Gamblers & Drifters

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REVIEW

A look at the Nikkatsu / Shaw Brothers co-production that generated two almost identical films – and started a whole spy genre!

Borderless in Hong Kong

Following the mid-1960s Bond craze, Nikkatsu produced a number of borderless spy films (see: Top 5 Nikkatsu Spy Films (feat: Kobayashi Akira)), making the most of their action stars, modern touch, and seemingly endless supply of shiny gadgets. By 1966, both Bond and Nikkatsu spy hits had made a big impression on a close neighbour: Hong Kong, and its Shaw Brothers studio.

Shaw Brothers soon engineered a collaboration with the Japanese Nikkatsu studio, using their expertise and popular borderless formula to fast-track both their output and international recognition. On the recommendation of cinematographer Nishimoto Tadashi¹, who worked for Shaw Brothers’ colour-film production, Shaw Brothers approached several Nikkatsu directors such as Nakahira Kō (Crazed Fruit (1956), Danger Pays (1962)), and Akinori Matsuo (The Symbol of a Man (1963), The Dragon Crest (1963)), amongst others. The Shaw Brothers spy genre was born!

Shaw Brothers would go on to make around eleven spy films, including seven with Nikkatsu directors at the helm² – who sometimes worked under an alias (Nakahira Kō <-> Yeung Shu-Hei). These collaborations included³:

• Full co-productions: Asiapol Secret Service (1966, Nikkatsu) -> Asia-Pol (1967, SB), Matsuo Akinori
• Spy action remakes: Bastards Without Borders (1965, Nikkatsu) -> Interpol 009 (1967, SB), Nakahira Kō
• Other Nikkatsu genres turned into spy action: The Hunter’s Diary (1964, Nikkatsu) -> Diary of a Lady Killer (1969, SB), Nakahira Kō

First in the collaboration, Asiapol Secret Service (1966, Nikkatsu) / Asia-Pol (1967, SB) is the unique example of a simultaneous production (despite the delayed Shaw Brothers release date), resulting in a film that is fully identical except for one important difference: the lead actor. In the Nikkatsu version, protagonist Saeki Ryutaro is played by Hideaki Nitani, whereas the Shaw Brothers version is led by Jimmy Wang Yu; while most of the crew and the whole supporting cast remain the same, the leads bring a very different energy to the role, as will be explored below.

For more context on the Shaw Brothers’ strategy and approach to collaboration with Nikkatsu, check out ‘Crafting a World-Class Brand: Shaw Brothers’ Appropriation of Foreign Models‘, an in-depth study by East Asian Cinema academic Erica Ka-yan Poon: https://doi.org/10.3998/mij.15031809.0007.108 (also sourced in references). Note that the film referenced within the study as The Black Challenger (1965) is referenced on this website as Bastards Without Borders (1965).

Hong Kong, Again

In the bustling Yokohama harbour, a man is watching a suspicious cargo: meet Saeki Ryutaro (Nitani Hideaki / Jimmy Wang Yu), an Asiapol agent on the hunt for smugglers. Saeki and his partner board the cargo’s transportation truck but the operation turns sour: aware of the intrusion, smuggling mastermind George Eaton (Shishido Jō) blows up the vehicle to shake them off his trail, fatally wounding Saeki’s partner in the process. Undeterred, Saeki proceeds to relentlessly chase Eaton between Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Macao, surviving his devious attacks with the help of his gadgets – and of the very special Asiapol Tokyo secretary Misaki Kyoko (Asaoka Ruriko). Helped by a mysterious new ally, Saeki is soon confronted with the ghosts of his own past, and his mission takes on a very personal turn…

Perhaps to enhance the marketability in both territories, Asiapol tells a very straight-forward spy-chase story, with little of the international locales, humour, and action seen in other films of the genre. Instead, the emphasis here is on a more business-like hero and his expensive gadgets, duly resolving crime across East Asian locales (Hong Kong especially – Nikkatsu notes that the film was filmed on location there for a lengthy period of time⁴). Recent local conflicts and their repercussions on individuals are hinted at in multiple places, namely in the protagonist Saeki and the antagonist Eaton’s multi-national, traumatic backgrounds⁵.

While this smaller scope feels like a step back for the ambitious borderless genre, the Nikkatsu spirit is never too far behind: in a scene where Saeki and an ally must speak without being understood, the Shaw Brothers version uses Taiwanese while Nikkatsu uses… French, an incongrous touch very much in keeping with Nikkatu’s love of the French language and of European references in general (see: Bastards Without Borders (1965), amongst others).

Two Leads, Two Styles

To kick-off this studio collaboration in style, Nikkatsu and Shaw Brothers cast two studio heavyweights: Nitani Hideaki, and Jimmy Wang Yu.

Perhaps due to its Nikkatsu inception, the film is undoubtably Nitani’s, in a role moulded around the actor: contemplative, restrained, with sparks of anxiety and joy that add humanity to an otherwise very pragmatic spy. Nitani’s subtle and subdued performance is in total contrast to Wang Yu’s more youthful and expressive take on the role, which can occasionally feel at odds with the narrative intention, lessening the impact of some of the more dramatic scenes and revelations.

A similar divergence can be observed in the chemistry within the cast, especially between Saeki and his will they/won’t they, stormy love interest Misaki. Nitani’s stand-offish demeanor adds depth to shared moments between the two, often breaking down to reveal easy eye contact and barely supressed smiles that seem to hint at a genuine connection. In contrast, these connections are often missed or absent between Asaoka and Wang Yu, resulting in a chemistry that feels overall much more distant and less organic.

Elsewhere, the support cast shines in both versions, especially in their native Japanese track. The talented Asaoka plays a spirited and expressive Misaki (the local, chaotic-good Moneypenny), armed with withering looks that could probably burn through a safe wall. Shishido and Gō also join the cast as the suited and booted bad boys, with Shishido squeezing every bit of fun he can from his (sadly) short appearances to great effect, and Gō playing an especially vicious minion destroying everything in his path.

In Conclusion…

While Asiapol Secret Service (1966) and Asia-Pol (1967) are not the most thrilling spy films produced by Nikkatsu or Shaw Brothers, they offer a fascinating insight into a collaboration between two giants – and into the impact of a casting different leads for the same role. Watch for the great support cast, expansive location shots, and shiny gadgets – and stay for Shishido’s pencil moustache villain.

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Notes and References

1. Poon, Erica Ka-yan. “Crafting a World-Class Brand: Shaw Brothers’ Appropriation of Foreign Models”. Media Industries Journal, vol. 7, Issue 1, 2020. https://doi.org/10.3998/mij.15031809.0007.108 ↩︎
2. ibid. / as above
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3. Others include: Operation Lipstick (1967) and Brain Stealers (1968) directed by Inoue Umetsugu; Black Falcon (1967) and Kiss and Kill (1967) by Furukawa Takumi. ↩︎
4. アジア秘密警察: 映画 (no date) 日活. Available at: https://www.nikkatsu.com/movie/20962.html (Accessed: 10 January 2024).
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5. A similar narrative choice is seen in the other Nikkatsu spy film The Dragon of Macao (1965). ↩︎