Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Yakuza on Foot - Tomisaburô Wakayama (1969) - Victoria Harbour

The next film up is a 1969 crime drama/comedy (yeah, weird combo), Yakuza on Foot, starring Tomisaburô Wakayama, who fans of Asian cinema will know from his long stint as Ogami Itto, the 'Lone Wolf' of the awesome Lone Wolf and Cub film series of the early 70s.

The film follows him as Shimamura Seikichi, a low-level Yakuza boss who has stowed away on a ship to Hong Kong with two of his trusty lieutenants as they seek to make a name for themselves and link up with Seikichi's wife, who is already in Hong Kong running a brothel.

Fortune has it that the boat they are on is carrying a shipload of drug ingredients owned by a powerful foreign company called 'Oriental Travel'. Not only are they making and selling drugs but also kidnapping Japanese women to act as drug mules. The Japanese gangsters become involved with a Chinese gang and join forces to rid Hong Kong of the drug scourge instigated by these ruthless foreigners.

You can also watch this one because I uploaded it here.

The first shots of Hong Kong show a boat on the harbour with the western part of Central (around the area of the former Central Fire Station (lower left of frame) - now the location of the Hang Seng HQ).

2 comments:

Rodney said...

The tallest waterfront is the International Building and here it is with its original facade. You can just about make out the west side of the Hang Seng Bank's then HQ, immediately next to the old fire station. It too has been re-clad and renamed these days.

Pip the Troll said...

hi Rodney, yes, the former HS HQ, renamed to the Nexxus Bldg, has been a regular feature in the blog; https://hkmacaufilmtvlocations.blogspot.com/search/label/Nexxus%20Building

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