Karate, the Hand of Death

1h 20m 1961

Brief Synopsis

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A Nazi war criminal is in Tokyo to cash his war loot: $1 million in platinum. When he's murdered, a visiting American is framed and must elude police as well as a gang that thinks he has the precious metal. He's Matt Carver and he has his own history: raised in Japan, fluent in Japanese and karate, but an American soldier in the Pacific in World War II. He's bitter, and he's in Tokyo to put ghosts to rest. While in hiding, he turns to the Harakawa family, including Akira, his boyhood friend. Carver's history with the Harakawa family holds the key to the mystery of the dead Nazi, but how do these separate stories connect, and can Carver sort it out before it's too late?

Cast & Crew

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Joel Holt

Director

Joel Holt

Matt Carver

Frank Blaine

Ivan Mayberry

Akira Shiga

Akira Harakawa

Joe Hirakawa

Kosaka Harakawa

Reiko Okada

Reiko Harakawa

Film Details

Release Date
Jan 1961
Premiere Information
Philadelphia opening: 9 Aug 1961
Production Company
Joel Holt
Distribution Company
Allied Artists; Joseph Brenner Associates
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 20m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
2.35 : 1

Synopsis

While in Tokyo karate expert Matt Carver comes into possession of a mysterious coin and learns that it is the key to the location of a fortune in platinum smuggled from Germany. After learning that a blind man--a former Nazi official--was murdered over ownership of the coin, Matt and Ivan Mayberry, the dead man's secretary, contact nightclub owner Rohmer, who supposedly has additional information about the coin. Too late, Matt realizes he has been double-crossed by Mayberry. Beaten up by thugs, Matt narrowly escapes. Chased by Rohmer, Matt discovers the coin is a cleverly hidden wire recording, which unmasks his deceased sweetheart Toshiro's brother, Akira, as the mastermind behind the smuggling operation. Akira had killed Toshiro because she was carrying Carver's child, whose birth would have disgraced her family. The two fight, and Matt kills Akira in a savage karate duel.

Director

Joel Holt

Director

Cast

Joel Holt

Matt Carver

Frank Blaine

Ivan Mayberry

Akira Shiga

Akira Harakawa

Joe Hirakawa

Kosaka Harakawa

Reiko Okada

Reiko Harakawa

Ken Noyle

Rohmer

Fujio Ito

Lieutenant Okada

Mayana

Dancer

Bob Markworth

Hantaro

Maurice Gruel

Maurice

Rie Sugiura

Nurse

Tony Sugahara

Waiter

Naboro Kudisahi

Plumber

Kanji Hayashi

Coin dealer

Tom Moore

Herr Blucher

Akiko Seo

Flower girl

Takao Minami

Little boy

Tadashi Yamaki

1st thief

Akio Watanabe

Pickpocket

Shigayaoshi Kawai

Radio shop clerk

Yoichi Wada

Jipp Endo

Gangsters

Kasuo Ushida

Taxi driver

Taro Yamashita

Jiro Kodama

Sho Onoda

Soldiers

Kinji Inoue

Rag picker

Men Of The Japan Karate Association

Karate players

Crew

Iwao Ashida

Title design

David Hill

Story and Screenplay

Iseo Hirukawa

Assistant Director

Joel Holt

Producer

Margy Holt

Associate Producer

Kazuaki Irie

Prod coordinator

Kazuko Irie

Screenplay girl

Yuji Kuroda

Props Director

Kunie Maruyama

Sound

Minoru Miki

Music comp & Conductor

Tatsuo Namikawa

Director of Photography

Hidetaka Nishiyama

Karate tech Director

Ken Noyle

Production Manager

Andrew Pallack

Mr. Holt's Wardrobe

Momomi Shima

Lighting Director

Ken Tanaka

Film Editor

Film Details

Release Date
Jan 1961
Premiere Information
Philadelphia opening: 9 Aug 1961
Production Company
Joel Holt
Distribution Company
Allied Artists; Joseph Brenner Associates
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 20m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
2.35 : 1

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

Location scenes filmed in Japan.

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