Five Golden Dragons

Unlike the other reviewers, I think the main reason to watch this film, is Robert Cummings, who for some strange reason preferred to bill himself as 'Bob' in the later years of his career! Always a smooth operator on screen, and in my all time top 5 or 6 'comedy' actors, I feel he must have realized early on that he was involved in somewhat of a 'turkey', and decided, wisely I think, to play the whole thing tongue in cheek! No matter what else is, or isn't going on around him, Mr. Cummings himself is always fascinating to watch! And the girls are all gorgeous, and the scenery is nice! It's a pity Cummings couldn't have had a better vehicle for his big screen swansong, but I think the secret of enjoying this film is simply not to take anything seriously!

Going into this, I knew not to expect too much from it (having watched any number of low-brow espionage fare from the era) but I was still disappointed by the way it wastes a star cast and is compromised besides by the fatal miscasting of the central role! Harry Alan Towers made several colorful thrillers during this time, often set against an exotic backdrop and filled with beautiful girls; oddly enough, then, he went and repeatedly shot himself in the foot by choosing a Hollywood veteran (read: way past his prime and usually forgotten) for leading man – I thought this practice had died with the British B-movies of the previous decade! In this case, we get Robert (sorry, Bob!) Cummings – introduced sunbathing near a pool! – who really must have thought he was appearing in a comedy, since he never takes the mayhem going on around him seriously (despite the constant threats to his own life)! The producer probably felt he had made a coup by securing the services of a two-time Alfred Hitchcock hero (albeit perhaps his lightest ever): on his part, the actor probably merely thanked his lucky stars he could still ogle gorgeous half-naked chicks at his age and, for better or worse, this turned out to be his final theatrical film!

Anyway, the titular figures are 5 powerful industrialists from different areas of the globe who join forces – without, however, knowing one another's identity! – intending to control the world's economy (or some such grandiose scheme obviously doomed to failure by the generally oblivious intervention of our happy-go-lucky hero!). When they finally appear, or rather 4 of them (as the fifth remains a mystery till the very end), they are supposed to justify the presence in the film of Dan Duryea, Brian Donlevy, George Raft and Christopher Lee – who subsequently do nothing but present themselves to one another (after removing their golden-dragon masks) while sitting at table and opening a box in front of them with one of two keys which, were they to adopt the wrong one, would end up shot dead! Convoluting this basic plot is the interaction between Dragon minion Klaus Kinski, a couple of sisters (Maria Perschy, who had fled from service with the Dragon conglomerate, and Maria Rohm, the producer/writer's wife), two vaguely antagonistic others involved in running a nightclub (the girl being "Euro-Cult" babe Margaret Lee), not forgetting the Shakespeare-quoting British Inspector stationed in Hong Kong (played by Rupert Davies) who, when he gets stuck or slips on the Act/Verse front, a local aide butts in half-mockingly (yeah right, like I know Confucius!).

Though the Widescreen print looks very good, it all goes for naught when one is never really drawn into the various intrigues, not due to its proving mystifying but rather because it is so sketchily-presented as to barely matter! Along the way, Cummings receives a cryptic note from a man killed by Kinski's henchman, is chased by the latter and his men along the river banks and later atop a temple (cue totally inappropriate cartoonish sounds accompanying the dull and protracted action itself!), framed for Perschy's murder and eventually sent, in the guise of No. 5 Dragon (pardon the lapse into Charlie Chan lingo!), to be eliminated himself at the climactic meeting of the charade-happy big-wigs! Like I said, very few of the stars are given anything substantial to do – of the Dragons, only Duryea gets to utter more than a few dumb lines; Kinski, too, is underused; as for the girls, Rohm's basic lack of experience is evident (this was only her third film), Perschy does what she can with the frightened-lady stereotype, whereas Lee sings and plays the sultry villainess adequately enough but, entering proceedings at the 45-minute mark and appearing thereafter only intermittently, it results in a 'too little too late' scenario!

Silly, sometimes juvenile, but generally amusing adaptation of the Edgar Wallace story by producer Harry Alan Towers, using his screen writing pseudonym of "Peter Welbeck". Fading sitcom star Robert Cummings plays Bob Mitchell, a naive American playboy on vacation in Hong Kong. He soon gets dragged into various matters of international intrigue, while a dedicated police commissioner (Rupert Davies) and his associate (Roy Chiao) work the case. The "five golden dragons" of the title are criminal masterminds who are due to meet each other in person for the first time.

