Story: Cyrus Wenthworth (Melvin Lang) just received some terrible news, as one of his ocean liners was lost to a raging inferno, dealing a devastating blow to his business and his personal fortune. He is visited by several people in the wake of the incident, from rivals to his son-in-law Dick (William Stelling) and at some point, Cyrus is once again handed a tragic turn. He is shot dead by the time everyone visits and while the answers should be obvious, even Mr. Wong (Boris Karloff) finds getting to the truth to be complicated. Captain Street (Grant Withers) is focused on Dick and even has him arrested, but is the simplest answer the right one or can Mr. Wong uncover a more complex truth?

Entertainment Value: The fifth and final installment in the Boris Karloff fronted Mr. Wong film series, Doomed to Die closes out the franchise in solid franchise. I think this sequel is stronger than the last couple volumes and while not innovative or all that memorable, the movie is brisk and entertains. The narrative is simple, but offers some light suspense and I appreciated that Mr. Wong called in his favors within the Chinese secret societies, since that added some freshness to the series. This one runs under seventy minutes and has little downtime, so the pace is quick and no time is wasted as the mystery unfolds. In keeping with previous films in the series, there aren’t any big reveals or new ground broken, but Doomed to Die is a solid murder mystery that fans of old school suspense should find some entertainment with.

Boris Karloff closes out his run as the cinematic Mr. Wong here and as always in the series, he is a capable lead that more than handles the leading role requirements. He is engaged and seems interested, never phoning in his work and his screen presence is great, as always. Karloff is just an actor I could watch in almost anything, so these b movie murder mysteries benefit greatly from his inclusion. He is consistent across the entire franchise and his last turn here is no exception. His costars seem to shine when sharing scenes with the legendary performer, as he brings out the best in their work and elevates every scene is present in. I did appreciate the loudmouth Grant Withers and Marjorie Reynolds, who also has recurring roles in the Mr. Wong adventures, but make no mistake, this was Karloff’s series. The cast also includes William Stelling, Catherine Craig, Melvin Lang, Henry Brandon, and Wilbur Mack.

The Disc: KL Studio Classics has spruced up Doomed to Die as they have all five films in the Mr. Wong Collection, with a new 2k scan that yields a terrific visual presentation. The print looks to be in good shape, with a clean overall look and good detail, easily surpassing my expectations. The collection also includes the other four Mr. Wong movies with Karloff, as well as an audio commentary track on the first installment.

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