In the year of 1910, Hong Kong members of the secret Red Dragon Tong crime family protect their identities by murdering Helena Sale, the daughter of Captain Jackson Sale, a British sea officer who vows revenge and defies the spread of fear created by the tongs. Helped by a mysterious beggar and a young serving girl named Lee, Sale discovers there is an inside traitor who has been giving vital information to the tongs, thus making them one step ahead of Sale’s findings…
Production Details
Columbia Pictures Corporation Presents – A Hammer film production
Copyright MCMLX by Merlin Film Company – All rights reserved
MPAA Approved Certificate
The characters and incidents portrayed and the names used herein are fictitious and any similarity to the name, character, or history of any person is entirely accidental and unintentional
Produced at Bray Studios
RCA Sound Recording
Eastmancolor by Pathe 86 mins
Filming Began: 19th April 1960
UK Release: 29th September 1961
Studio:
Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire
Stills from film
Click an image for enlarged slideshow
Cast & Crew
Red = Uncredited
Crew | Name | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Credits | Uncredited | Total Hammer | |
Accountant | Ken Gordon | 2 | 9 | 11 | |||||
Art Direction | Thomas Goswell | 70 | 28 Mar 1891 | 1982 | 90 | 1 | 6 | 7 | |
Assistant Art Director | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/don-mingaye/# | 32 | 1929 | 8 Nov 2017 | 88 | 28 | 15 | 43 | |
Assistant Continuity | Pauline Harlow (Wise) | 23 | 1938 | 01.01.1938 | 86 | 11 | 3 | 14 | |
Assistant Costume Designer | Yvonne Blake | 21 | 17 Apr 1940 | 17 Jul 2018 | 78 | 3 | 3 | ||
Assistant Director | John Peverall | 30 | 1931 | 3 Oct 2009 | 78 | 21 | 21 | ||
Assistant Editor | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/chris-barnes/# | 23 | 1938 | 5 Jun 2009 | 71 | 21 | 12 | 33 | |
Assistant Editor | Paul Smith | 2 | 2 | ||||||
Assistant Make-up Artist | Colin Garde | 46 | 16 Jul 1915 | Dec 1990 | 75 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
Assistant Wardrobe | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/rosemary-burrows/# | 36 | 5 | 41 | |||||
Associate Producer | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/anthony-nelson-keys/# | 49 | 13 Nov 1911 | 19 Mar 1985 | 73 | 41 | 41 | ||
Boom Operator | Jim Perry | 9 | 9 | ||||||
Camera Operator | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/len-harris/# | 45 | 19 May 1916 | 21 Feb 1995 | 78 | 53 | 2 | 55 | |
Cashier | Peter Lancaster | 26 | 16 Aug 1935 | 10 Dec 2004 | 69 | 1 | 1 | ||
Cashier | Paul Lancaster | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Casting | Dorothy Holloway | 63 | 7 Mar 1898 | 1972 | 73 | 4 | 6 | 10 | |
Chief Accountant | W.H.V. Able | 66 | 1895 | 1975 | 80 | 4 | 4 | ||
Chief Electrician | Jack Curtis | 3 | 24 | 27 | |||||
Clapper Loader | Alan McDonald | 23 | 1938 | 01.01.1938 | 86 | 14 | 14 | ||
Construction Manager | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/arthur-banks/# | 19 | 29 | 48 | |||||
Continuity | Tilly Day | 58 | 1903 | 1994 | 91 | 14 | 1 | 15 | |
Director | Anthony Bushell | 57 | 19 May 1904 | 2 Apr 1997 | 92 | 1 | 1 | ||
Director of Photography | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/arthur-grant/# | 46 | 1915 | 1972 | 57 | 33 | 33 | ||
Editor | Eric Boyd-Perkins | 44 | 1917 | 4 Dec 2014 | 97 | 10 | 10 | ||
Executive Producer | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/michael-carreras/# | 33 | 21 Dec 1927 | 19 Apr 1994 | 66 | 84 | 8 | 92 | |
Floor Props Chargehand | Peter Allchorne | 36 | 1925 | 01.01.1925 | 99 | 9 | 9 | ||
Focus Puller | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/harry-oakes/# | 40 | 16 Jan 1921 | 11 Dec 2012 | 91 | 53 | 53 | ||
