While working undercover at Ayers Rock, Inspector Bob Taylor of the Australian Federal Narcotics Bureau confronts Win Chan, a Chinese drug courier, and his partner; Chan gives chase, leading to a fight on top of the site during which Taylor eventually bests him, while his partner is killed when his car crashes and explodes after being pursued by a police helicopter. Due to Chan's refusal to cooperate and inability to speak English, the Royal Hong Kong Police Force assigns one of its Special Branch's finest officers, Inspector Fang Sing Leng — who is not only a polyglot but also a deadly master of kung fu and sharpshooting — to assist Taylor and his partner, Sergeant Morrie Grosse, in extraditing him.

Prior to leaving for Sydney, Fang's exercises at the RHKPF's training school at Wong Chuk Hang are interrupted by the unexpected arrival of journalist Caroline Thorne via a hang-glider, which she flew while conducting research for an article. Although the kite is confiscated, Fang and Caroline flirt and share a tryst, after which Fang agrees to return the glider and rendezvous with her while he is in Sydney.

After meeting Taylor and Grosse, Fang — to Taylor's amusement and Grosse's outrage — brutally interrogates Chan. He learns that Chan works for Jack Wilton, an import/export businessman whose varied portfolio, including the operation of a martial arts school, is merely a smokescreen for his criminal activities; his wide array of legitimate and illegitimate interests effectively make him Sydney's most powerful man and near-impossible to arrest. Just before his trial, Chan is shot dead, prompting Fang to chase the sniper, John Grantley, through the streets of Paddington and into a Chinese restaurant. Their ensuing fight results in Grantley's death; Fang discovers that he was a martial arts instructor in Wilton's employ.

Despite Taylor and Grosse's warnings, Fang insists on confronting Wilton; a meeting with Willard, his chief secretary, proves fruitless. During his morning exercise, he recalls his promise to meet with Caroline after seeing a pigeon in-flight, which reminds him of her hang-gliding; she takes him as her guest to a party at Wilton's mansion. After a "demonstration" between Fang, Wilton and his thugs turns brutal, he is ordered to leave after Wilton trains a crossbow on him. Fang then infiltrates his martial arts school and is near-fatally injured in an extended fight with its staff and students. He hitches a ride with two university students, Angelica and her friend Mei Ling, who take him to the veterinary clinic of the former's father in the countryside of Bathurst. Fang romances Angelica as he is nursed back to health, but insists on returning to Sydney.

Angered by Fang's interference, Wilton has Willard trace his whereabouts from the licence plate of Angelica's van, and sends a squad of assassins after him as he and Angelica drive back to the city. A bomb planted on the van causes it to crash, killing Angelica. Enraged, Fang commandeers a Chrysler Valiant Charger and defeats the gangsters through a series of violent car chases. Learning of Fang's survival, Wilton barricades himself in the penthouse of his skyscraper headquarters.

With Caroline's help, Fang flies her glider over Sydney Harbour, landing on the roof of the skyscraper. Allowing a line of rope to reach the bottom of the building, he swings into the penthouse, where he battles and overpowers Wilton after his clothes and hand are burnt by his fireplace. Retrieving a bag of heroin from a nearby safe — which is heavily stocked with drugs and weapons — Fang tapes a grenade to Wilton's mouth and threatens to arm it unless he writes and signs a confession describing his crimes. Wilton does so, but Fang accidentally pulls the pin when he is distracted by one of Wilton's guards, prompting him to seal Wilton in the safe. He abseils to the ground, where he is met by Taylor and Grosse, presenting the drugs and confession to them as evidence. The grenade detonates the other bombs in the safe, killing Wilton and destroying the penthouse in a spectacular explosion. Finally won over by Fang's methods, Taylor and Grosse laugh in amazement.

Stunt team edit

The first Australian/Hong Kong co-production was made during the height of the kung fu film craze and the Australian New Wave. According to some sources, Wang Yu directed parts of the film.^[11] Trenchard Smith says Wang was difficult to deal with and shooting was hard - "there was a great clash of personalities, coupled with the inevitable mutual distrust that occurs in a co-production where both sides think the other is trying to rip them off."^[1] However he says John Fraser of Greater Union was very supportive and encouraging. The film's team of producers also included the late David Hannay.

Trenchard-Smith received nine offers of co-production after the film's release.^[12]

The film was originally budgeted at $450,000 but increased when the producers wanted more action sequences and a hit song on the soundtrack. British band Jigsaw recorded "Sky High", which plays during the opening credits of the film. It went number one in several countries.^[1] Production funding came from Greater Union, Golden Harvest and the Australian Film Development Corporation. The film's production company, The Movie Company, was owned 50% by Trenchard-Smith and 50% by Greater Union.

Wang Yu was injured in a hang gliding sequence whilst Lazenby had severe burns on his hands during a fight scene.^[13]

The theme song, "Sky High", was composed and written by Clive Scott and Des Dyer and was performed by their band Jigsaw. Unlike the official single version, the film version of the hit song is notably different from its disco-pop as it features a more orchestral arrangement. The film's score was composed by Noel Quinlan.

Originally released on vinyl by Overseas Records exclusively in Japan in 1977,^[14] the score was eventually released on CD as a bonus feature of Umbrella Entertainment's 2021 "Ozploitation Classics" Blu-ray re-release of the film. The re-released score was mastered for CD by Jamie Blanks.^[15]

Original tracklist edit

Re-release tracklist edit

At a screening of a restored print in Sydney, Trenchard-Smith said the film didn't do as well as was hoped due to its R adults only rating. However US rights were sold for $200,000 and at Cannes the film sold around the world for a minimum of $500,000 putting it in profit even before it had been released.^[1]

The film was released in the US as The Dragon Flies.

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 100% based on 7 reviews, and an average rating of 7.5/10.^[16]

Andrew L. Urban from Urban Cinefile called it "one of the few Australian made kung fu action movies and is also notable for its cinematography by Russell Boyd, who went on to win the Oscar for his work on Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.^[17]

The Los Angeles Times called it "a slick, shallow, well-photographed Australian-Chinese movie which has substituted do-it-yourself decapitation with mass demolition."^[18]

The Observer called it "a witless display of non-stop mayhem."^[19]

Accolades edit

Peter Cheung won the Golden Horse Film Festival Award for Best Film Editing.

• Cinema of Australia

• The Man from Hong Kong at IMDb  
• The Man from Hong Kong at Rotten Tomatoes
• Australia's Role in the Global Kung Fu Trend
• The Man from Hong Kong at National Film and Sound Archive
• The Man from Hong Kong at Oz Movies