The Girl from Hong Kong Film Review

Aka - Das Madchen von Hongkong

It seems odd but it was often the Western films set in Hong Kong that had the best location shooting. In particular, the Germans must have had a love affair with the city in the 1960s and 70s. The director of this film Jürgen Roland had helmed Hong Kong Hot Harbor back in 1962 and that one also took full advantage of the sights and streets of the fascinating city. Roland had also directed a few Krimis in the 60s and he brings one of the stalwarts of that genre to Hong Kong, the Peppard looking Joachim Fuchsberger. Or perhaps Peppard was the Joachim Fuchsberger looking American. Of the ones that I have seen shot in Hong Kong, it is the location shooting that is the best part of the film with the plots often filled with holes and not really adding up.

That is certainly the case here. But the location and the lovely ladies, often topless, make the film slip by effortlessly. Fuchsberger shows up in Hong Kong on the ferry from Machau to meet his friend Collins. On the ferry he meets the lovely Mai Li (Li Paelz) and helps get her through immigration and to the Honolulu Club where her friend works as a prostitute. He learns that Collins has been murdered and that a ten thousand dollar reward is being offered. He needs the money and takes it up.

Thankfully, this takes him all over the city; streets, seedy bars and roof tops. He even takes a rickshaw. Just in time as new licenses for rickshaws was ended in 1975. The word is soon out and the killers of his friend are after him. But all those years playing a cop in Krimis make him a hard man to kill. Some nice scenes of Hong Kong; when boats filled the harbor, the busy outdoor markets and people streamed in the streets. You can tell that most of the street scenes are shot on the run with people and vehicles often blocking the view. Just a guy with a camera shooting from across the street. A decent murder mystery with a couple slugfests, but it is Hong Kong that you will remember.