Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

Fairly dull affair regarding the Feds trying to uncover a Chinese smuggling racket. Granger is good in his role as the Federal agent called out of vacation to unravel the nefarious organization. The ravishing Rosanna Schiaffino as Granger's assistant and location shooting in Hong Kong rescued this from an early sign off. The plot is too predictable and the bad guys just aren't menacing enough. Not awful but not a top choice in this genre.

RED DRAGON is a truly international co-production: it's an Italian spy flick with a Hong Kong setting, co-financed by and produced by German filmmakers who bring a flavour of the German crime film, or krimi, to it. The resultant film is a fun mix of the best of genre staples, with a running time that flies past and an interesting story.The narrative sees top American spy Stewart Granger (doing his best Cary Grant impression) sent to Hong Kong to investigate a smuggling ring and a couple of murders of fellow agents. While there has time to romance a pretty girl who happens to be a fellow agent (the alluring Rosanna Schiaffino) and has various run-ins with a murderous assassin (Horst Frank at his slimy best).The Hong Kong setting is a decent one that provides a welcome backdrop for much of the story. The usual fish-out-of-water situations work well here, and the intrigue surrounding the identity of a master villain is fun, if over-obvious. There's not quite as much physical action as I'd expect from a James Bond imitator, but this is nevertheless a colourful and entertaining thriller that brings the 1960s to life. Riz Orlatani provided the upbeat score.

Unlike another spy film starring Stewart Granger that was made around the same period, "Requiem For A Secret Agent", "Red Dragon" aka "Code Name Alpha" has no serious ambitions beyond providing a time-filler - and that's what it does: nothing more, nothing less. Granger is one of the better actors to star in this type of movie, and he gives the project some authority. Rosanna Schiaffino is a competent female lead, not just the love interest but an almost equal spy partner as well. However, there is little in either the script or the direction of this movie to make it stand out from the crowd; the identity of the No. 1 villain is not much of a surprise when it is revealed. My print is pretty washed-out so it probably doesn't do justice to the film's location shooting around Hong Kong. ** out of 4.

Here's a rather bland spy thriller that will pass before your eyes without making much of an impact. One would think that Stewart Granger would make a fine secret agent but he comes across as more of a jerk than anything else. The first time we see him, he's on vacation, sitting on his living room floor playing with his model train set that brings him his liquor. I guess that's appropriate somehow, the guy sitting home alone getting plastered. He certainly couldn't have many friends since he's condescending to everyone except pretty girls.The film boasts a Riz Ortalani score but even that doesn't help much. If your cup of tea is to listen to Stewart Granger belittle the Chinese for using chopsticks then by all means, have at it.