Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation

I had never seen the Mr. Moto movies until recently. They really had potential when the first couple featured a kind of dark mysterious character. But then Hollywood got involved and created fluffy romances and silly plot elements and, if it weren't for Peter Lorre, almost ruined the series. The character of Featherstone, the British idiot who showed up in a previous episode, is not funny. He is pathetic as a drunken busybody. I agree with a previous reviewer that he could have been killed falling off the boat and it would have improved the story. He destroys all the flow to this episode. It is exciting enough, with two different criminal elements trying to steal the crown of the Queen of Sheba. Also, considering supposed seriousness of the efforts to protect this priceless artifact, the authorities are bumbling dunces. Lionel Atwell is tiresome and overstuffed. There is also the handsome, boring young guy who is in love with the obligatory attractive young woman. They contribute nothing. It's a shame that Peter Lorre's wonderful character has to shine in the face of all this. I know it's a B movie, but I guess they were trying to appease the Saturday afternoon crowds.