Monday, July 30, 2018

The Terror of the Tongs (1961)

The Terror of the Tongs is a crazy film, set in HK in 1910 and involving a secret society called the Red Dragon Tong. Historical accuracy and Chinese stereotypes are somewhat suspect.

Geoffrey Toon is Captain Sale, a steamer captain unwittingly drawn into a Tong plot when one of his passengers (played by Burt Kwok - obviously he would be in this film) is killed at port but not before he has passed a list of names to Sale's daughter Helena (Barbara Brown). However the Tong, led by Christopher Lee, want this list no matter the cost, even if the cost is Helena's life...

It is hard to really judge this film, obviously the racial stereotypes are way off and the story is often complete nonsense but despite the madness it is compelling and it is so often hilarious (unintentionally of course). Christopher Lee is superbly sinister as the Tong leader.