Enter the Dragon

Starring

Bruce Lee as Mr. Lee

with

John Saxon as Mr. Roper

Jim Kelly as Mr. Williams

Bob Wall as O'Hara

Shih Kien as Dr. Han

Yang Sze as Bolo

Geoffrey Weeks as Mr. Braithewaite

Ahna Capri as Tania

Angela Mao Ying as Su Lin

Betty Chung as Mei Ling

Peter Archer as Parsons

　Directed by Robert Clouse

Written by Michael Allin

Music by Lalo Schiffrin

　Transcription by Roberto Pedreira

100% Unauthorized

Special Exclusive Commentary by Roberto Pedreira

***

Braithwaite: Hello Mr. Lee. My name's Braithwaite.

Lee: Hello, Mr. Braithwaite.

Braithwaite: I've come to speak with you about a matter of great importance..

Lee: Have some tea?

Braithwaite: Yes indeed.....uh, this is very pleasant.

Mr. Lee, I've come to speak with you about a tournament of martial arts. A tournament to which you've already received an invitation. Specifically the tournament organized by Mr. Han.

Lee: Han's tournament.

Braithwaite: I know, I know, I know. But we'd very much like you to attend that particular tournament  Mr. Lee.

Lee: We? Mr. Braithwaite. It's Lao's time.

Braithwaite: Yes of course. 

Lee: Kick me. Kick me.

What was that? An exhibition? We need emotional content. Try again.

I said emotional content, NOT ANGER! Now try again, with meaning.

That's it. How did it feel to you?

Kid: Let me think.

Lee: Don't think. Feel. It is like a finger pointing away to the moon. Don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory. Do you understand?

Never take your eyes off your opponent. Even when you bow.  That's it.

Main Titles

Mr. Braithwaite introduces the problem to Mr. Lee

Braithwaite: There, that's Han. That's the only film we have on him. We know that he was a member of your temple. A Shaolin monk. Now a renegade. That's O'Hara behind him. Personal bodyguard. Tough, ruthless, as you might expect being Han's bodyguard. We got our hands on a demonstration film of O'Hara, all real bricks and boards. There's nothing phony about any of it. This was before he picked up a facial scar somewhere. 

This is where you'll be going. An island fortress really. After the war, the nationality of the island was uncertain. And some time after that, Han bought it. 

Lee: What do you know about Han?

Braithwaite: He lives like a king on that island. Totally self-sufficient. All of his efforts, seemingly, are directed toward supporting what he calls his school of martial arts. Han's only contact with the outside world is this tournament which he holds every three years.

This was stewardess, Mary King, found floating in the harbor. Nothing unusual about a body in the harbor. But this girl was last seen at a party aboard Han's private junk.. They reported her lost at sea before the body was found. We believe he selects attractive girls, and methodically builds their dependence on drugs, then sells them to an elite clientele around the world

Lee:　What did the autopsy reveal as the cause of death?

Braithwaite: She did not drown.

Lee: She ODed?

Braithwaite: Uh .....uh, yes, cause of death was uh, heroin overdose. 

Lee: I gather you still don't have enough to bust up his operation. 

Braithwaite: We know everything, we can prove nothing. 

We want you to go in there as our agent. Get us our evidence.

Lee: And come out in one piece to give it to you. 

Braithwaite: We'll give you anything you need. Electronic equipment, weapons, anything. Drink?

Lee: No thanks.

Guns! Now why doesn't somebody pull a 45 and bang, settle it? 

Braithwaite: No. No guns. Look at this map here. As you know, the possession of a weapon is a serious offense here. Han's island rests partly within our territorial waters. If we were given the slightest reason to believe that he has any kind of arsenal, we'd move in on him. Besides, Han would never allow guns on the island anyway. He had a bad experience with them once and he's fearful of assassination. Can't really blame him. Any bloody fool can pull a trigger.

Lee: I guess I won't need anything.

Braithwaite: There's a radio on the island. We'll be monitoring it, on the chance that you can get to it. 

Lee: And then you'll come?

Braithwaite: Someone will.

Lee: Oh.

Braithwaite: We aren't an agency of enforcement; we function as gatherers of information, evidence upon which interested governments can act.  

Lee: I see. If there's any trouble you'll make a phone call. 

Braithwaite: Oh, by the way, two months ago, we managed to place a female operative on the island. Since them we've uh lost her. If she's still there, she might have something. Name's uh Mei Ling. Sure you won't have one?

Lee: No thanks.

