Narazumono - Ken Takakura (1964) - Monte Fort, Macau

After arriving in Macau, Minami meets up with another assassin played by Tetsurô Tanba. Unfortunately the finer points of the plot are lost on me but some fisticuffs break out inside Monte Fort before the two realise they have been shafted by the same people and decide to band together to exact their revenge. Actually, this scene is one of my favourites because the rather brutal brawl was filmed to show off the surrounding area. The scene starts off with the usual establishing shots showing the fort's outer walls as well as a nice view to the south (top image) with Penha Church silhouetted on the distant hilltop.

In the top image below you can see the Hotel Central as the only significantly high(er) rise building in the 1964 cityscape. had the camera panned slightly to the right you would have seen at least the Grande Hotel Kuok Chai and Hotel East Asia as the only other two that rise above the rest in that area.

The building behind Tanba was originally an officer's mess before it was subsequently taken over by the Macau Observatory not long after this movie was shot. I had always assumed that the current museum was housed inside this same building (with the battlements on the roof) but it turns out the whole thing was basically demolished in the mid-90's and the museum facsimile erected in its place. What a shame. I feel the Macau Govt dropped the ball on this one given their great strides for preservation in other areas.

Anyway, let the fighting begin...