. Walter Houston repeated the role of the Mexican bandit. This is a very slow B movie. Karloff is starred, and does the best that he can to portray a Chinese bandit using the methods of American racketeers. Boris Karloff's acting and makeup is great which made this picture into a classic.