Old Man

Old man: Now the time has come to tell you something very difficult. I'm happy you have decided to go to Han's tournament. 

Lee: Yeah.

Old Man: The last of the tournaments were held three years ago. I was in the city with your sister at that time.

Lee: I didn't know that.

Old Man: Yes, many of  Han's men had come in fork the island, they were everywhere, bullying and arrogant. We were on our way into town.

Flashback

[Lee's sister is attacked by Ohara and other of Han's men.]　

Back to present

Old man: Now you know the truth. When you get to the city, pay your respects to your sister and your mother. 

Lee: I will old man.

In cemetery

Lee: You will not agree with what I'm going to do. It is contrary to all that you have taught me, and all that Su Lin believed. I must leave. Please try to find a way to forgive me.

In the harbor.

Roper

Roper: Double or nothing? 

Guy: That's about a thousand bucks a foot, Roper. Why not.

Phone rings

Girl:  I'm sorry, Mr. Roper isn't in right now. May I take a message?

Hood: That's a tough shot, Mr. Roper.

Roper: Uhh, excuse me fellas.

Hood: I say he can't make it.

Roper: What'll you bet?

Hood: You gotta love him. C'mon Roper, it's a hundred and seventy five big ones ($175,000), by Monday the 15th.

Roper: Only a hundred and fifty. 

Hood: You forget interest.

Roper: Well then, maybe I ought to talk to Freddy.

Hood: You take advantage Roper.

Roper: C'mon fellas.

Hood: It's the dough, Roper, or we gotta break something..

You got it?

Freddy says this is for your own good.

Roper: You better confirm that flight to Hong Kong for me.

How much do I have left in the bank?

Girl: Fifty three dollars and forty three cents ($53.43).

Roper: It's all yours.

Girl: Thanks, only I think you'll need it.

Roper: You wanna bet?

Williams 

Cop 1: Goin' on a trip, are ya?

Cop 1: Hey, this jig's got a passport.

Cop 2: Where ya goin', jig?

Cop 2: Where's the plane ticket for?

Cop 1: Hong Kong, via Hawaii.

Cop 2: He's not goin' to Hawaii.

Cop 1: Well, look what we got here. Assaulting a police officer.

Back in Hong Kong　

Roper and Williams meet again.

Roper: Hey soldier, shape it up.

Williams: Roper, hey, how are you man?

Roper: How am I man? How am I, I'm glad to see you that's how I am. Hey how long has it been? Five ....

Williams: Six years.

Roper: Six.

Williams: It's not as long as it seems.

Roper: Yeah, I know what you mean.

Williams: Whatcha [what have you] been doin' since Nam?

Roper: Hanging in a little bit.

Williams: All these yours man?

Roper: Always first class. 

Williams: Same old Roper. Huh! Come here.

Parsons

Roper: Yeah, from New Zealand. This man's putting quite a collection together. 

Williams: Know him? 

Roper: Uh uh, never saw him before.

Williams: What you know about this Han cat?

Roper: Just rumors. I hear he likes to live big.

Williams: They don't live so big over there. Ghettos are the same all over the world. They stink. 

Roper: Same old Williams.

Williams: Yeah.

On the Junk at Sea 

Mantis Fight

Roper: Aha! What've we got here, a Little action. Insects. OK, I lay you fifty bucks on the big one. 

Fifty, fifty dollars on the big one, alright?

Lee: I'll give you five to one [5 - 1]. 

Roper: Would you bet a hundred?

C'mon, let's end this thing quickly. Hoo, atta baby c'mon, c'mon. [.......] That's it, c'mon. Just get him on his back, get him on his back. C'mon, give up. C'mon! Hey, oh for crying out loud. Would you believe that? Dumb shit.

Parsons: Do I bother you?

Lee: Don't waste yourself.

Parsons: What's your style?

Lee: My style? You can call it the art of fighting without fighting.

Parsons: The art of fighting without fighting? Show me some of it.

Lee: Later.

Alright. Don't you think we need more room?

Parsons: Where else?

Lee: That island. On the beach. We can take this boat.

Parsons: Ok.

Hey what in the hell are you doing? Hey, are you crazy? Pull me in! Pull me in! [continues yelling]

Lee: Don't try to pull yourself up, or I'll let go of the line.

Approaching Han's island.

Roper: Umm, will you look at that. A woman like that could teach a lot about himself.

Girl: Welcome.

Guys training

Girl: This way. I'll show you to your rooms. The banquet begins promptly at 8. I think you'll find our little island quite charming.

