DIRTY HO is another film from renowned martial artist Liu Chia-Liang, a quite early effort from the director that dates from 1976. It's another film in the action comedy mould, with Gordon Liu and Wong Yue teaming up as a prince and a thief who get involved in a plot infused with political intrigue. You know the format of these Shaw comedy action films by now: the first half is all plot less broad comedy, while things get gradually more serious in the second half.
It's one of the highest quality looking films I can remember seeing from Shaw in the visual sense, but I was a little disappointed by the lack of story in the early parts. The fight scenes are exemplary, as you'd expect from the director and stars, and the actors are good too, but the film seems to be treading water for a very long time before it starts to pick up. This is the only real criticism I have of it, as everything else is fine.
Wong Yue is charming in a career-making performance and he gets the lion's share of the comedy. Gordon Liu sits back more, which is the nature of his character, and aside from that cheesy moustache he's cool. The usual round of familiar faces fill the supporting cast, including a nice cameo from a typically tough Wang Lung Wei, although I was disappointed that Kara Hui has very little to do. Best of all is the great Lo Lieh as the bad guy, who has some blistering moves come the climax. Inevitably the real star of the show is the director himself, who fills the screen with vivid, expertly-choreographed martial arts. My favourite scene? The set-piece in the windy valley with Liu in the cart, a direct reference to the Japanese LONE WOLF & CUB film series.
It's one of the highest quality looking films I can remember seeing from Shaw in the visual sense, but I was a little disappointed by the lack of story in the early parts. The fight scenes are exemplary, as you'd expect from the director and stars, and the actors are good too, but the film seems to be treading water for a very long time before it starts to pick up. This is the only real criticism I have of it, as everything else is fine.
Wong Yue is charming in a career-making performance and he gets the lion's share of the comedy. Gordon Liu sits back more, which is the nature of his character, and aside from that cheesy moustache he's cool. The usual round of familiar faces fill the supporting cast, including a nice cameo from a typically tough Wang Lung Wei, although I was disappointed that Kara Hui has very little to do. Best of all is the great Lo Lieh as the bad guy, who has some blistering moves come the climax. Inevitably the real star of the show is the director himself, who fills the screen with vivid, expertly-choreographed martial arts. My favourite scene? The set-piece in the windy valley with Liu in the cart, a direct reference to the Japanese LONE WOLF & CUB film series.