The Big Boss

The Big Boss

Chow Mei

Hsiu Chien

Miss Wuman (as Malalene)

Hsiao Mi (The Boss)

Hsiao Chiun (Mi's son)

Ah Kun (as Quin Lee)

Drinkstand owner (as Mao Ke-hsiu)

Hua Sze

Foreman (as Chen Chao)

Uncle

Ice Factory Manager

(as Hui-yi Chen)

Gatekeeper / Blue Shirt Henchman

Disciple

Ah Yen (Cheng's cousin)

In 1971, this was the highest grossing film of all time in Hong Kong, beating out American productions The Sound of Music (1965) and Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970).

The international (English) title of this film was "The Big Boss". In the United States the English dubbed version was originally to be released under the title "The Chinese Connection", a play on the title of the highly popular film The French Connection (1971). For some reason the title was changed to "Fists of Fury". As a result, to avoid confusion with Bruce Lee's following film The Chinese Connection (1972) (known elsewhere in the world as "Fist of Fury"), the latter film's title for its U.S. release became first "The Iron Hand" and then "The Chinese Connection".

Not once in the film does Hsiao Mi (The "Big Boss") actually leave the area of his mansion.

When Chao-an and "The Boss" face off, when "The Boss" pulls out his knives for attack, he slashes Chao-an once across the stomach, and once across the back. However, when slashing at his back, a sound effect implies that he misses, when a scar can be seen on his back seconds later.

In the last fight, the dead henchman in red turns his head from one side to the other from shot to shot. This is most prominent when "The Boss" throws his knife in the end (and the subsequent "kickback").

Despite receiving a deep cut to his left arm the night before, Cheng has no scar on his left arm the next day while fighting "The Boss".

Cheng Chao-an: Beat it or I'll kill you right now.

Cheng Chao-an: Alright! Hold it! Now you get out of here, I'm warning you. You bastards can't push us around. If you wanna fight, I'll take you on.

Hsiu Chen: Why Cheng, you're a pretty good fighter.