The Face of Fu Manchu (1965)

Director:

Don Sharp

Writers:

Sax Rohmer (characters)
Harry Alan Towers (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 October 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Obey Fu Manchu Or Every Living Thing Will Die!

Plot:

Grisly strangulations in London alert Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard to the possibility that fiendish Fu Manchu may not after all be dead...

Plot Keywords:

Scotland Yard | Fu Manchu | Strangulation | Super Villain | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Christopher Lee	...	Fu Manchu
Nigel Green	...	Nayland Smith
Joachim Fuchsberger	...	Carl Jannsen
Karin Dor	...	Maria Muller
James Robertson Justice	...	Sir Charles
Howard Marion-Crawford	...	Dr. Petrie (as Howard Marion Crawford)
Tsai Chin	...	Lin Tang
Walter Rilla	...	Muller
Harry Brogan	...	Gaskell
Poulet Tu	...	Lotus
Archie O'Sullivan	...	Chamberlain
Edwin Richfield	...	Chief Magistrate
Joe Lynch	...	Custodian
Peter Mosbacher	...	Hanumon (as Peter Mossbacher)
Ric Young	...	Grand Lama (as Eric Young)
Deborah DeLacey	...	Slave Girl (as Deborah De Lacey)
Jim Norton	...	Mathius
Jack O'Reilly	...	Constable
Peter Mayock	...	Soldier
Aiden Grennell	...	Security Guard
Ray Mackin	...	Soldier
Kevin Flood	...	Traffic Policeman
John Franklin	...	Morgue Attendant
Conor Evans	...	River Police Officer
Derek Young	...	Village Official

Directed by
Don Sharp

Writing credits
Sax Rohmer		(characters)
Harry Alan Towers		(screenplay) (as Peter Welbeck)

Produced by
Harry Alan Towers	....	producer
Oliver A. Unger	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Christopher Whelen

Cinematography by
Ernest Steward		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John Trumper

Art Direction by
Frank White

Makeup Department
Anne Box	....	hairdresser (as Ann Box)
Gerry Fletcher	....	makeup artist

Production Management
John Comfort	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Barrie Melrose	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Ken Cameron	....	sound recordist
Fred Hughesdon	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
James Bawden	....	camera operator (as Jimmy Bawden)
H.A.R. Thomson	....	camera operator: second unit (as H.A.R. Thompson)
Michael Browne	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dorothy Edwards	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
John Colville	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Christopher Whelen	....	conductor
Ivor Slaney	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Phyllis Townshend	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Hallam Productions (as Hallam Productions Ltd.)
• Constantin Film Produktion (uncredited)

Distributors

• Warner-Pathé Distributors (1965) (UK) (theatrical)
• Constantin Film (1965) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Seven Arts Pictures (1965) (USA) (theatrical)
• Gefion Film (196?) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• Aquarius TV (2002) (Greece) (TV)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Lee Lighting  lighting

Also Known As:

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

UK | West Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M (TV rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Company:

Hallam Productions

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Near the end of the movie when Smith and Janssen rescue Prof. Muller and set up the bomb they capture Lin Tang, tie her up and gag her. Lin Tang is seen in the following making a great show of struggling against her bonds and even falling behind the bed, so that the guards did not find her when they looked into the room, so she couldn't alert them. So far the story, but looking at the way Lin Tang was tied up she would have been able to remove the gag every time she wanted to and cry out for help.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "SexTV: Dragon Ladies & Kung-Fu Masters: Re-Constructing Asian American Sexualty (#6.30)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Radio Revels

An enjoyable film!

"The Face of Fu Manchu" is a surprisingly good horror/crime directed by Don Sharp("The Brides of Fu Manchu","Kiss of the Vampire").Fu Manchu was created by British pulp writer Sax Rohmer.This Asian super-villain appeared on screen in early 30's-in "The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu"(1929),"The Return of Fu Manchu"(1930)and in the excellent "The Mask of Fu Manchu"(1932)with Boris Karloff."The Face of Fu Manchu" is the first and best in a series made by exploitation producer Harry Alan Towers.Christopher Lee is excellent as Fu Manchu-the film is stylish and nice to look at.The opening beheading of Lee is a really haunting moment.The other Fu Manchu movies are:"The Brides of Fu Manchu"(1966),"The Vengeance of Fu Manchu"(1967),"The Castle of Fu Manchu"(1969)and "The Blood of Fu Manchu"(1968)-the last two films were directed by Jesus Franco.