Horoscope Mystery

 

 (imdb)

WHEN WERE YOU BORN?-1938-Interesting but forgotten Warner Brothers mystery feature with Anna May Wong as astrologer Mei Lei Ming and her pet monkey. She predicts the death of a merchant named Corey (James Stephenson) who's partner (fake Chinese) Mr. Gow (Leonard Mudie) wants some letters Corey had in his safe. Through the use of the horoscope Mei helps fat police Sgt. Kelly (Frank Jacuet) and Inspector Gregg (Charles Wilson) solve the case. Who's the culprit? Doris Kane (top billed Margaret Lindsey), Corey's fiancée? Her brother Harry (Anthony Averell), who had an argument with Corey? How about Shields (Eric Stanley), Corey's butler? Olin Howland is a lawyer in one scene. 

Bela Lugosi's pal, Manly P. Hall (who's credited with the original story) explains that astrology is a science in an introduction to the film. Also Jack (Clayton) Moore and Maurice Cass. Director William C. McGann (SH! THE OCTOPUS (1937)) made over 50 movies and also did SFX on many others (THE HORN BLOWS AT MIDNIGHT (1945), THE BEAST WITH 5 FINGERS (1946)).

It's a shame this wasn't considered for a whole or at least a sequel but perhaps Hollywood's prejudice toward Asian actors (American born or otherwise) at the time had something to do with it. A white American actress has top billing over the Asian American real star after all!

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Exit Bomba!

THE LORD OF THE JUNGLE-1955-Johnny Sheffield plays Bomba the jungle boy for the last time. He'd played the character in 11 prior movies.

In the convoluted storyline a rogue elephant leads his pachyderm pals on a killing spree wrecking villages and squashing natives. A hunter sent by the government (usual B western star Wayne Morris) wants to kill the whole herd and Bomba must come up with a solution despite interference from Commissioner Barnes (series regular Leonard Mudie) and his niece (Nancy Gale). Bomba fights rear projection elephants and swings on vines while getting help from his animal friends. Paul Picerni (HOUSE OF WAX) and William Phipps (FIVE) are other white hunters.

B-movie vet Ford Beebe directed most entries in the series.

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