Shanghai Joe (1973)

A Chinese immigrant, recently arrived in America, fights to free Mexican slaves from their cruel master.

Director:

Mario Caiano

Writers:

Carlo Alberto Alfieri, Mario Caiano (screenplay)

Stars:

Chen Lee, Klaus Kinski, Carla Romanelli

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chen Lee	...	Shanghai Joe / Chin Hao
Klaus Kinski	...	Scalper Jack
Carla Romanelli	...	Cristina
Gordon Mitchell	...	Burying Sam
Katsutoshi Mikuriya	...	Mikuja
Robert Hundar	...	Pedro, The Cannibal
Giacomo Rossi Stuart	...	Tricky the Gambler
Piero Lulli	...	Stanley Spencer
Umberto D'Orsi	...	Poker player
Lorenzo Fineschi	...	Cowboy
Federico Boido	...	Slim (as Rick Boyd)
Dante Maggio	...	Doctor
Carla Mancini	...	Conchita
Luigi Antonio Guerra	...	Spencer Friend
Andrea Aureli	...	Sheriff Andy Corrotto

Storyline

A Chinese immigrant named Chin How lands in a small Texas town inhabited by hard-nosed cowboys who don't take kindly to outsiders. The town folk soon realize that Chin is no ordinary drifter and he quickly gains a reputation for his unbeatable fighting skills. When word of Chin's skills spread to Stanley Spencer, the owner of the states largest cattle ranch, Chin lands a job working for Spencer as a fellow cowboy. Friend soon becomes foe when Chin realizes he is working for a cattle smuggler bent on brutalising Mexican farmers and anyone else who stands in his way.

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Plot Keywords:

manhunt | asian american | italo western | mexican | cowboy | 

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Taglines:

One Man Stands Alone In His Fight For Justice

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Western

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

January 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shanghai Joe

Filming Locations:

Elios Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

C.B.A. Produttori e Distributori Associati, Compagnia Cinematografica Champion, Rewind Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene in which Gordon Mitchell's character sings "Chin-Chin Chinaman" while carrying a shovel was improvised on the spot by Mitchell. He also created the song.

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Goofs

In the scene where Shangai Joe is in the bullfighting arena, at one point a red cape for attracting the bull's attention is visible.

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Quotes

Sheriff Andy Corrotto: Don't give me this cock-n-bull story, you, you're not even white.

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Connections

Referenced in Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape (2010)

User Reviews

Eeeeaaaeeaagghhhh!

Shanghai Joe is just a regular Chinese guy who has moved to America to get a good job and live the dream. Sadly for Joe everyone he comes across is a racist moron who don't want Joe to get anywhere. Sadly for them Joe tends to lose his rag and beat everyone who crosses him into submission.

This film is a lot of fun. A lot of fun. For the first half of the film Joe just goes from job to job being harassed and doling out justice, but then he crosses the wrong guy (a slave trader) and from then on the heat is on, in the form of ugly Gordon Mitchell and uglier Klaus Kinski! Basically just one action set piece after another, this film does not disappoint. Its a nice merging of spaghetti western and martial arts and Mario Caiano isn't daft, as he gives us loads of both in an overtly violent way.

Honestly, for a spaghetti western this one is really high on violence. Wrists are broken and bones protrude, folk are drowned in boiling water, hands are cut off, torsos punctured by fists and Joe even manually removes a guy's eyeball! Entertaining stuff.

I had this in my collection for years and now wish I'd watched it sooner. It's on YouTube if you don't own it.

Also - Joe screams Eeeeeaaaaeeaagh before braining someone. Watch out for that.