Hot Potato

Hot Potato

Year: 1976

Runtime: 87 mins

Language: English

Director: Oscar Williams

Action

The adventure movie to end them all! Martial-arts expert tries to rescue an ambassador’s daughter who was kidnapped in Thailand.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Hot Potato (1976)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Hot Potato (1976). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Chang Lan

Chang Lan is a fictional East Asian nation whose remote jungles, fortress estates, and political tension set the backdrop for a high-stakes rescue. The story unfolds in a distant region where mercenaries confront Rangoon's conspiracy. The jungle, fortress strongholds, and tiger pit imagery establish a perilous environment for the mission.

🗺️ Fictional country 🏯 East Asia setting 🌴 Jungle terrain

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:44

Main Characters – Hot Potato (1976)

Meet the key characters of Hot Potato (1976), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Leonardo Pizzarelli / White Rhino (George Memmoli)

A brash, larger-than-life mercenary known as the White Rhino. He provides muscle and rough, self-indulgent humor, but shows loyalty when the mission demands it.

💥 Action 🗡️ Fighter 🍔 Gourmet

Detective Sgt. Pam Varaje (Irene Tsu)

Chang Lan operative and guide for the rescuers; skilled fighter and interpreter. She proves instrumental with practical skills and tactical sense, often taking the lead in dangerous moments.

🗺️ Guide 🥋 Fighter 🤝 Ally

Jones (Jim Kelly)

The U.S. government’s top mercenary, a skilled fighter and leader of the rescue team. He drives the mission with grit and a sharp sense of justice, forming uneasy bonds with his teammates.

💥 Leader 🗡️ Fighter 🤝 Ally

Carter Rangoon

The mastermind behind the kidnapping scheme; a villain who orchestrates extortion while manipulating events from behind the scenes.

🗡️ Villain 💰 Mastermind 🧠 Strategist

Leslie / June Dunbar

A prostitute who poses as the senator’s daughter; she steals vital letters from Rangoon’s office. Her betrayal and later death raise the stakes for the rescuers.

🎭 Impostor 🗝️ Secret Letters 🕵️‍♀️ Suspect

Leopard Man

A fearsome Rangoon henchman, a formidable fighter with a predatory edge.

🗡️ Assassin 🐆 Henchman

Rangoon's Henchman (Eric Tsang Chi-Wai)

Loyal cohorts aiding Rangoon’s schemes, obstacles in the jungle as the team advances.

🗡️ Henchman 🤝 Ally

Rangoon's Henchman (Yuen Biao)

Another of Rangoon's enforcers, posing physical threats to the rescuers as they fight their way through.

🗡️ Henchman 💪 Fighter

Johnny Chicago

A mercenary driven by money, the first ally the team meets; his motives and loyalties add complexity to the mission.

💵 Mercenary 🤝 Ally 🗺️ Opportunist

Rhino's Girl

A native woman allied with Rhino; a companion in the jungle journey who adds emotional depth to the mission.

🤝 Ally 🌴 Jungle Ally 🧭 Guide

American General

A U.S. general who characterizes the rescuers as capable, underscoring the geopolitical stakes of the mission.

🎖️ Authority 🗺️ Military 🤝 Ally

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:44

Major Themes – Hot Potato (1976)

Explore the central themes of Hot Potato (1976), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💥 Rescue

A tense rescue operation drives the plot as Jones and his mercenary team navigate Rangoon's jungle fortress to recover the senator's daughter. The mission unfolds through escalating confrontations with henchmen, culminating in a decisive confrontation. The stakes are human lives and political leverage, pushing the characters toward bold, action‑oriented choices.

🎭 Deception

Disguise and misdirection drive part of the narrative when Leslie impersonates the senator's daughter to aid Rangoon. The theft of crucial letters creates a reliability test for the rescuers and injects suspense as loyalties blur. The revelation of hidden motives deepens the conflict and raises the costs of trust.

🤝 Teamwork

The ensemble of mercenaries must learn to coordinate across different skills and personalities. Pamala’s guidance, Jones’s leadership, and the reluctant collaboration with Johnny Chicago illustrate how trust develops under pressure. Romantic tensions and shifting alliances test the group's unity as they push toward the climactic showdown.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:44

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Unlock the Full Story of Hot Potato

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Hot Potato Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Hot Potato, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Hot Potato Summary

Hot Potato Timeline

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Hot Potato Timeline

More About Hot Potato

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More About Hot Potato

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