This joint Australian/Hong Kong production co-starred former one-time James Bond George Lazenby and top Hong Kong martial arts star Jimmy Wang Yu.
Inspector Fang (Wang Yu), a tough special branch police inspector from Hong Kong, is sent to investigate a drug ring in Australia, but his violent crime-busting methods make him very unpopular with the Australian police force.
Leaving his two Australian police guardians (Hugh Keays-Byrne and Roger Ward) several steps behind, the hero from Honkers sets out with a vengeance to catch crime boss Jack Wilton (Lazenby), who, according to the Aussie cops, can’t be touched.
Much of the action is kung-fu related (the co-production company, Golden Harvest, produced the Bruce Lee films) but a saving sense of humour prevails amongst the exploding cars, fast action chases and violent stunts.
After a few glimpses of Hong Kong, Australia provides an attractive cinemascope setting, including sweeping views of Ayers Rock and Sydney Harbour. One superb shot features a hang-glider suspended over the harbour above the Sydney Opera House.
During filming, Jimmy Wang Yu had an accident when his hang-glider stalled 30 metres above the ground. He crashed into a sand dune and was knocked out. A stuntman flying the glider also had to be rescued from Sydney Harbour six times in one day.
Director and screenwriter Brian Trenchard-Smith was also injured during the fight scenes by a chemical spray.
The film was released in the USA as The Dragon Flies.
Inspector Fang Sing Leng
Jimmy Wang Yu Jack Wilton
George Lazenby Caroline Thorne
Ros Spiers Angelica
Rebecca Gilling Willard
Frank Thring Morrie Grosse
Hugh Keays-Byrne Bob Taylor
Roger Ward Win Chan
Hung Kam Po Peterson
Bill Hunter Charles
John Orcsik
The film was released in the USA as The Dragon Flies.
