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

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