Way of the Dragon, released in the United States as Return of the Dragon, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts-comedy film written, produced, and directed by Bruce Lee, who also starred in the lead role. The film was Lee's directorial debut, and featured co-stars such as Nora Miao, Chuck Norris, Robert Wall, Hwang In-Shik, and others Tang Lung is sent from Hong Kong to Rome to help a family friend, Uncle Wang, and Wang's niece Chen Ching-hua, whose restaurant is being targeted by the local mafia. The mafia boss has been trying to force them to sign a contract handing over ownership of the restaurant to him, through the use of violence and intimidation. Tang fends off the gangsters and wins Chen's admiration, who had initially looked down on him for his naïveté. Earlier on, Tang was reluctant to put all his savings into a bank and had even unknowingly gone home with a prostitute while touring Rome with Chen; he had further frustrated her by not being able to understand Italian or English. After the thugs are defeated the first time, Tang becomes friends with the other restaurant workers (who know some karate) and teaches them 'Chinese boxing'. The mafia boss sends a gunman to kill Tang, but Tang defeats him by throwing wooden darts and fracturing his neck. The boss then takes a personal trip to the restaurant with armed thugs to force Chen to sign the contract. The boss forbids his goons from using their guns, so Tang easily defeats the thugs by using a wooden pole and a pair of nunchakus. He warns the boss that he will take firm action against him if he continues to harass his friends. The boss later responds by warning Chen he will have Tang killed if he stays in Rome. Tang refuses to leave, even after being told of the mafia's intentions by Chen and Uncle Wang. The boss then sends a sniper to kill Tang at Chen's apartment, but fails again. Chen is kidnapped by the boss and compelled to sign the contract at his headquarters, but Tang and his friends appear and rescue her. The mafia boss's consigliere and translator, Ho, hires three foreign martial artists, two of whom have trouble communicating with each other, to challenge Tang Lung. Ho attempts to lure Tang into a trap where the fighters would ambush him, but Tang defeats them with help from his friends in the countryside near the Colosseum. However, when two of Tang's friends (the restaurant workers) sit down to rest, Uncle Wang kills them both, revealing that he would receive a large sum of money if he persuaded Chen to sell the restaurant. Meanwhile, Tang has a final showdown inside the Colosseum with the karate fighter Colt, the best of the hired fighters, and the only one able to fully communicate with him despite the language barrier. Colt is winning at first and is beating Tang badly, but Tang is faster and more fluid and tires Colt out with his quick attacks. Tang wins the fight, but Colt will not stay down until he is dead. Tang reluctantly kills Colt, snapping his neck with by using a guillotine choke. He then covers Colt's body with Colt's white gi to show his respect and admiration. Tang hears Ho escaping and chases him down to the countryside, only to find out that everyone there (other than himself, Wang, and Ho) has been killed. There, Ho tries to stall Tang while Wang is going to stab and kill him with a knife from behind. The mafia boss arrives and shoots Ho and Wang in the heart, but he fails to shoot Tang as he takes cover behind the tree. The police arrive and arrest the mafia boss. The final scene takes place in the graveyard, where Tang and Chen pay respects to the fallen. Tang bids farewell to Chen and leaves Rome alone.