Maciste in the grip of the tyrant

To withstand the onslaught of the Tartars, the Chinese Emperor Wung calls upon the Great Khan of the Mongols and his troops for help. However, the Khan treacherously has him murdered and declares himself the ruler of the Empire of Heaven. He then attempts to kill the rightful heirs to the throne, Prince Tai Sung and Princess Li Ling; but Maciste appears to aid those in distress. The muscle-bound hero allies himself with the rebel leader Chu, who is fighting against the despot.

The energetic, charismatic Gordon Scott, a five-time Tarzan who has managed to make audiences forget the influence of Johnny Weissmuller, sets this Maciste apart from the crowd. Intelligent and well-balanced, Scott simply looks like a perfect specimen of humanity with truly impressive muscles. Scott's athletic abilities also far exceed those of an average bodybuilder, as seen in other sandal films. For this feature film, the producers hired the outstanding director Riccardo Freda, a stylist known for elaborate costume dramas, in a career that dates back to the days of fascist Italy.