Even today, Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris’ on-screen charisma are unmatched. However, we also cannot deny that Norris’ rise to fame only began following his illustrious collaboration with Lee on the 1972 action-comedy masterpiece The Way of the Dragon.
However, there were other well-known rumors surrounding the lead cast of the 1972 movie, which was Lee’s sole complete directorial effort. The legendary showdown between Lee and Norris took place in Golden Harvest’s The Way of the Dragon.
The popularity of the Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris fight and the reputations of both actors have frequently sparked speculation about whether the two actors actually engaged in a fight. Additionally, Norris has been frequently questioned about his friendship with Lee in interviews.
Despite admitting in the past that they did engage in some “sparring,” Norris maintained that they never trained in actual combat.
Unveiling Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee’s Secret Alleged Fight
This story has been circulated for many years by devoted martial arts practitioners. There have been rumors of a covert hallway fight between Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee while filming their 1972 film, The Way of the Dragon.
Fighting was not something that either martial artist wanted to do while Way of the Dragon was being filmed, according to Norris. According to the American martial artist-actor’s statements, it was unlikely that Lee and Norris ever engaged in a secret fight in a hallway, despite long-standing rumors to the contrary. However, these rumors have stuck around and are still unproven today.
The Way of the Dragon fight and the acting prowess of both actors have led to speculation about who would prevail in a Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris match even today. Many believe that Lee’s speed, which Norris has frequently praised, would be sufficient to defeat Norris, while others believe that Lee’s size and strength would outweigh the late Hong Kong-American actor.
The movie held the record for highest box office gross in Hong Kong until the release of Lee’s next movie Enter the Dragon (1973). Chuck Norris’ remarks on the movie’s success can be heard in some rare footage that was earlier surfaced online. The American martial artist, 83, felt:
“That movie cost $145,000 to produce. It’s grossed over $60 million [over $700 million when adjusted for inflation] worldwide. It’s amazing, huh?”
Chuck Norris On Working With Bruce Lee?
The film was made particularly memorable by the depiction of the fight in the Colosseum, where Chuck Norris made his film debut. Bruce Lee shot it in “long takes, framing it so that you could see their entire bodies.”
In the previous interview, Norris was only complimentary about their working relationship:
“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].”
A Force of One actor, who has won numerous martial arts competitions, continued:
“There’s a scene where I throw Bruce to the ground and he grabs the hair on my chest and he pulls it out. 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.’”
In contrast to its modest $130,000 budget, the movie went on to gross an estimated $130 million worldwide, making a thousand times its original investment. Up until Lee’s following 1973 movie Enter the Dragon, it had the highest box office performance in Hong Kong.
You can stream The Way of the Dragon on the Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel.
Source- ScreenRant; YouTube