Grip | Albert Cowlard | 38 | 1923 | 01.01.1923 | 101 | 1 | 10 | 11 | |
Hair Stylist | Frieda Steiger | 57 | 29 Dec 1903 | 19 Aug 1993 | 89 | 28 | 28 | ||
Make-up Artist | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/roy-ashton/# | 52 | 16 Apr 1909 | 10 Jan 1995 | 85 | 36 | 4 | 40 | |
Master Carpenter | Charles Davis | 9 | 9 | ||||||
Master Painter | Lawrence Wren | 12 | 12 | ||||||
Master Plasterer | Stan Banks | 6 | 6 | ||||||
Music | James Bernard | 36 | 20 Sep 1925 | 12 Jul 2001 | 75 | 25 | 1 | 26 | |
Musical Supervisor | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/john-hollingsworth/# | 45 | 20 Mar 1916 | 29 Dec 1963 | 47 | 37 | 3 | 40 | |
Producer | Kenneth Hyman | 32 | 11 Dec 1928 | 11.12.1928 | 95 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
Production Designer | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/bernard-robinson/# | 49 | 28 Jul 1912 | 2 Mar 1970 | 57 | 45 | 4 | 49 | |
Production Manager | Clifford Parkes | 32 | 10 Jul 1928 | 20.11.2014 | 87 | 12 | 12 | ||
Production Secretary | Ann Skinner | 24 | 1 Feb 1937 | 01.02.1937 | 87 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
Property Buyer | Eric Hillier | 41 | 1920 | 1975 | 55 | 17 | 17 | ||
Property Master | Tom Money | 44 | 1917 | 1974 | 57 | 2 | 21 | 23 | |
Publicist | Colin Reid | 6 | 6 | ||||||
Second Assistant Director | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/hugh-harlow/# | 22 | 17 Jun 1939 | 17.06.1939 | 85 | 5 | 33 | 38 | |
Second Assistant Director | Joe Levy | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Sound Assistant | Maurice Smith | 2 | 2 | ||||||
Sound Camera Operator | Alan Thorne | 1 | 8 | 9 | |||||
Sound Camera Operator | Michael Sale | 9 | 9 | ||||||
Sound Editor | Alban Streeter | 31 | 1930 | 01.01.1930 | 94 | 7 | 7 | ||
Sound Maintainence | Charles Bouvet | 54 | 27 Oct 1906 | 1978 | 71 | 8 | 8 | ||
Sound Recordist | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/jock-may/# | 56 | 1905 | 8 Jan 1991 | 86 | 30 | 1 | 31 | |
Still Photographer | Tom Edwards | 1999 | 29 | 29 | |||||
Studio Manager | A.F. Kelly | 4 | 4 | ||||||
Stunt Performer | Joe DOrazio | 39 | 27 Jul 1922 | 9 Mar 2022 | 99 | 2 | 2 | ||
Stunts | Peter Diamond | 32 | 10 Aug 1929 | 27 Mar 2004 | 74 | 4 | 25 | 29 | |
Supervising Editor | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/james-needs/# | 41 | 17 Oct 1919 | 4 Feb 2003 | 83 | 110 | 1 | 111 | |
Third Assistant Director | Dominic Fulford | 42 | 19 Aug 1919 | 23 Apr 2007 | 87 | 1 | 6 | 7 | |
Wardrobe Mistress | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/molly-arbuthnot/# | 52 | 19 Dec 1908 | 31 Oct 2001 | 92 | 48 | 5 | 53 | |
Writer | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/jimmy-sangster/# | 33 | 2 Dec 1927 | 19 Aug 2011 | 83 | 65 | 2 | 67 | |
Cast | Name | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Credits | Uncredited | Total Hammer | |
Anna Chang - Housekeeper | Bandana Das Gupta | 1965 | 2 | 2 | |||||
Beamish | Tom Gill | 45 | 26 Jul 1916 | 22 Jul 1971 | 54 | 4 | 1 | 5 | |
Captain Jackson Sale | Geoffrey Toone | 50 | 15 Nov 1910 | 1 Jun 2005 | 94 | 2 | 2 | ||
Chinese Fighter | Peter Diamond | 32 | 10 Aug 1929 | 27 Mar 2004 | 74 | 4 | 25 | 29 | |
Chung King | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/sir-christopher-lee/# | 39 | 27 May 1922 | 7 Jun 2015 | 93 | 22 | 22 | ||
Confucius | Ric Young | 17 | Jun 1944 | 01.06.1944 | 80 | 1 | 1 | ||
District Commissioner Harcort | Brian Worth | 47 | 14 Jul 1914 | 25 Aug 1978 | 64 | 1 | 1 | ||
Dr. Fu Chao | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/charles-lloyd-pack/# | 58 | 10 Oct 1902 | 22 Dec 1983 | 81 | 8 | 8 | ||