Banquet

Roper: Say I hope you haven't spent all that money you won from me yesterday. I plan to win it back.

Lee: How?

Roper: You'll find out, after you've lost it.

Lee: You seem to be very much at home here, Mr. Roper.

Roper: This guy Han's got a great sense of hospitality. And a fantastic sense of style. Yeah, it's great.

Lee: Then why are you so apprehensive?

Roper: Apprehensive? No, I was just wondering whether it was ok to drink the water.

Lee: Mr. Roper, don't con me.

Roper: Wanna bet?

Williams: Mmmmmmm, no, I really don't think so. Thanks.

Roper: What's a matter, you on a diet?

Williams: I'd like to eat, if I could find something I could keep down.

Roper: Well, I can't wait to meet our host. I hear this is only one of his B parties. You ever been to a martial arts tournament like this?

Williams: Never.

Roper: I have a funny feeling we're being fattened up for the kill.  Better keep an eye out for the referee, Know what I mean?

Williams: Yeah.

Han Enters Room.

Han: Gentlemen, welcome. You honor our island. I look forward to a tournament of truly epic proportions. We are unique gentlemen, in that we create ourselves. Through long years of rigorous training, sacrifice, denial, pain, we forge our bodies, in the fire of our will. But tonight let us celebrate. Gentlemen, you have our gratitude.

Williams' Room

Girl: Mr. Williams.......Mr. Williams.

Williams: For me? You shouldn't have. But......I'll take you darlin', and you, and you, and you. Please understand, if I've missed anyone, it's been a big day, I'm a little tired.

Girl: Oh, of course, you must conserve your strength.

Mr. Lee's Room

Lee: Come in.

Girl: A gift, Mr. Lee.

If you don't see anything you like.....

Lee: There was girl at the feast tonight

Girl: Which girl sir?

Lee: The owner of this dart.

Girl: Oh yes, I know the one. I'll send her to you.

Roper's Room

Roper: Another fine mess you got me into.

[knock knock]

Come in.

Girl: Hi.

Roper: Well, well, one more lovely than the next. Whaja [what did you] have in mind?

Girl: Pick one.

Roper: I already have.

Girl: Wise decision.

Mr. Lee's Room again

Lee: I want to talk to you, Mei Ling.

Mei Ling: Where do you come from?

Lee: Braithwaite......

Mei Ling: Shh, shh, let's be quiet.

Lee: Have you seen anything?

Mei Ling: Nothing much . I'm kept in a palace, watched always, I know nothing of Han's activities away from the palace, but I can tell you this, people disappear.

Lee: Who?

Mei Ling: The girls. Every one of them. They're summoned to Han's at night and the next day they're gone. I know I don't have much time.

Ohara.

owwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaa!!!!

O'Hara: You must attend the morning ritual in uniform.

Lee: Outside. 　

owwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaa!!!!

Outside

Guy: Mr. Lee. Why you no wear uniform?

Heeee!

Han: Gentlemen, let the tournament begin.

Bolo!

Bolo: Gaa!

Aaii.

Ugh!

Woo, woo, woo, woo!

Roper: Good work, You made me some bread.

Guy: Mr. Loper?

Roper: I'm ready.

Guy: Ok.

Roper: I got myself a real pigeon here. Keep the action going for me will you.

Williams: Whad' a ya think, Roper?

Roper: Oh, no sweat, give my friend 8 to 3 all the way.

[applause]

***

In Roper's Room

Roper: Owww,.oooowww, he he

Williams: I'm finding out about myself. This is the real me....[xx].

Girl: Do you like it here?

Roper: Oh yeah, but a little lower.

Girl: No, I mean here on the island.

Roper: Yeah, I like it here, but  a little lower.

Girl: A man like you belongs here.

he he he

he he

Aahhhh!

Roper: Oh, to you I'm just another pretty face.

uummmmm.

William's Room

Girl: Where you go?

Williams: Out in the moonlight baby.

Girl: It is not allowed. You must stay.

Williams: Oh? Goodbye.

Outside

Dog: woof woof woof woof  growl woof woof.........

bam baop baap   ....

oofffffff.

Williams: Huh, a human fly.

Next Day

Han: Gentlemen, it seems that one of you was not content last night with the hospitality of the palace. And sought diversion elsewhere. On the island. Who it was is not important at this time. What is important is that my guards performed their duties incompetently. And now they must prove themselves worthy to remain among us.

Bolo Kills Guards

Han: Are you shocked Mr. Williams?

Williams: Only at how sloppy your man works.

