Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong - Mehmood (1971) - Tiger Balm Gardens

Another entry for the growing list of Indian films featured on the blog. This one is in Hindi and was released all the way back in 1971. The image quality isn't great and I don't understand Hindi, so for the plot I suggest going to the Wiki page. The film itself, like many Indian movies, is freely available to watch on Youtube courtesy of of the Old_golden Movies channel.

The first location we see in Hong Kong is actually played out over the opening credits, but the movie plot itself doesn't reach Hong Kong until we are two thirds through the film. The locations are interesting, but mixed in with obvious Indian locations (and what looks to be a Shaw-style Hong Kong street set built at an Indian studio lot) pretending to be Hong Kong.

The images of Haw Par Mansion were grabbed from the opening credits. This sequence then has multiple images of the various quirky installations from around the gardens, too many to include here I feel.

The lower images are taken from when the plot moves to Hong Kong later in the film and include shots of the Double Tenth gate/staircase that has been featured a few times before on the blog. 

Aw Boon Haw parental memorial pagoda

Double Tenth archway

Grotto next to Double Tenth Archway

If you have read any other posts I have done about the gardens, you will know that the stariway and archway (and the grotto) above were part of the first section of the garden to be sold for redevelopment in the early 1980s. Ronsdale Garden now sits on where these were once located.

This last image is from the end of the opening credits and shows the famous (and still preserved) outstretched arms tiger statue that now stands next to entrance to the Haw Par Mansion.
 

Queen's Road Central - Now and Then

In Chinese Box, John (Jeremy Irons) chases after Jean (Maggie Cheung) down Wellington Street onto Queen's Road Central before he has a funny turn in an indicator of the onset of his illness. I was in the area earlier today (I'm writing this in early October 2026) and tried to get some comparison images. The first images show Jeremy Irons running down Wellington Street. The later ones taken on the traffic island at the junction.

Much appreciation to the anonymous bystander (byrunner?) who
spontaneously recreated John's run for me

Even after nearly 30 years, there is still an open site next to the building on the left

Not much change here other than COSCO Tower going up on the right

Connaught Place and the GPO - Now and Then

With the imminent demolition of the General Post Office (due to be knocked down in 2027 to make way for the new "Central Yards" mall development) I was passing by today and remembered that China Rose shot a scene here back in the early 1980s. Here's the reminder.

This is under the pedestrian bridge that runs alongside the GPO


Connaught Place looking towards Jardine House (former Connaught House)

Hong Kong Holiday - Gloria Romero (1957) - Sam Shing Hui, Castle Peak

The film's ending was filmed on the beach next to Sam Shing Hui in Castle Peak Bay. These days the Tuen Mun New Town spils much of this formerly pristine view. Proof that in 1950s and 60s Hong Kong, amazing scenery was everywhere. These days it takes some effort to get similarly natural views.

Initially I thought this might be Castle Peak Beach, but the angle of the waterline relative to the distant mountain and the large rocks on the beach but this as the area near today's Hoi Tin Restaurant. This area later played host to the original Tai Pak that we saw in an earlier post. This is basically the same view/angle today.  

Hong Kong Holiday - Gloria Romero (1957) - The Zoological and Botanical Gardens

After spotting her dad's two servants at the Peak and running away, the date abruptly ends when Ana takes a dive into a dirty pond to avoid them (the film here is quite funny because the jump into the water was a poorly inserted edit of the actress jumping into a nice pristine swimming pool replete with lane markings). After convalescing back at Ric's house for a while, the pair go out on another date to the local gardens.

Hong Kong Holiday - Gloria Romero (1957) - The Peak Cafe

After their little walk around Lugard Road, the pair head to the Peak Cafe.

Hong Kong Holiday - Gloria Romero (1957) - Lugard Road, The Peak

The pair go for a wander around Lugard Road. Anyone who has walked around here will recognise the general scenery, but the one bit I can definitively pinpoint is the switchback seen in the top image which show the path from Lugard Road up to Mount Austin Road next to #25 Lugard Road. 

Hong Kong Holiday - Gloria Romero (1957) - The Peak Tram

The pair head into the lower Peak Tram Terminus and ride the tram up the mountain. Disembarking at the top. We get to see both older versions of the two terminus stations at either ends of the line.

Hong Kong Holiday - Gloria Romero (1957) - Garden Road, Central

Ric takes Ana out on a date and first they make their way up Garden Road towards the lower Peak Tram Terminus. In the background of the first image you can see the St John's Cathedral Lodge building behind their heads and on the left background is the East Wing building of the former Government offices. Both buildings, perhaps rather surprisingly, are still around today.

Hong Kong Holiday - Gloria Romero (1957) - Dragon Inn, Tuen Mun

Formerly famous venue, Dragon Inn, (the name is still around but it's not the original venue) can be seen a couple of times in the film. First the front garden is used to portray Ric's opulant mansion. We see the group pull up in Ric's car and park before making their way up his front steps to his main door (first two images). Later on in the film, as Ana is running away from her father's two male servants, she runs along the front of the building and it is quite clearly the Dragon Inn once again.