This is a moderately fun, rather lightweight mystery. It's not a great one by any stretch of the imagination, but it sometimes delivers some entertainment. It lessens its impact by going on too long, and losing some momentum, and it really does get too positively goofy for its own good. (The falling death of a henchman is played for laughs, for one thing.) What helps matters a fair bit is the exotic setting. The movie is shot in Techniscope and Technicolor and looks absolutely gorgeous. And now that the word "gorgeous" has been brought up, it must be said that the female cast looks ravishing: Margaret Lee as the devilish singer Magda, and Maria Rohm & Maria Perschy as a pair of sisters. The songs & score are catchy.

The international cast of superstars gives it curiosity value. Cummings supplies both heroics and comedy relief, and he's likable enough. Davies and Chiao (the two of them utter quotes from Shakespeare appropriate to various situations) are excellent. Klaus Kinski is a hoot as always as the nefarious Gert, but fans might bemoan not seeing him get to do more. Giving the film a shot in the arm late in the game are the special guest star appearances by Dan Duryea, George Raft, Brian Donlevy, and Sir Christopher Lee, who play four of the five golden dragons. Still, one may rightly think that to see them so briefly is a waste of talent. Japanese pop star Yukari Ito makes a musical appearance.

Enjoyable, to a degree, but also largely forgettable. One highlight, or low point, depending on your point of view, is seeing a supposedly dead body blink several times.

Six out of 10.

B grade British film set (and made) in Hong Kong, although the leads are American.

The Five Dragons are a confederate involved in illegal activity in Hong Kong, when they decide to dissolve the confederate. A professor meets some young women at the pool and becomes involved.

The story is simple comic book stuff, and not particularly carefully made, but the film is livened up by many period scenes in Hong Kong and the comely Magda.

There is a song by a contemporary Japanese star called Yukari Ito. In one scene a (new) Toyota Corona turns into an (old) Morris Oxford before blowing up.

To call this a strange thriller would be an understatement. The strangeness comes from the story itself. In the blurb for this flick, it declares a young naive American Playboy in Hong Kong finds himself caught up in international crime. Even though, at first glance, Bob Mitchell is just that - and he plays the part - he's actually a middle-aged Doctor. Bob, for some reason that is never explained, is to meet up with a businessman he talked to onboard his cruiseliner. This man is followed from the moment he disembarks. He rushes to an abandoned apartment in a block on the outskirts of the city and is promptly thrown over the balcony to his death. On his way to the apartment, he hands the taxi driver a cryptic note for Bob, which just reads Five Golden Dragons.

From here on in we enter a cat and mouse chase as Bob tries to find out about the dragons while staying out of the reach of assassins.

This film sports a marvellous cast. Christopher Lee, George Raft, Brian Donlevy, Klaus Kinski, Roy Chiao, Rupert Davis, Margaret Lee, Maria Rhom, and Robert Cummings. However, the majority of the talent, though consistent, is underused, Even the supplemental cast is strong in their portrayals. It's just the story that lets them down.

I cannot believe for a second that the Dragons are not Chinese and yet they run and control every illegal operation in Hong Kong. Let alone that these five crime lords are about to sell their enterprises to the Mafia. In fact, as the story progresses you begin to wonder if the writer, Peter Welbeck, wasn't just bolting things on as he went along. "Oh, I've had an idea, let's throw it in an see if it sticks." If this is the case then I take my hat off to the director, Jeremy Summers, who still created and crafted a nicely shot movie.

However, I'm not too sure if this was meant to be a comedy or a straight action spy thriller. There are times when everything is played as straight as a ruler. Then Summers throws in a curveball, such as a chase scene where Bob is being pursued by some assassins up one of the iconic period towers in Hong Kong. For some reason, the music being used is lighthearted and uses the "Shave And A Hair-Cut, Two Bits" refrain... Da... Da-Da Da Da... Da Da. As well as having a comedic sound when one of his pursuers is tossed over the parapet. Also, a lot of Bob's narrative has humorous overtones. All of this keeps the film light and makes it enjoyable in a weird kind of way.

This is pretty much your standard sixties action spy affair - though nowhere near James Bond's calibre. It's entertaining in its way and the peculiarity of some of the scenes will keep you watching. The ending may leave you feeling a little cold. This could have been so much better. It's one of those scenes that feels and looks rushed and "bolted" on. You should never do that at the climax it can easily ruin a film, which this so nearly does.

If you like lighthearted action thrillers with beautiful scantily clad ladies and a pinch of humour and a smattering of oddness then this could be your film. I enjoyed it but I doubt I'll watch it again - even though I now have a crush on Margaret Lee and Maria Perschy... Ah, if I could only time travel...