After breaking out in Hong Kong with a string of funny kung fu hits, Jackie Chan was backed by Golden Harvest to star in several American movies in the early 1980s, the first of which being Battle Creek Brawl. Written & directed by Robert Clouse who famously made Enter the Dragon & Game of Death, Chans Hollywood debut featured him in double duty as the central actor & the action director, marketing him internationally as Bruce Lees heir apparent for the "e; Kung Fu King"e; throne.
Set in the 1930s Chicago, the Warner Bros.-Golden Harvest co-production is characterized by Chans trademark action comedy with a supporting cast populated by well-known actors like Jose Ferrer ( Lawrence of Arabia), Lenny Montana ( The Godfather), & Japanese actor Mako ( Conan the Barbarian). In the film, mob boss Dominici (Jose Ferrer) desperately needs a competent fighter to defeat his rival mobs super killer (H.B. Haggerty) in a brutal fighting contest held in Texas known as the "e; Battle Creek Brawl"e;. So he forces young martial artist Jerry Kwan (Jackie Chan) to do his bidding by kidnapping his brothers fiancee (Rosalind Chao)....