The Hatchet Man

A hatchet job is what I fully intended to do to this movie until I found some quiet time in the afternoon to watch it. In fact I gave it an 8/10 for novelty as well as pathos. The casting is preposterous. Can you imagine Edward G Robinson and Loretta Young as Chinese?

Eddie G plays a well respected Tong assassin who is forced to kill his childhood friend and blood brother (played by J Carroll Naish) witch was no surprise. He inherits the friends business and 6 year old daughter for his effort. He prospers and when the girl grows up, he marries her. I should mention that Loretta Young was only 19 when she made this movie and she was remarkably sexy and seductive. Along comes another Tong War and Eddie is pulled out of retirement to do his stuff. Meanwhile his young wife falls for the bodyguard and runs off with him. Loretta and her lover are deported to China for messing about with opium. Although Eddie is initially shamed by her betrayal, he eventually redeems himself and his reputation. After all, he is a hatchet man!

This is one of EGR's lesser known movies, but if you can get over the bizarre casting, the story really is gripping and the cast turns in a bravo performance.

Yes as many have stated, by today's standards, the casting of this movie seems ridiculous, but please keep in mind the time period that this movie was made. All things considered, even with the period specific "whites for ethnic minorities" casting mentality, respect for a certain amount of cultural authenticity was in this movie to a greater degree than in previous films of this era, and so I feel that in that respect this movie was ground breaking and helped slowly pave the way for minorities to eventually take center stage in great theatrical releases. Most other films before and since (until the late 70's early 80's) stereotyped Asian characters as clownish and comical to an absolutely racist degree. Not so here. Robinson (although he did use some stereotyping) created a character who was not only mysterious, but both an anti-hero as well as deep & complex the likes of which would not be seen for a great long time after. His acting ability was amazing and truly well showcased here. He was able to show what really made his characters great and not just the mugging gangster stereotype that became so exaggerated over time. Often people forget what a true talent Robinson was, and if you need to know why... See this one if you ever get the chance!!!

Naturally, the casting of Caucasian actors in Asian roles (see also "The Good Earth," "Dragon Seed," Charlie Chan, Mr. Moto, etc.) is a thing of the past. Casting Edward G. Robinson as a Chinese hit man is equivalent to doing a revival of "Flower Drum Song" with Hugh Jackman and Britney Spears. However, the plot of "The Hatchet Man" is well-thought out and surprisingly respectful of Chinese culture in America. Okay, they're killing each other, but is that any worse than, say, "The Godfather" series as relates to Italian-American culture? At least that don't have the Chinese characters saying things like, "Oh, me velly solly." Plus, the ending (which I won't spoil) is absolutely right and decidedly welcome.

Wong Low Get (Edward G. Robinson), a hatchet man for a San Francisco Tong, is ordered to kill his childhood friend Sun Yat Ming (J. Carrol Naish).

The Hatchet Man is a film that shouldn't work, but does. The film packs a lot of plot into 74 minutes, and William Wellman's direction is excellent. Eddie Robinson gives a very compelling performance in the lead, and Dudley Digges is good as the Tong leader. The ending has to be seen to be believed.

First time viewing. 3.5/5

It's every bit as satisfying and punchy as LITTLE CAESER but with a Chinese flavor set during the early 20th century Tong Wars in San Francisco.

Robinson as Wong is a Tong hitman ordered by warlords to kill his best friend and cannot refuse his obligation. He reluctantly does his duty and kills his friend Sun Yat Ming played by J Carroll Naish. Before his death, Ming who knows and accepts his fate asks Wong to marry his young daughter Sun Toya San played by Loretta Young when she grows up. Wong agrees and promises to Ming to do everything in his powers to make her happy for life before executing him.

Later Wong becomes a succesfull business man and powerful Tong member. He marries Sun Toya to keep his promise to his deceased friend. Sun Toya is far younger, immature and likes to party in contrast to the serious Wong. She falls in love with Wong's bodyguard, a handsome young, smooth but not so smart drug dealer named Harry. Played by Leslie Fenton. When Wong discovers the affair he forgoes retribution and sadly lets the two run away together in order to keep his promise to make Sun Toya happy. But he also makes Harry vow a similar oath before Buddha before he lets them go.

The fallout from this is that he loses face with the Tong leadership and is kicked out in disgrace for letting his wife's seducer live. Wong is bankrupted and reduced to working as a farm laborer. In the end Wong, Sun Toya. And Harry end up meeting again at a tea house/brothel in China for a very spectacular and stunning ending.

As was typical of the time all the main characters are played by Caucasians. Robinson is brilliant as Wong and needs little makeup to make him look the part. Young looks like a plastic Chinese doll. Her role would have been perfect for Anna May Wong. This is another first class Precode gem.