"The Way of the Dragon", directed, written and starring Bruce Lee could have as well been titled "The Way of Bruce" for the 1972 film is a testimony to one of the greatest movie icons of the 20th century and with Toshiro Mifune one of the most badass representatives of Asian masculinity. The appeal of Bruce Lee goes beyond his skills in martial arts, his perfect control of the body, his trademark "kiai" noises, it's a simple matter of on-screen presence, John Wayne had it, or Clint Eastwood, Sean Connery, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Bruce Lee. At a time where it became fashionable for actors to disappear into a role, let's celebrate those who had the movies disappearing into them.
Indeed, calling the film feeble or even corny would be like judging a wood picture frame instead of the painting itself. Bruce Lee's films didn't venture into complex plots or social relevance, they didn't aim at awards, they just gave a public what they needed: a model, a man's man who'd epitomize what we would all want to be: a protective figure, a powerful, an invincible one. The contrast between Lee's humility and affability and his super skills gave him the aura of aThird World superhero. Keep your Superman, we have Bruce Lee. And that's true. It's only fitting that in this particular film, the opponent is a worthy one, Chuck Norris as the mysterious Colt, perhaps the greatest casting of an opponent for what would be the greatest cinematic fight ever.
And I would say that the masterstroke of the film is not within that iconic climax but in the way it doesn't prepare to it.
Indeed "The Way of the Dragon" starts in such a lighthearted tone you'd think it was made showcase Lee's comedic aptitudes. And he did have them. The opening in Roma's airpot is a little marvel of silent comedy. Based on his first arrival in America when he didn't speak English, Lee doesn't need to force the comedy, he brings it by himself. Why would he scare a kid eating an ice cream? Why would he behave so awkwardly with tourists or a waitress? Why would he order so many bowls of soup and then finish all of them? Does it matter as long as these scenes make you smile or laugh? Jackie Chan might have a natural goofiness that goes along with his fighting skills, Bruce, like Eastwood, is in such a total control of himself that he knows 'comedy' is no effect to despise. When he's later welcomed by Nora Miao, we expect some romantic undertones but I like the way their interactions are played. She's not impressed by him but neither is he and his 'blasé' reactions to the Roman monuments suggest that the way of the dragon can be unpredictable.
Even the bad guys are too goofy to be taken seriously at first, who are they after all? Some goons of a mob boss who threatens to ruin a Chinese restaurant owner to demolish his place and build some building? Naturally they'll realize that the newcomer has a way to negotiate, who needs papers and pencils when you have nunchakus? But even that scene is obviously played for laughs, the whole material is goofy, the acting from some performers is subpar but somehow it works within the plot and even the presence of the effeminate henchman is here to tell us that the film will not have the dramatic death toll of "Big Boss". Shot in a shoestring budget almost in clandestine conditions, it's a miracle the film could be completed and become one of the highest grossing Hong Kong films of all time. But to one who's familiar with the bizarre ways of cinema, the success is not too surprising.
It's all about Bruce Lee. Once he starts fighting, we even forget what the plot is about. We admire Bruce Lee's ability to kick ass the same way we love watching Clint Eastwood disposing of five baddies with two gunshots. The film has the resonance of a Western Spaghetti and Joseph Koo's haunting score could have as well been composed by Ennio Morricone and the final duel is as grand as operatic as the duel in "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly". In fact, it is the greatest fight ever filmed, the Roman Coliseum makes for a more iconic setting and the opponent(Chuck Norris, somehow more intimidating without his trademark beard) looks like the perfect match (well if anyone could win over Chuck Norris, it had to be Bruce, right?).
From beginning to end, everything is perfect in that climax, from the warm-up moment and all these muscle-cracking sides, to their first water-testing stares and to the presence of the little kitten as the unexpected observed, the fight is a moment of pure poetry. Two philosophies of fighting collidinf in the coliseum, the technician vs. The artist, the warrior vs. The poet... each one values the other's worth and fighting to death is an incredible waste but that scene transcends the film's narrative, they just cease to belong to the story and do what they do best, fight who might be their best opponent. And the scene proves that Lee isn't just about muscles and moves but his facial expressions and let's call it acting is perfect as it showcases menace, fearlessness but ultimately a total respect toward the adversary.
Bruce Lee became an idol at a time where my father was a teenager but we grew up watching his films in old VHS collections, the version I had didn't have some key scenes, one revealing a treacherous character, but I like the short version better because once the fight is over, there's nothing much to add, except to see Lee leaving the people he rescued, fading into screen, as a sad foreshadowing of his fate one year later... at least, we still have Chuck Norris.
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