Mr. Lee x Ohara

Guy:　Ready?

Are you ready?

[O'Hara breaks board]

Lee: Boards don't hit back.

Han: Bolo!

Bolo: Gaa!

[applause]

Han: Ohara!

Aaaiiieerrrrrreeeeee!!!!!!

Han: Ohara!

Aaaiiieerrrrrreeeeee!!!!!!

Oooowwwaaaaaaaeeeeee!!

Han: Ohara's treachery has disgraced us.

Roper: If you want to talk about this thing, I'll be in my room.

Williams: Gotcha.

Girl: Williams, Williams. [ whispering] Come here. I want you to go to Han's study as soon as possible.

Williams: Alright.

Hey Roper, I'll see you in half an hour.

Roper: Alright.

In Han's Study

Williams: Mr  Han?

Han: You fought well yesterday. Your style is unorthodox.

Williams: But effective.

Han: It is not the art, but the combat that you enjoy.

Williams: The winning.

Han: We are all ready to win, just as we are born knowing only life. It is defeat that you must learn to prepare for.

Williams: I don't waste my time with it. When it comes, I won't even notice. 

Han: Oh? How so.

Williams: I'll be too busy looking good. 

Han: What were you looking for when you attacked my guards?

Williams: Wasn't me.

Han: You were the only man outside the palace.

Williams: I was outside, but I wasn't the only one.

Han: You will tell me who else.

Williams: Mr. Han, suddenly I'd like to leave your island. 

Han: It is not possible.

Williams: Bullshit, Mr. Han man!

Guards enter

Williams: Man, you come right out of a comic book..

Fight 

Williams: Been practicing, huh?

Han and Roper (Roper learns about Han's operation)

Roper: But my friend Williams is expecting me in my room

Han: I wanted to talk to you  We will meet your friend Williams later.

Roper: Ok.

Han: This is my museum. It is difficult to associate these horrors with the proud civilizations that created them. Sparta, Rome, the Knights of Europe, the samurai. They worshipped strength, because it is strength that makes all other values possible. Nothing survives without it. Who knows what delicate wonders have died out of the world for want of the strength to survive. 

Roper: What's this?

Han: Oh...a souvenir.

Han: Up here. 

Roper: A guillotine? Uh, no thanks, this is the only angle I care to see it from.

Han: If you please.

Roper: You mean you want me to put my head on that thing?

Han: An act of faith.

Roper: Um, I'm a man of little faith, Mr. Han.

Cat: meeeow.

Han: Very few people can be totally ruthless. It isn't easy. It takes more strength than you might believe. 

Roper: Now you've got eight more.

Han: Than there is a point you will not go beyond. 

Roper: Faked out again.

Downstairs 

Han: This way. 

Our power plant.

Roper: Oh yeah....a life time of women, huh?

A man's strength can be measured by his appetites, indeed a man's strength flows from his appetites.

Han:　Oh no, they are my daughters.

Roper: Your daughters? Oh I'm sorry I thought that, I misunderstood....Miss uh Han?

Han: 　And also they are my most personal guard.

Roper: I admire your judgment.  Nobody's as loyal as daddy's little girl.

Girl: Mr. Roper?

Roper: Uh no thanks, I'll get up myself. Nice meeting you.

Downstairs

Roper: Opium. Uh Oh.

Han: We are investing in corruption, Mr. Roper. The business of corruption is like any other.

Roper: Oh yeah, provide your uh customers with products they need, and uh encourage that need a little bit to stimulate your market and pretty soon your customers will come to depend on you, I mean really need you. It's the law of economics.

Han: Ha ha ha, Right. And here we are stimulating quite another need.

You wonder why I am exposing so much of myself?

Roper: I forget what I see very easily. But then, why are you?

Han: I'm hoping that you'll join us. Represent us in the United States.

Roper: I'm beginning to understand this thing with the tournament. I mean the whole set up. It's a great way to recruit new talent, uh?

And who are they?

Han: Refuse found in waterfront bars.

Roper: Shanghaied?

Han: Just lost drunken men who no longer care where they find themselves each morning.

You left some rather sizeable debts in America.

Roper: Dinner's Club hasn't called in my card, yet.

Williams hanging

Han: There were some questions which I was forced to ask. I got no answers.

Roper: And you want me to join this?

Williams: There are certain realities. I want us to have a clear understanding.

Roper: No, there's no misunderstanding between us.

Girl: help me help please help me.......

Lee breaks into radio room and sends message.....fights with guards.

