ENTER THE DRAGON (1973)

MORGAN'S RATING

A trend-setting martial arts film with masterful kung fu action by the legendary Bruce Lee. The opium-smuggling plot is secondary to the amazing and violent action scenes.

Bruce Lee (Lee), John Saxon (Roper), Kien Shih (Han), Ahna Capri (Tania), Angela Mao (Su Lin), Jim Kelly (Williams), Robert Wall (Oharra), Bolo Yeung (Bolo), Betty Chung (Mei Ling), Geoffrey Weeks (Braithwaite), Peter Archer (Parsons), Ho Lee Yan (Old man), Marlene Clark (Secretary), Allan Kent (Golfer), William Keller, Mickey Caruso (Los Angeles Cops), Pat E. Johnson, Darnell Garcia, Mike Bissell (Hoods), Jackie Chan (Oharra's henchman / Extra in underground finale, uncredited), Roy Chiao (Shaolin Abbott, uncredited), Paul M. Heller (Radio Operator, uncredited), Sammo Hung Kam-Bo (Shaolin Fighter, uncredited), Ching-Ting Lam (Han, uncredited), Tony Liu (Pigeon, uncredited), Keye Luke (voice of Mr. Han, uncredited), Chuck Norris (Messenger, uncredited), Hidy Ochiai (uncredited), Steve Sanders (BKF karate instructor, uncredited), Donnie Williams (BKF assistant karate instructor, uncredited), Biao Yuen, Wah Yuen (Tournament Fighters / Extras, uncredited).

THE FIRST AMERICAN PRODUCED MARTIAL ARTS SPECTACULAR!

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

DIRECTOR: Robert Clouse. WRITER: Michael Allin. PRODUCERS: Paul M. Heller, Bruce Lee, Fred Weintraub and Leonard Ho (uncredited) ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS: Raymond Chow and Andre E. Morgan (uncredited). ORIGINAL MUSIC: Lalo Schifrin. DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Bros.

FACTS

RELEASE DATE: August 19th, 1973 (USA) BOX OFFICE RESULT: $25.0 million (USA) WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $90 million BUDGET: $850,000 (USA) SHOOTING DATES: January 1973 -- April 1973 - Bruce Lee died in Hong Kong three weeks before the film's premiere in 1973. - Production was halted when Bruce Lee cut his foot badly when he kicked the bottle from Bob Wall's hands. (They didn't use sugar class back then). Production was also halted briefly when the corpse of a young woman was found near the set. - In their one scene together, Lee actually struck Jackie Chan in the face with one of the fighting sticks he used. He immediately apologized and insisted that Chan would work on all of his movies after that, but he died before he could keep the promise. - The part of Williams was originally intended to be played by Rockne Tarkington. - Cameos: [Jackie Chan] briefly towards the end of the film during the big fight scene in the cave. Lee grabs his hair for a while before breaking his neck. [Sammo Hung] Bruce Lee's sparring partner during the fight before the opening credits.

QUOTES

Lee: Why doesn't somebody just go in there with a .45 and -'bang'- settle it?

Lee: Don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory.

Lee: Don't think! Feeeeel. It is like a finger pointing away to the moon.

Lee: My style, you can call the art of fighting without fighting.

Han: Your style is unorthodox. Williams: But effective.

Williams: Man, you come right out of a comic book.

Shaolin Abbot: The enemy has only images and illusions behind which he hides his true motives. Destroy the image and you will break the enemy.

CRITICAL COMMENTS

"If not for the presence of Bruce Lee, there's no way this would have become a classic; it was a star vehicle, not a star-maker." -- Nathan Shumate, Cold Fusion Video Reviews

"One of the great action films. Pure fun." -- Gerry Shamray, Sun Newspapers of Cleveland