The Face of Fu Manchu ( MGM, 1932 ) was directed by Charles Brabin and Charles Vidor, and was produced by an uncredited Irving Thalberg, and splendidly designed by Cedric Gibbons. Sparing no evil trick to secure the legendary sword and mask of Genghis Khan, which will establish his power over the "teeming hordes of Asia," and make him ruler of the world, Fu Manchu ( Boris Karloff ) is thwarted by Nayland Smith ( Lewis Stone ), Professor von Berg ( Jean Hersholt ), and a young Terry Granville ( Charles Starrett ). After subjecting these fine young heroes to kidnapping and torture, and aided by his lovely but evil daughter, Fah Lo See ( Myra Loy ), Fu Manchu obtains the true mask and sword.The scene in his laboratory with sparks flying from his machines as he tests the sword is worthy of James Whale. He then sentences Smith and Von Berg to death in a crocodile pit, and a gleaming spiked vise, respectively, while Granville is destined to become a slave of Far Lo See.but as usual the heroes escape and destroy Fu Manchu with his own death ray.

This is a true example of Sci-Fi as a horror film: the bad doctor's devices are strickly superscientific "not a werewolf in sight" but every- thing is played for shock and suspence. Karloff portrays Fu Manchu with consummate artistry, just the right touch of humor and his delicately lisped English "he was educated at Oxford you know" he is superbly sinister. Karloff was born to be a creepy actor and had done many movies before this one, such as The Walking Dead, Frankenstein, and The Raven. He did not do much Sci-Fi stuff at all but was a great horror actor and stuck to his guns and did many more horror flicks..