Drums of Fu Manchu

Drums of Fu Manchu (1940) is a 15-chapter Republic Movie Serial based on the Fu Manchu stories by Sax Rohmer, starring Henry Brandon, William Royle and Robert Kellard. It was directed by the legendary serial team of William Witney and John English and is often considered one of the best movie serials ever made. In this serial, Fu Manchu attempts to conquer the world by acquiring the Sceptre of Genghis Khan, which will unite the people of Asia und... more

Drums of Fu Manchu (1940) is a 15-chapter Republic Movie Serial based on the Fu Manchu stories by Sax Rohmer, starring Henry Brandon, William Royle and Robert Kellard. It was directed by the legendary serial team of William Witney and John English and is often considered one of the best movie serials ever made. In this serial, Fu Manchu attempts to conquer the world by acquiring the Sceptre of Genghis Khan, which will unite the people of Asia under his rule. The action heroics of the serial are provided by an original (for the serial) character, Allan Parker, a young American, who has allied himself with the traditional British literary nemeses of Fu Manchu, Sir Denis Nayland Smith and his associate, Dr. Flinders Petrie after his father is kidnapped and killed by Fu Manchu's dacoits. Drums of Fu Manchu was budgeted at $164,052 although the final negative cost was $166,312 (a $2,260, or 1.4%, overspend). It was the most expensive Republic serial of 1940, although this year was the... less