The Brides of Fu Manchu

The Brides of Fu Manchu
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDon Sharp
Screenplay byPeter Welbeck
Based onFu Manchu
by Sax Rohmer
Produced byHarry Alan Towers
David Henley
StarringChristopher Lee
Douglas Wilmer
Heinz Drache
Marie Versini
Howard Marion-Crawford
Tsai Chin
Rupert Davies
Roger Hanin
CinematographyErnest W. Steward
Edited byAllan Morrison
Music byBruce Montgomery
Production
companies
Fu Manchu Films
Constantin Film
Distributed byAnglo-Amalgamated
Warner-Pathé (UK)[1]
Constantin Film (West Germany)[2]
Release date
  • 2 September 1966 (1966-09-02)
Running time
93 minutes
CountriesUnited Kingdom
West Germany
LanguageEnglish

The Brides of Fu Manchu is a 1966 British/West German Constantin Film co-production adventure crime film based on the fictional Chinese villain Dr. Fu Manchu, created by Sax Rohmer. It was the second film in a series, and was preceded by The Face of Fu Manchu. The Vengeance of Fu Manchu followed in 1967, The Blood of Fu Manchu in 1968, and The Castle of Fu Manchu in 1969. It was produced by Harry Alan Towers for Hallam Productions. Like the first film, it was directed by Don Sharp, and starred Christopher Lee as Fu Manchu. Nigel Green was replaced by Douglas Wilmer as Scotland Yard detective Nayland Smith.[3]

The action takes place mainly in London, where much of the location filming took place.

Plot

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In 1924, Dr. Fu Manchu, his army of dacoits and his vicious daughter Lin Tang are kidnapping the daughters of prominent scientists and taking them to his hidden base in the Atlas Mountains, where he demands that their fathers help him to build a device that transmits blast waves through a radio transmitter, which he intends to use to take over the world. He plans to keep (even wed) the girls in question. But Dr. Fu Manchu's archenemy, Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard, is determined not to let that happen.[4]

Cast

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Credits adapted from the booklet of the Powerhouse Films Blu-ray boxset The Fu Manchu Cycle: 1965-1969.[5]

The Brides of Fu Manchu (all uncredited)

Production

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Sharp recalled producer Harry Alan Towers used the film to showcase "young and beautiful actresses". It was shot at Bray Film Studios (UK). Nigel Green was not available to repeat his performance as Nayland Smith so he was replaced by Douglas Wilmer. Sharp recalled filming went "smoothly but already the signs were there that" Towers could make Fu Manchu movies without having to "worry too much because the stories were okay. Well, there was more to making the movies than that."[6]

References

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  1. ^ "The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966)". BBFC. Archived from the original on 18 August 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Die driezehn Sklavinnen des Dr. Fu Man Chu". filmportal.de. Archived from the original on 18 August 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  3. ^ Vagg, Stephen (27 July 2019). "Unsung Aussie Filmmakers: Don Sharp – A Top 25". Filmink. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  4. ^ "The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966)". Archived from the original on 21 February 2018.
  5. ^ The Fu Manchu Cycle: 1965-1969 (The Brides of Fu Manchu: Cast) (booklet). Powerhouse Films. 2020. p. 7. PHILTD201.
  6. ^ Sharp, Don (2 November 1993). "Don Sharp Side 5" (Interview). Interviewed by Teddy Darvas and Alan Lawson. London: History Project. Archived from the original on 13 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
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