The Terror of the Tongs – 1961 | 75 mins | Adventure, Horror | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Treadingsimilar territory to Hammer’s The Stranglers of Bombay (1960), Terror of theTongs is a colourful and rather silly Hong Kong melodrama embellished with ceremonialhatchet murders and ‘bone-scraping’ tortures. Directed with gusto by AnthonyBushell and scripted by Jimmy Sangster, the film is hampered by some tightproduction values and a procession of English actors masquerading as Chinese inmake-up is far from convincing and not at all respectful.

Setaround the harbour of Hong Kong in 1910, a ruthless gang called the Red DragonTong have thrived off the proceeds of slavery, drugs, vice, corruption and protectionrackets. Aboard a Victorian steamer arrives Mr. Ming (Burt Kwouk) with evidencethat names members of the Red Dragon organisations, fearing for his own safetyand that the letter won’t reach its destination, he hides it in a book intendedas a gift for the daughter of the ship’s captain. Nosooner does Ming set foot on the dock than he is attacked and killed by one ofthe Tong wielding a ceremonial hatchet. Chung King (Christopher Lee), the HongKong leader of the Tong, demands the letter be found and after searching theship and murdering the first-officer, the Tong gang turn their attention to Capt.Jackson Sale (Geoffrey Toone). During a search of his home they ruthlesslymurder his 16-year-old daughter Helena.

Abeggar (Marne Maitland) seeking the downfall of the Tong schemes to bring abouttheir downfall by directing a vengeful Sale against crooked peer supervisorTang Hao whilst he collects protection monies. Sale is subsequently drugged,and taken before the Red Dragon Tong leader, where they threaten to torture himwith bone-scraping needles. Sale escapes, but the Tong decree that he must diepublically on the dockside in a ceremonial killing so as to set an example toall others who defy the Tong. Sale is warned of the attempt on his life butgoes ahead with his plans to be on the wharf.