The Spaghetti Western was on the way out in the early ’70s as martial arts movies from Hong Kong were dominating the international box office. While many Italian filmmakers were trading in horses for the black gloved killers of Giallo, Mario Caiano recognized that these two genres could co-exist because of historical precedence and a successful TV show. America is a land of immigrants and during the days of the Old West, quite a few people left China to come to America. Many of them worked on the railroad and in the mining industry until the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Having a Chinese character with martial arts skills roaming the west with cowboys and cattle wasn’t a farfetched concept. America was glued to Kung Fu with David Carradine playing Caine, a Shaolin Monk wandering the frontier. Writer-Director Mario Caiano came up with his own variation of East Meets the Old West in Shanghai Joe.
Shanghai Joe (Return of The Sister Street Fighter‘s Myoshin Hayakawa renamed Chen Lee) arrives in San Francisco from China eager to make it big in the Old West. He immediately turns down jobs at a Chinese laundry and restaurant because he did that back home. He’s ready to live the American Dream. He quickly learns that some dreamers get treated better than others. When he goes to the stagecoach company to book a seat, the clerk doesn’t seem eager to help Joe other than get him to Texas without letting him know where in Texas the ticket will take him. When he tries to board the stagecoach, he’s informed that Chinese, blacks and Mexicans (in slurs) have to ride on the outside. He’s stuck on the back for hundreds of miles. The stagecoach driver dumps him off in a tiny Texas town. During his meal at a local tavern, three local guys attempt to give him a hard time. They learn quickly that they can’t push around Joe. Afterward, Joe goes off to see about work at a nearby ranch. He encounters more bigotry even when he proves he can drive a nail into a board with just his hand. When he thinks he has earned their respect, he learns that isn’t true. He needs to find a better class of co-workers. His career as a ranch hand isn’t over as he gets hired to work for a cattle operation that needs a rustler that can throw down. First they need to pick up a load of cattle being smuggled up from Mexico to save on taxes. Joe discovers what’s really being brought over the border. When he breaks up the operation, the owner of the ranch hires a few hitmen to take him out. Will Shanghai Joe’s trip to America end with the vultures picking away on him?
While Shanghai Joe is a mash up of Spaghetti Western and Chop Socky, the film has more depth and excitement than a simple cash grab. Shanghai Joe faces a lot of bigotry on his journey across the American West. He is the victim of greed. Ultimately he becomes the target of revenge. This is a lot of stuff that Joe probably didn’t read about in the brochure that described all the amazing things awaiting you in America. At first these incidents inspire comedy in the clashes. As the film progresses, the slapstick gets replaced by intense violence. His response to the three bigots in the tavern extremely goofy compared to what goes down when Klaus Kinski’s bounty hunter pulls out the knife to scalp Joe. The movie has plenty of great fight scenes including Joe versus a bull. There’s quite a bit of brutality on the screen including bullets going through hands, arms getting busted in half and a lot of blood flowing from victims. The finale turns into a martial arts duel as Joe faces a gun for higher that’s also a Karate Chop for Hire in Katsutoshi Mikuriya.
This was the only Spaghetti Western made by Myoshin Hayakawa. He was discovered while running a Karate school in Rome. He was originally offered a minor character and fight choreographer. Eventually Hayakawa was seen as the best actor for the lead even if he was Japanese and not Chinese. Although the Spaghetti Western is a genre where most of the actors aren’t close to the nationality of their characters so this isn’t an issue. Shanghai Joe was a big enough success that they made a sequel The Return of Shanghai Joe in 1975. Hayakawa didn’t return the rule since he’d returned to Japan. Instead they found Chen Lee. The producers brought back Klaus Kinski as a familiar face, but in a different role.
Shanghai Joe is an enjoyable late era Spaghetti Western that will keep you wondering what will happen to the immigrant from China in the Wild West.
The Video is 2.35:1 anamorphic. The 1080p transfer brings out the action when Shanghai Joe has to tame the Wild West. The audio is DTS-HD MA in both Italian and English. Both tracks sound fine although it is odd to watch a Chinese immigrant speaking Italian in Texas. The movie is subtitled in English.
Audio Commentary by Mike Hauss from The Spaghetti Western Digest gives a complete picture of the cast and crew. He gives a bit of biographical details on Hayakawa. Hauss gives a sense of how Shanghai Joe came about. He even relates scenes inspired from other movies of the time. Plus, you’ll learn where most of the score of the film was originally used. The Spaghetti Western Digest is one of my favorite reads.
East Meets West: Italian Style – Visual essay by film historian Eric Zadivar (19:45) gives the history of the Kung Fu – Spaghetti Western crossover movies. This is a great rundown with plenty of great graphics. I do want to see Tony Anthony’s The Silent Stranger.
Samurai Spirit: Interview with Master Katsutoshi Mikuriya (9:11) has the actor explain how he ended up in Italy. He was cast in Shanghai Joe while conducting martial arts classes in Italy. He remembers filming between May and June of 1973 at Magalina. He planned the fight scene with actor Myoshin Hayakawa.
Trailer (3:29) opens with actors flying across the screen to traditional Spaghetti Western music. You’re in for a treat. Klaus Kinski gets plenty of screen time.
Image Gallery (1:49) includes posters, press kit, the soundtrack, lobby cards and press photos.
Cauldron presents Shanghai Joe. Directed by Mario Caiano. Screenplay by Mario Caiano & Fabrizio Trifone Trecca. Starring Myoshin Hayakawa, Carla Romanelli, Gordon Mitchell, Klaus Kinski, Katsutoshi Mikuriya, Robert Hundar & Giacomo Rossi-Stuart. Running time 98 minutes. Rating: Unrated. Release Date: May 16, 2023.