Girl | Anne Scott | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Guardian | Milton Reid | 44 | 29 Apr 1917 | 1987 | 69 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
Helena Sale | Barbara Brown | 21 | 27 Apr 1940 | 27.04.1940 | 84 | 1 | 1 | ||
Inspector Bob Dean | Richard Leech | 38 | 24 Nov 1922 | 24 Mar 2004 | 81 | 1 | 1 | ||
Lee | Yvonne Monlaur | 25 | 15 Dec 1935 | 18 Apr 2017 | 81 | 2 | 2 | ||
Lee Chung | Andy Ho | 48 | 2 Jul 1913 | 1992 | 78 | 1 | 1 | ||
Mr Ming | Burt Kwouk | 31 | 18 Jul 1930 | 24 May 2016 | 85 | 4 | 4 | ||
Mya | Marie Burke | 66 | 18 Oct 1894 | 21 Mar 1988 | 93 | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
Priest at Annas House | Michael Hawkins | 32 | 26 Nov 1928 | 26 Oct 2014 | 85 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Su Yen | Michael Peake | 42 | 13 Oct 1918 | 1 Apr 1967 | 48 | 2 | 3 | 5 | |
Tang Hao | Roger Delgado | 43 | 1 Mar 1918 | 18 Jun 1973 | 55 | 4 | 1 | 5 | |
Tang Hoe | Ewen Solon | 44 | 7 Sep 1917 | 7 Jul 1985 | 67 | 5 | 1 | 6 | |
The Beggar | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/marne-maitland/# | 46 | 18 Dec 1914 | Mar 1992 | 77 | 9 | 9 | ||
Tong Room Girl | Katy Cashfield | 24 | 6 Apr 1937 | 6.04.1937 | 87 | 1 | 1 | ||
Tong Room Girl | Ruth Calvert | 45 | 15 Mar 1916 | 26 Jan 2004 | 87 | 1 | 1 | ||
Tong Room Girl | June Barry | 26 | 15 Jun 1935 | 2 May 2020 | 84 | 1 | 1 | ||
Tong Room Girl | Marialla Capes | 1983 | 1 | 1 | |||||
Tong Room Girl | Audrey Burton | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Tong Room Girl | Barbara Smith | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Tong Room Girl | Hazel Gardner | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Tong Room Girl | Julie Shearing | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Tong Room Girl | Louise Dickson | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Tong Room Girl | Mary Rose Barry | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Tong Room Girl | Patty Dalton | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Tong Room Girl | Pauline Dukes | 2 | 2 | ||||||
Tong Room Girl | Valerie Holman | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Tong Room Girl | Valerie Shevaloff | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Tong Room Patron | Alf Casha | 62 | 26 Feb 1899 | Mar 1979 | 80 | 4 | 4 | ||
Tong Room Patron | Philip Stewart | 4 | 4 | ||||||
With | Walter Randall | 42 | 1919 | 2008 | 89 | 2 | 2 | ||
With | Vincent Wong | 33 | 4 Feb 1928 | 13 Mar 2015 | 87 | 4 | 4 | ||
With | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/harold-goodwin/# | 43 | 22 Oct 1917 | 3 Jun 2004 | 86 | 4 | 3 | 7 | |
With | Peter Gray | 47 | 11 May 1914 | 24 Mar 2001 | 86 | 1 | 1 | ||
With | Cyril Shaps | 37 | 13 Oct 1923 | 1 Jan 2003 | 79 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
With | Julie Alexander | 23 | 9 May 1938 | 31 Jan 2003 | 64 | 1 | 1 | ||
With | Steven Scott | 41 | 23 Jan 1920 | 1981 | 60 | 2 | 2 | ||
With | Arnold Lee | 2 | 2 | ||||||
With | Johnny Arlen | 1 | 1 | ||||||
With | Jules Ki-Ki | 1 | 1 | ||||||
With | Poin Ping Sam | 1 | 1 | ||||||
With | Ronald Ing | 2 | 2 | ||||||
With | Santso Wong | 1 | 1 | ||||||
With | Sui Lin | 1 | 1 |
Original Poster
Click to enlarge
Footnotes
The film is notable in that is the first Hammer horror film to afford Christopher Lee top billing. Lee also reported to work on the film after a vacation in Northern Italy with a deep tan, which was problematic for the make-up department since his character was supposed to have very pale skin. Lee later said in interviews that the make-up to make him appear into a Chinese in this movie was the most uncomfortable make-up he had to endure up to that time.