Chuck Norris and the hidden detail in his illegal fight with Bruce Lee: “It was a lot of fun”
The on-screen presence of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris remains unparalleled to this day. Both have been endlessly mythologised as the toughest movie stars in history. Looking back at their respective careers, it is difficult to find anyone who might live up to their inherent steel and resolve. Lee was a natural in front of the camera as the martial arts craze took off, but Norris’ rise to fame began only after his unforgettable collaboration with Lee on the 1972 action-comedy gem The Way of the Dragon.
Lee starred as Tang Lung, a young martial arts expert sent to help out a woman and her uncle after local criminals target them. It’s a classic set-up for what would soon be considered a foundational touchstone for the genre. Chuck Norris is fantastic in his debut screen role as Colt, a skilled martial artist recruited by the criminal organisation to eliminate the enormous threat posed by Tang Lung. Norris’ career is now synonymous with martial arts, but at this time, seeing a westerner in his role provided a thrill of enjoyment for audiences who lapped up the movie.
It was the highest-grossing film in Hong Kong’s history until another Bruce Lee picture surpassed it a year later. Recently, rare footage has surfaced on the internet which features Chuck Norris’ comments on the success of the film. “That movie cost $145,000 to produce,” the actor reflects. “It’s grossed over $60million [over $700 million when adjusted for inflation] worldwide. It’s amazing, huh?”
After watching the film’s iconic fight between Lee and Norris, many believed that they had a real rivalry. In fact, the two had sparred on multiple occasions, and Norris was always in awe of Lee’s speed and power. In one interview, the Hong Kong star even claimed that beating figures such as Joe Lewis, Mike Stone and Chuck Norris was like fighting children.
During the interview featured in the footage, Norris only had good things to say about their collaboration. He commented: “I enjoyed working with Bruce Lee in the film. It was a lot of fun, the fight scene is considered the classic martial arts fight scene of all time. So it’s nice to be involved in a fight scene that everyone [loves].”
The marvellous fight scene of The Way of the Dragon is truly something else, especially when you consider that the scene was filmed illegally because the team did not have the proper permits. Lee had to bribe some of the officials, which allowed the crew to film on location for about an hour before they were required to wrap things out.
But there is one moment in the legendary scene that was left under wraps for years. “There’s a scene where I throw Bruce to the ground, and he grabs the hair on my chest, and he pulls it out,” Norris recalled. “I get a letter from this man and he says he and his son had seen [The Way of the Dragon] 26 times… He says, ‘Did Bruce really pull the hair out of your chest? If he did, you’re really a stud.'”
Norris has often heaped praise on Lee the fighter, labelling him a “formidable opponent with a chiselled physique and technique,” as well as “charismatic and friendly in the ring and at home as he was on film. His confidence and wit were dazzling, and sometimes even debilitating to others.” But perhaps the most advantageous moment of their working together is the actual shooting of the fight scene, which took place in a corner of Rome’s Coliseum watched over by guards who had taken bribes from Lee.
Originally meant to be distributed in Asian markets, The Way of the Dragon became a cultural phenomenon. The reason for the movie’s popularity definitely boils down to the Colosseum fight scene, which was filmed in long takes, letting the audience bask in the poetry of that inimitable fight sequence. It would never have taken place without the two giants of their craft and Lee’s willingness to make history. Legal or otherwise.
Watch the clip below.
