Meng long guo jiang (1972)

Director:

Bruce Lee

Writer:

Bruce Lee (writer)

Release Date:

30 December 1972 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The Colosseum . . the battleground of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris [Video Australia]

Plot:

A man visits his relatives at their restaurant in Italy and has to help them defend against brutal gangsters harassing them.

Plot Keywords:

Italy | Colosseum | Gangster | Martial Arts | Jeet Kune Do

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Bruce Lee	...	Tang Lung (a.k.a. Dragon)
Nora Miao	...	Chen Ching Hua
Chuck Norris	...	Colt
Ping-Ao Wei	...	Ho (as Paul Wei Ping-Ao)
Chung-Hsin Huang	...	'Uncle' Wang (as Wang Chung Hsin)
Robert Wall	...	Fred (Bob Fred)
Ing-Sik Whang	...	Japanese Fighter
Tony Liu	...	Tony
Unicorn Chan	...	Jimmy
Malisa Longo	...	Italian Beauty
Fu Ching Chen	...	Waiter (as Tommy Chen)
Di Chin	...	Ah Quen
Wu Ngan	...	Waiter
Robert Chen	...	Robert
Jon T. Benn	...	Boss

Also Known As:

Fury of the Dragon (Europe: English title)
Mang lung goh kong (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
Return of the Dragon (USA)
Revenge of the Dragon (USA) (cable TV title)
The Way of the Dragon (Hong Kong: English title)

Runtime:

100 min | USA:90 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin | English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/16 | Finland:K-16 (cut: 1989) | Finland:K-18 (DVD rating: 2001) | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Canada:G (Quebec) | Finland:(Banned) (1975) | France:U | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 | Netherlands:12 | Spain:18 | Sweden:(Banned) (1975) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | New Zealand:M | UK:X (original rating) | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1982) | Norway:(Banned) (1975-2003) (cinema release) | Norway:(Banned) (video) (1988-1995)

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Concord Productions Inc.

Trivia:

Part of the music in this film is actually originally from the Ennio Morricone score for the Sergio Leone western C'era una volta il West (1968). The music used for Chuck Norris is taken from the song "Man with a Harmonica." Additionally, an excerpt of a track from John Barry's score for the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever (1971), "Death At The Whyte House," was used in the scene where Uncle Wang, showing his true colors, wickedly stabs Tony and Jimmy in their backs with a knife.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the gunman is first revealed in Chen's apartment, Tang Lung beats the guy all over, but never hits his face. Later when the gunman is being chewed out, he's shown with a bandaged forehead, two bruised cheeks and a black eye.

Quotes:

Tony: [after being stabbed by Uncle Wang] Uncle Wang, why did you...?
'Uncle' Wang: Don't blame me for all of this. The blame is on Ah-Lung. He stirred up this trouble, the fool!
Tony: What does this... what does this mean?
'Uncle' Wang: What does this mean? You must know. I've worked hard all of my life. And I've got nothing at all to show for it! My own wife and children are waiting for me in Hong Kong. If the restaurant cooperates, they'll pay me well for all of this. After that I can go back to Hong Kong a rich man. So you see, I have to do this. I have to do it!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in My Mistress Electra (1983)

Soundtrack:

As A Judgement

Bruce Lee at his best

Bruce Lee demonstrates why without ever being a tournament champion that he was one of the best martial artists of all times. His speed and technique easily out class the other real martial artisits this film presents. His fight with Chuck Norris in this film is legendary. Watching Chuck in his prime is intense, high speed and accuracy. What scares me is that Bruce is faster. And even though he is lacking size, its obvious that the little dragons power is intense. Yes the scenes in these movies may be choreographed, but it's hard to make duplicate the skills shown by these fighters with trick photography and ballet lessons.

This is the first film Bruce took a major role in both on and off the set. He searched for quality martial artists for the fight scenes and was the one who reccomended Italy for this shoot.

The film revolves around a restaurant in Italy run by Lee's uncle and his (assumably ) cousins. Local gangsters try to close the restaurant down and get a piece of the action. To avoid complications with the law, they try and man handle the resteraunt owner and workers and Lee comes to the rescue.