(Taken from “Knowing Is Not Enough”, Spring/Summer 2001)
In 1971, Bruce Lee made what in most people’s mind is considered a BIG decision. He moved to Hong Kong and pursued opportunities there. He uprooted the normal regime of his life and his family, and he moved halfway around the globe. True that Hong Kong was not an altogether unfamiliar place for him, and true that there were prospects there, but there was no certainty and no safety net – only that of Bruce’s own self-confidence. This move was characteristic of Bruce and representative of his own beliefs in many ways.
After struggling for a time in Los Angeles with his career and the barriers placed before him, Bruce could have been defeated. He could have lost faith in himself and his ideas. He could have lost steam, given up, become discouraged. But, other than the doubts we all have from time to time, to become defeated would not have been in keeping with the man.
There were two major factors that lead to the decision to move to Hong Kong in 1971. Bruce had been working diligently on the screenplay “The Silent Flute”, and it looked like there was genuine studio interest. Bruce was sent along with his partners, James Coburn and Stirling Silliphant, to India to scout locations and was excited about the prospect of having a showcase for his martial arts, especially in film rather than television. At the same time, Bruce had come up with a concept for a television series and pitched it to executives with a rousing reception. The realization of one, the other, or both seemed paramount. The future of his career and his family’s well-being seemed dependent on getting one of these projects off the ground.
Upon returning from India, dissatisfaction was expressed on the part of his partners toward the locations they had seen, and after a time, interest dwindled on the part of the studio, and all seemed to become silent. With the series, it was decided, as we all now know, that an Asian actor could not carry an American television show, and the series, ‘Kung Fu’ was made with David Carradine at the helm. The two turns of event came as huge blows to Bruce and his family.
The year before on a trip to visit family, Bruce and Brandon had gone to Hong Kong. There, Bruce discovered that the ‘Green Hornet’ was a popular show, but it was called the ‘Kato Show’. Bruce did some impromptu interviews and returned invigorated and excited to the United States. Then, in 1971, when all seemed at a loss, Bruce and Raymond Chow at Golden Harvest got in touch, and Raymond sent someone to negotiate a deal for ‘Kato’ to come and do movies in Hong Kong. Bruce had recently finished filming the premier episode of ‘Longstreet’ in the US, but faced with no solid prospects, he decided to take the two picture deal and head to Thailand to film ‘The Big Boss’.
As a point of interest, Golden Harvest flew Bruce directly to Thailand for the filming rather than have him first come to Hong Kong for fear that Run Run Shaw or some other movie mogul would try to woo him away. Linda and the kids stayed in L.A. while Bruce went off to do this first film. During filming, he continued to have doubts about the success of the film, as Bruce and the director were constantly at odds, Bruce was continually discouraged by the manner of the production noting that the industry hadn’t seemed to change in a hundred years.
After finishing the film, Bruce returned to Los Angeles and rave reviews for the episode of ‘Longstreet’ he had filmed. Talks immediately began for him to do two more episodes, but Bruce had a commitment to do another film for Golden Harvest. Bruce wanted his career to be ultimately in America because he thought that there was more opportunity for the beauty of his culture and his art to reach the rest of the world. He wished to raise his family in the US. He was torn as to whether or not to honor his contract with Golden Harvest or stay and do ‘Longstreet’.
As talks continued surrounding ‘Longstreet’, it became apparent that the roles they were offering Bruce were not of the same stature as the original role he had portrayed. It would not be the same kind of showcase. Discouraged yet again, Bruce returned to Hong Kong for the premier of ‘The Big Boss’. Concerned that the release of this film would be less than dazzling, Bruce awaited the reaction of the audience.
The film, as we know, was a resounding success, and Run Run Shaw and others did try to steal Bruce away to work for them. And so the decision was made to go to Hong Kong and make ‘Fists of Fury’. Bruce moved his family east and made a firm decision to use this opportunity as a stepping stone toward the ultimate goal of having a career in America. He made a conscience effort during the years he lived in Hong Kong to keep in touch with his Hollywood contacts so that when the opportunity to make ‘Enter the Dragon’ arose, Bruce was already there- ready, willing, and more than able.
It took a special kind of perseverance to weather this stormy period of Bruce’s life. Bruce himself has said it best in his own notes or ‘reminders’ to himself, for once it is written down, it is in some small way manifest.
“Defeat is … a state of mind, no one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality. To me, defeat in anything is merely temporary, and its punishment is but an urge for me to greater effort to achieve my goal. Defeat simply tells me that something is wrong in my doing; it is a path leading to success and truth.”
“I begin to appreciate now the old saying ‘he can because he thinks he can’. I believe that anybody can think himself into his goal if he mixes thought with definiteness of purpose, persistence, and a burning desire for its translation into reality.”
“So, action! Action! Never wasting energy on worries and negative thoughts. I mean who has the most insecure job as I have? What do I live on? My faith and my ability that I’ll make it.”
“There are two ways of making a good living. One is the result of hard work, and the other, the result of imagination (requires work, too, of course). It is a fact that labor and thrift produce a competence, but fortune, in the sense of wealth, is the reward of the man who can think of something that hasn’t been thought of before. I know my idea is right, and, therefore, the results would be satisfactory. I don’t really worry about the reward, but to set in motion the machinery to achieve it. My contribution will be the measure of my reward and success.”
- Bruce Lee |
