The Young Dragons 1974

Action

Runtime

95 mins

Language

Chinese

Directed by

John Woo

Made by

Orange Sky Golden Harvest

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The Young Dragons Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for The Young Dragons (1974). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

In Longshan Town, the crime boss Long Chiang Nan and his steadfast bodyguard Yun Fei orchestrate a gun shipment from Lei Hu, a plan that is brutally interrupted by a faction led by Brother Jin. Jin snatches one gun and orders the rest dumped into the ocean, then slips away to stay hidden with Rouge in her room at a brothel. Later, atop a bridge, Fan Ming Lau Kong helps Jin fight off Yun Fei and his men. When Jin asks for his name, Fan Ming keeps it simple, saying he is merely a passer-by.

Fan Ming heads to the Ye residence, where Yan Hong mourns her father, Mr. Ye, who was killed by Long for refusing to join the gun-smuggling racket. There he is reunited with their friend Xiaohong and Xiaohong’s sister, all drawn into the danger swirling around Long’s operation.

Jin attempts a high-stakes sale, handing the gun he took to Lei Hu for a handsome price and setting up a genuine-looking gun deal. But Lei Hu’s men arrive to collect the cargo only to discover empty boxes bearing Japanese labels. Jin and his crew defeat them and walk away with their money, leaving Lei Hu and his men frustrated and empty-handed.

Meanwhile, Yun Fei informs Long that Fan Ming has arrived in town, and he vows vengeance for the killing of one of his sworn brothers. Long orders Fan Ming to be captured. To pressure Xiaohong, Yun Fei and his men kidnap Xiaohong’s sister, coercing Xiaohong to lie to Fan Ming that Long is arranging a gun deal at White Stone Hill. Jin’s assistant Guy Ng Ming-Choi warns Jin about the White Stone Hill meeting, and Jin and Guy show up to stake their claim. In a brutal turn, Yun Fei and his men kill Xiaohong, Fan Ming and Guy while Long watches.

Jin then goes to the Ye residence and informs Yan Hong about Fan Ming’s supposed death, urging her to seek safety with him. He manipulates the situation further by convincing Rouge to hide Yan Hong in her room at the brothel, paying the keeper to reserve the space.

Long presses Lei Hu for the guns, but Lei Hu insists Jin still holds them and arranges a late-night visit in which Rouge and other girls from the brothel are brought in to entertain Yun Fei, Long and Lei Hu. Yan Hong, disguised as one of the girls, slips into Long’s residence and launches an attack on Long, only to be repelled by Yun Fei. Rouge makes a move against Lei Hu as well but is defeated.

Police Chief Ma is shown apologizing to Fan Ming for past failures, and Fan Ming remains resolute as the investigation continues. A message arrives declaring Jin’s assault on Long’s residence, and Fan Ming and the police rush to the scene. Jin kills Long and Lei Hu, then confronts Yun Fei; after a lengthy duel, the two men end each other’s lives. When the dust settles, Fan Ming and the police arrive to find the two corpses, marking a violent and decisive turn in the power struggle.

The Young Dragons Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of The Young Dragons (1974) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Gun import plan intercepted

Long and Yun Fei eye a shipment of guns from Lei Hu in Longshan Town. Jin and his men ambush the transport, causing the rest to be dumped into the ocean, while Jin salvages a single gun. The failed deal sparks retaliation and raises Jin's profile in the underground.

Early Longshan Town

Jin hides with Rouge in the brothel

Jin begins staying in Rouge's room at the brothel, using the cover to lay low after taking the gun. The arrangement draws attention from Long's circle and tests loyalties on both sides. Tension simmers as they watch each other.

Soon after Rouge's room, the brothel

Fan Ming lends aid on the bridge

On a bridge, Fan Ming helps Jin fight off Yun Fei and his men. The skirmish reveals Fan Ming's combat prowess and cements a fragile alliance of convenience between Jin and the inspector. They manage to escape the encounter with their lives.

Day Bridge

Jin asks Fan Ming's name

After the fight, Jin asks Fan Ming what his name is. Fan Ming refuses to reveal one, calling himself only a passer-by. The exchange foreshadows a wary partnership built on necessity.