Han: The battle with the guards was magnificent. Your skill is extraordinary, and I was going to ask you to join us.

Braithwaite

Braitwaite: My God! This came in half an hour ago. Why didn't I.....hello, put your colonel on, well wake him up. I don't care if he's not alone, dammit it all, I  don't care who he's with, you bloody well put him on the line.

Outside Roper fights Bolo

Han: Good morning Mr. roper. We have been waiting for you.

Roper: What's going on?

Han: Would you be good enough to participate in this morning's edification?

Roper: Edification?

What are you gonna do to him?

Han: Not me, Mr. Roper, you......Bolo.

Roper: Like you said, there's a point I won't go beyond.

Han: I was right about you. We shall strive to be worthy of your sense of grandeur. I will find someone with whom you can fight.....Bolo!

Roper kills Bolo, melee ensues

Han: ..........Destroy them, kill.

Kill them all, kill.

Lee chases Han into museum

Lee: You have offended my family, and you have offended the Shaolin Temple.

[This is the last line of dialog in the film. The rest is kung fu fighting and memorable music by Lalo Schiffrin.]

***

Commentary by Roberto Pedreira

Enter the Dragon may not be the greatest movie ever made but it is eminently watchable, and made even better by some of the catchiest film music Lalo Schiffrin ever composed, right up there with the soundtrack to Cool Hand Luke. The dialog is  entertainingly memorable and highly quotable (Roberto wrote out the entire script almost from memory, having watched the movie several 100 times), if not philosophically deep ("be the water, my friend"). 

The story has logical and psychological gaps. Really, who would be so dim as to be willing to get into a rowboat in the South China Sea and row over to an island so far away that you can't even see it, in order to get a preview of Bruce Lee's style? 

But what movie doesn't have flaws? The director has a budget and a schedule. Choices have to be made. Logic and reality don't always make entertaining 90-minute movies. 

In Casablanca, the action is driven by pursuit of the "letters of transit" which supposedly ensure safe passage out of Nazi controlled territory. Yet the denouement hinges on the fact that the letters of transit really don't ensure anything. Enter the Dragon is no less logical or psychologically implausible than most movies. If you look for flaws you will be disappointed with most movies. It's better to focus on the positive points. That's what Roberto thinks, anyway.

The famous mirror scene incidentally was inspired by (if not entirely plagarized from), The Lady from Shanghai, produced and directed by Orson Welles, starring himself and his extremely sexy ex-wife Rita Hayworth, screenplay by Orson Welles. The Lady from Shanghai mirror scene was shot on location in San Francisco at the Fun House at Playland which was razed c. 1970 and eventually replaced with a Safeway supermarket.  

Coincidentally, just a block away, at 48th and Cabrillo is where GTR publisher Roberto Pedreira briefly lived before steaming across the Pacific (to Sasebo, Japan, after a five week stop in Olongapo City, Subic Bay, and one week in Hong Kong, where coincidentally, Enter the Dragon was set), on-board the USN Pyro (AE-24) in 1983.  

Not many people can honestly say they crossed the Pacific Ocean on a ship loaded down with nuclear weapons and 16-inch battleship shells. It wasn't the way Orson Welles would have traveled, but it was cheap and not that different from how Bruce Lee, Williams [Jim Kelly] and Roper [John Saxon] got to Han's island. 

You can see Orson Welles at the conclusion of the movie, after shooting the mirrors out and then Rita, walking toward where Roberto's one-room apartment, built on a solid rock foundation and hence reasonably secure against earthquakes, would later be. 

The Lady from Shanghai doesn't have any kung-fu or JKD fighting, but Orson does throw some authentic "Irish" punches during a fight scene. Despite lacking spinning axe kicks and nunchakus, the film, one of Welles's most interesting, but tremendously overlooked (it isn't a "Hollywood" movie at all)  is well worth seeing (if not required viewing), as are all of Welles' productions. You can order it below.

(c). 2001-2011, Roberto Pedreira, all rights reserved.

Revised February 12, 2013.

Revised July 22, 2013.

Revised April 14, 2014.

Revised March 9, 2015

Revised February 6, 2018

Enter the Dragon never gets old. Watch it again**

*

If you liked Enter the Dragon, you'll probably also like The Chinese Connection.

*

For people who like Enter the Dragon, GTR recommends Death in Venice Beach, the new novel by Brace Ridge, based on a true story about a female mixed martial arts champion and a deadly stalker.

Also:

Jiu-Jitsu in the South Zone, 1997-2008