Mr. Moto Takes a Chance

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• 1938
• 1 hr 3 mins
• Suspense, Drama

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• Watchlist

When aviatrix Victoria Mason, who is flying around the world, reaches the small kingdom of Tong Moi, above Siam, she throws a flare into the rear of her plane and parachutes to safety before the plane crashes in flames. The crash is seen by Mr. Moto, leading an archaeological dig, and by American newsreel cameramen Marty Weston and Chick Davis. After Moto helps Vicky, he sends a note about her arrival via carrier pigeon. Vicky is presented to ruler Rajah Ali, who insists above the objections of his high priest Bokor that she stay as his guest. As Marty and Chick shoot footage of them, Bokor objects that this displeases the gods. However, the ruler states that the cinema is not dangerous, and filming proceeds until Keema, his favorite wife, falls dead. While Marty and Chick are taken by Bokor to a hidden temple for a trial before the gods, Moto discovers that a poison dart from a blowgun killed Keema. Deemed guilty, Marty and Chick are about to be thrown into a well, when a fire erupts and an old guru, on a pilgrimage from the Himalayas, emerges from the temple. After he proves his powers to Bokor, he orders the men freed. The next day, in the cave of the temple, the guru discovers cans of explosives in a secret room below. After he subdues one of Bokor's men, the guru removes his mask and reveals himself to be Moto. He then sends a message by pigeon, stating that he has located the munitions base and that Bokor is the leader of the revolt. However, Rajah Ali shoots down the pigeon and, at a celebration that night, serves it to Moto. When Vicky graciously agrees to become the rajah's next wife in his harem, Marty, who is attracted to her, prepares to leave. After Vicky finds information that Moto is a spy and locates his map of the temple, she heads there followed by Bokor. Convinced by Chick that she is in danger, Marty hastens there also, but he is captured along with Vicky. After Zimmerman, the munitions dealer, arrives and captures Chick, Bokor has Zimmerman killed. He then proclaims that his revolt has begun and will not end until every foreigner is driven from Asia. Moto, who has emerged again as the guru, attempts to deflect Bokor's blood-lust, but when Chick is about to be executed, Vicky reveals Moto's identity and, in the confusion that follows, a fight breaks out. With the munitions, Moto and Vicky, who is working for British Intelligence, fight alongside Marty and Chick to stave off Bokor's men. As they run out of ammunition, Rajah Ali arrives with troops and captures Bokor and his followers. When he says that he will execute Moto, Vicky, Marty and Chick, Moto threatens to blow them all up by dropping a torch into the room with the explosives. Marty throws a gun at Rajah Ali, who falls into the room. Moto then lights a fuse of film that he rigged up leading to the explosives, and after they escape, the temple explodes. On a sailboat, Vicky and Marty banter affectionately, as Moto scares Chick with tales of their next adventure together.