Immediately after the bridge fight Bridge vicinity

Yan Hong learns of Ye's murder and reunites with Xiaohong

Fan Ming travels to meet his beloved Yan Hong and learns that her father, Mr. Ye, has been killed by Long for refusing to join the gun smuggling. He also reunites with Xiaohong and Xiaohong's sister. The revelation deepens the stakes for Yan Hong and Fan Ming.

Following the bridge incident Ye residence, Shanghai

Jin plays Lei Hu for the guns

Jin sells the gun he took to Lei Hu for a high price and sets up a public gun deal. Lei Hu's men arrive expecting the shipment, only to find empty boxes labeled with Japanese text. Jin and his crew defeat them and walk away with their money.

After Yan Hong's discovery Lei Hu's operation

Long learns Fan Ming is in town

Yun Fei informs Long that Fan Ming, the inspector leader, has arrived in Shanghai. Long orders Fan Ming to be captured, while Yun Fei swears vengeance for the past. The city braces for a confrontation between rival factions.

Later Long's residence

Xiaohong's sister is kidnapped to coerce a lie

Yun Fei and his men kidnap Xiaohong's sister to force Xiaohong to tell Fan Ming that Long is arranging a gun deal at White Stone Hill. The coercion heightens the pressure on Fan Ming and Xiaohong. The stage is set for a deadly confrontation at White Stone Hill.

Before White Stone Hill meeting Xiaohong's residence

White Stone Hill meeting and killings

Jin's aide Guy alerts Jin about a gun-deal meeting at White Stone Hill. Yun Fei's men ambush Xiaohong, Fan Ming, and Guy during the confrontation, and Long watches as they are killed. The plan to trap Fan Ming collapses in a violent turn.

Night White Stone Hill

Yan Hong seeks safety with Rouge

Jin visits Ye residence to inform Yan Hong that Fan Ming is dead and urges her to flee with him for safety from Long and his men. Yan Hong later stays secretly in Rouge's room at the brothel, paid for by Jin, to keep her protected.

After the White Stone Hill incident Ye residence and then Rouge's brothel

The two sides gear up for a final confrontation

Long demands the guns from Lei Hu, who still believes Jin retains them. Jin agrees to a trade: the guns in exchange for the man who killed Fan Ming, with a meeting tentatively set for two days later. Lei Hu arranges for Rouge and other girls to entertain Long, Yun Fei, and Lei Hu that night to secure the plan.

Two days later Long's residence / Lei Hu's network

Final duel and aftermath

Jin leads a final assault on Long's residence. He defeats Long and Lei Hu, and then faces Yun Fei in a lengthy duel; both men break each other's necks and die. Police arrive to find the corpses as Fan Ming recovers and Chief Ma apologizes for past harm.

Final confrontation Long's residence

The Young Dragons Characters

Explore all characters from The Young Dragons (1974). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Jin

A calculating opportunist who seizes a gun to grab attention and manipulate others. He navigates between criminals, lovers, and the police, using information and risk-taking to stay ahead. His actions drive the central conflict between Long's gang and Fan Ming's inspectors and culminate in a deadly final showdown.

🗡️ Opportunist 🧭 Street-smart 🕵️‍♂️ Calculating

Fan Ming

Leader of the Shanghai inspectors who pursues Long's gun-smuggling operation. He is determined, strategic, and willing to risk danger to dismantle the criminal network. His fate remains uncertain until the film's tense, later revelations; he fights alongside the police to bring Long to justice.

⚖️ Law-enforcer 🛡️ Protector

Long

A ruthless crime boss running the gun-smuggling operation and enforcing his own brand of authority. He uses intimidation and power to maintain control, while clashing with Fan Ming and Jin. His final confrontations reveal the costs of unchecked ambition.

👿 Crime-boss 🗡️ Ruthless

Lei Hu

A gun supplier who negotiates with both sides and uses leverage to manipulate outcomes. He is driven by money and power, heightening the stakes of every deal. His involvement intensifies the violence surrounding the gun-running network.

