Escaping to San Francisco, he again tangles with criminal gangs, but this time fights his way to the top of the city's most feared gangster organization led by the White Dragon boss (Philip Kwok).

Chang Cheh began planning for the film in 1976 and had shot some scenes in Hong Kong before putting the project on hold for a year to complete Shaolin Temple, The Naval Commandos, and The Brave Archer.

[3] Chinatown Kid was negatively compared to Chang's previous films, notably Boxer From Shantung which followed a similar premise, and was criticized as a less impactful iteration of the director's trademark 'Rise and Fall' Tragic Hero archetype that failed to break any new ground.

[5] In 2022, the film was cited as having resonated with marginalized groups within the States through its depiction of a character experiencing oppression and poverty and resorting to organized crime to survive.

[8] According to Chang, a third ending was shot that was not included in either its international or original release: supposedly, Tung was to be pursued by police onto a bridge where he would then fall to his death.