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
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Original Poster
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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.