💰 Money-driven 🐍 Ruthless

Yun Fei

A veteran enforcer who carries a personal vendetta and a fierce resolve. He becomes a key opponent to Jin and a pivotal figure in the gang war. His loyalty to his own code and his willingness to kill mark him as a dangerous force.

🕵️‍♂️ Inspector 🗡️ Vengeful

Yan Hong

The love interest whose family is entangled with the Gun-running conflict. Her safety becomes a focal point motivating several moves and alliances. Her presence adds a humanizing counterpoint to the violence surrounding the plot.

❤️ Lover 💔 Star-crossed

Rouge

The brothel keeper who negotiates space for love, safety, and survival amid the criminal turmoil. She aids Yan Hong and others by providing shelter and access to information. Her role highlights the intersections of commerce, loyalty, and protection.

🏨 Brothel keeper 💼 Connector

The Young Dragons Settings

Learn where and when The Young Dragons (1974) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Location

Longshan Town, Shanghai, White Stone Hill, Rouge's brothel

Longshan Town is a gritty, crime-ridden urban center where gangsters, lawmen, and courtesans collide. Key locations include the brothel run by Rouge, the White Stone Hill meeting, and various hideouts of Long's gang. The city serves as the backdrop for the cat-and-mouse struggle between Long's criminals and Fan Ming's inspectors.

🏙️ Urban 🗺️ Crime-ridden 🕰️ Historical setting

The Young Dragons Themes

Discover the main themes in The Young Dragons (1974). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

🔫

Crime

Gun smuggling, deals, and street violence drive the plot. Long's operation collides with Fan Ming's pursuit and Lei Hu's schemes, pulling each character into a spiral of risk and aggression. The narrative treats violence as a currency and a tool for power, reshaping loyalties along the way. The climactic clashes reveal the high cost of the criminal underworld.

⚔️

Vengeance

Vengeance motivates key players, including Fan Ming who seeks justice and Jin who fights to survive. The pursuit of payback leads to betrayals and deadly duels that escalate the conflict. Alliances crumble under the weight of revenge, culminating in a dramatic confrontation between Jin and Yun Fei. The story centers on how vengeance drives choices and fate.

🤝

Loyalty

Loyalty is tested across criminals, lawmen, and lovers. Yan Hong's love and Jin's opportunism pull people in opposing directions, forcing choices that blur lines between duty and desire. Rouge's protective actions for her patrons and Ye's family ties highlight how loyalty can clash with self-preservation. The ending shows who remains committed when the smoke clears.

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The Young Dragons Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of The Young Dragons (1974). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In a cramped harbor town where neon signs flicker over tangled alleys, the shadow of the underworld stretches far beyond the docks. Trade routes pulse with a mix of legitimate cargo and whispers of something far more dangerous, giving the city a restless, electric atmosphere that never quite settles. The constant hum of engines and the salty spray of the sea create a backdrop for a story of ambition, betrayal, and the thin line between law and lawlessness.

Leung, a smooth‑talking mobster with a reputation for getting his hands on the right… or wrong… supplies, operates under the discreet protection of Huan Fai. Together they arrange the sale of coveted Japanese weaponry to a local Chinese syndicate, a deal that hinges on the skill of a seasoned smuggler, Luy Fu. The contract is as much about trust as it is about leverage, and the stakes feel as heavy as the cargo hidden beneath the deck of his vessel.

Kim, a daring opportunist with a taste for high‑risk gambits, spots the convoy and decides to intervene, diverting the shipment into the open sea where the waves become a chaotic veil. While the water churns, Fan Ming, a diligent police officer whose sense of duty is matched only by his curiosity, finds himself drawn into an uneasy friendship with the bold newcomer. Their unlikely camaraderie hints at a fragile balance between order and chaos, each aware that the other’s world could dissolve with a single misstep.

Ipi Feng, the steadfast fiancée of Fan Ming, watches the unfolding tension from the sidelines, her loyalties tested as rumors swirl and loyalties blur. Misled by half‑truths and driven by a fierce desire for justice, she walks a path that could either restore equilibrium or plunge her deeper into the city’s relentless turmoil. The stage is set for a clash of wills, where every choice reverberates through the streets, the sea, and the hearts of those caught in the crossfire.

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