Sinister Chinaman ruthlessly pursues the legendary "Twelve Coins of Confucius" (which look like pogs) in order to become the ruler of the made-up Chinese province of Keelat.

Typical 1930s yellow peril story is certainly not politically correct today, with the typical laundry jokes, offensive remarks from an equally stereotyped Irish cop, and ignorance of the basics of Chinese culture. At least there are a few actual Asian actors in the cast. Slow moving and dull, even at barely an hour, it remains watchable today mainly for Lugosi. The less said about Ford's irritating, loudmouth jackass of a reporter (an unfortunate staple of these types of films), the better. Suffice to say, Wong does not quite get to inflict any exotic torture upon him, though I'm sure audiences then and now both wished for it.

Based on a short story by unjustly forgotten pulp writer Harry Stephen Keeler, whose writing is much more enjoyable than this poor movie might indicate.