When you think of Kilmainham Gaol and the big screen, it is undoubtedly the classic 1969 film The Italian Job that comes to mind. Four years before the release of that film however, audiences would have caught a glimpse of the prison in The Face of Fu Manchu, a 1965 film staring Christopher Lee in the role of Chinese villain Fu Manchu. The film is set in London, and the plot involves the evil mastermind working from a secret base underneath the River Thames. While Kilmainham was transformed for the role, the stonebreakers yard where the leaders of the 1916 rebellion were executed is clearly visible in the trailer above.
In his history of film producer Harry Alan Towers, Dave Mann wrote that the use of Kilmainham caused considerable controversy at the time, as Towers “caused commotion when he stabled horses in the courtyard where IRA martyrs had been executed.” A reporter from The Irish Times visited the set of the film and noted that “time goes by very slowly. When a scene has been shot four times, there is a call for lunch. For the monks sandwiches and tea are served in the main hall of the prison among the grim tiers of cells and the metal staircases.”
The prison courtyard is also visible in the below 1965 poster advertising the release of the film, which is available to purchase here.
Upon the films release, the Sunday Independent complained that “the Thames is easily identified as the Liffey- I could see the Pigeon House in the background. Rush is the Essex village exterminated by Fu Manchu’s deadly gas. I don’t complain about that. But it is asking too much to expect anyone to believe that the Wicklow Hills are the Himalayas!”
As far as I remember Kilmainham is used twice in the movie – once for Fu Manchus Lair with a few oriental items thrown in for effect and again for a London prison yard at the end. Two Fu Manchu movies were shot in Dublin , I can’t remember which one is which though. There are some scenes shot at Pembroke cottages in Ringsend too and a great chase along the quays – turning at Beresford place they are miraculously out in the country side. In another scene a couple of oriental thugs scale a wall and drop onto a residential street – while some claim this is Merchants Road in East Wall I think it’s actually off South Lotts Road . They are great ‘ripping yarns’ as long as your PC instincts don’t cloud your judgement.
Did you know that the Empire loving author of the Fu Manchu books was Irish ? And that he died of Asian Flu ? Truth can be stranger than fiction.
On the subject of Fu Manchu – check out the Boris Karloff version from the 1930’s – it’s usually heavily edited due to not to it’s ‘Yellow peril’ stereotyping but the villains anti-Caucasian rantings.
As I was growing up (born 1964) this was the first film I heard of being made here. Brooks Thomas had a building where the Irish Life Centre is now and a chase scene shows them racing across Butt Bridge, THE WRONG WAY!!! And you could clearly see the Brooks logo as I recall. Then there was the Blue Max. My brothers remember seeing “dog fights” being filmed over the Helfire club. Exciting times!
Think Sax Rohmer was born near Birmingham – to Irish parents though.Great article thanks
Eh correction-its not Rush as the fictional Essex town of Fleetwick-its nearby Skerries .I know cos its my home town…
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