Look up the definition of Smolder in the dictionary and a picture of Chen Kuan-Tai will accompany it. He is a no holds barred presence on the screen. Kuan-Tai is Chow Yun-Wan/Qiu Lian-Huan, a man looking to be more than a small time gangster in Post-WWII Shanghai. He finds himself on the bad side of Yu Chow-Kai (Tien Ching/Tin Ching), the ne'er do well son of the main Shanghai mobster, Boss Yu Zhen-Ting (Yeung Chi-Hing), when Lian-Huan openly flirts with Chow-Kai's girlfriend, Chen Chu-Fung/Shen Ju-Fang (Ching Li). Making matters worse is Chu-Fung seems to appreciate Lian-Huan's flirtation.
Zhen-Ting is old school and prefers to deal with issues along those lines. His second in command, Boss Chang Gen Bao (Chu Mu) tends to act before thinking. Bao decides he'll personally teach Lian-Huan to remember his place. Zhen-Ting warns the outcome won't be what Bao expects. Bao ignores the warning and sends minions to Lian-Huan's house. They beat up Lian-Huan's Bestie, Lin Geng-Sheng (Wong Chung) and associates.
Lian-Huan is warned about Bao's men by a kid on a bicycle (Alexander Fu Sheng in a very early Shaw Brother's appearance). Lian-Huan keeps the bicycle and uses it quite well to fend off Bao's men. He breaks off the bicycle chain and wraps it around Chow-Kai's neck and drags Chow-Kai back to his father's place. Zhen-Ting is more irritated with his useless son than with Lian-Huan.
Lian-Huan is attacked by more of Bao's men after a deliberate car "accident". Lian-Huan is badly injured but manages to kill off Bao's men. Bao's main two thugs arrive on scene moments after Chu-Fung has taken Lian-Huan to her house to recover from his injuries. Bao orders a city-wide search for Lian-Huan. Zhen-Ting knows Lian-Huan will make his presence known in his own time.
While Lian-Huan recovers, Bao sends men to his house to question Lin Geng-Sheng and the others. The honest response they have no clue where Lian-Huan is, only irritates Bao's minions. Lin Geng-Sheng is taken to Bao's home, where he again admits he has no clue where Lian-Huan is. Bao informs him that Lian-Huan's men have been bought off to join Bao's gang. Those that said no, were killed. Lin Geng-Sheng tells Bao where to shove an offer also join Bao's gang.
Lin Geng-Sheng doesn't make it passed the walk in front of Bao's home. He wants Bao's men that though he is dying, they have no idea the hell they've unleashed on themselves. Bao's men fill Lin Geng-Sheng's body with lead, wrap it up and dump it off a bridge.
When Lian-Huan calls his house and is told Lin Geng-Sheng isn't available, he knows something's off. Chu-Fung volunteers to go to the casino where Chow-Kai hangs out, to find out what's happening. She learns of Lin Geng-Sheng's death, Lian-Huan's men selling him out and overhears a telephone conversation informing Chow-Kai that Lian-Huan had been captured outside of town. She panics an heads back to her house and is relieved to find Lian-Huan still there. She tells him everything she's learned. Lian-Huan wants to exact revenge for his his Bestie, but is still too weak from his injuries.
Chow-Kai has been set up by Boa's men, who tell him, his driver and bodyguard that they work for Lian-Huan. Chow-Kai is assaulted and tossed into a car trunk. His bodyguard is killed and his driver left severely injured. The driver manages to get back to town to inform Zheng-Ting of the events. He knows Lian-Huan wasn't involved in his son's murder. Zheng-Ting knows Bao is behind it and tells this to Bao, who feigns shock at the accusation. Zheng-Ting announces he's retiring and moving to the country. He's done with the whole mobster scenario.
Bao decides to give him a more permanent exit by having Zheng-Ting's one loyal associates kill him. Bao then sets his sights on eliminating Lian-Huan. The problem is locating him.
Lian-Huan makes his presence known at Zheng-Ting's funeral. Bao has everything planned down to a tee. What he doesn't expect his how much of a fight Lian-Huan puts up. The man simply won't stay down. Even having minions edge Lian-Huan into an alleyway where an ambush awaits doesn't stop him. Lian-Huan, who has been stabbed by a minion (Lau Kar Wing), manages to zipped up his leather jacket to keep pressure on the wound, staggers back out of the alley (David Chiang Da Wei did something similar in Four Riders).
More bloody fighting ensues. Each time Bao thinks Lian-Huan is down for the count, Lian-Huan rises to his feet and kills more of Bao's minions. The two finally battle, with Bao being stabbed several times by Lian-Huan. The surviving minions run away, when Lian-Huan, who's lost far more blood than was in his body, once more rises to his feet. Rather than attempt to make it back to Chu-Fung, Lian-Huan decides chasing the minions is a better idea. This uses the last of his energy and he dies in the middle of the street.
Though it was probably one of the bloodiest Shaw Brother's movies I've seen, the fight weren't just for having fights. They were integral to the story. I gave this an 8 due to a plot that moved smoothly, there was even some romance for a change and Chen Kuan-Tai's take no prisoners presence. I would highly recommend this movie.
Zhen-Ting is old school and prefers to deal with issues along those lines. His second in command, Boss Chang Gen Bao (Chu Mu) tends to act before thinking. Bao decides he'll personally teach Lian-Huan to remember his place. Zhen-Ting warns the outcome won't be what Bao expects. Bao ignores the warning and sends minions to Lian-Huan's house. They beat up Lian-Huan's Bestie, Lin Geng-Sheng (Wong Chung) and associates.
Lian-Huan is warned about Bao's men by a kid on a bicycle (Alexander Fu Sheng in a very early Shaw Brother's appearance). Lian-Huan keeps the bicycle and uses it quite well to fend off Bao's men. He breaks off the bicycle chain and wraps it around Chow-Kai's neck and drags Chow-Kai back to his father's place. Zhen-Ting is more irritated with his useless son than with Lian-Huan.
Lian-Huan is attacked by more of Bao's men after a deliberate car "accident". Lian-Huan is badly injured but manages to kill off Bao's men. Bao's main two thugs arrive on scene moments after Chu-Fung has taken Lian-Huan to her house to recover from his injuries. Bao orders a city-wide search for Lian-Huan. Zhen-Ting knows Lian-Huan will make his presence known in his own time.
While Lian-Huan recovers, Bao sends men to his house to question Lin Geng-Sheng and the others. The honest response they have no clue where Lian-Huan is, only irritates Bao's minions. Lin Geng-Sheng is taken to Bao's home, where he again admits he has no clue where Lian-Huan is. Bao informs him that Lian-Huan's men have been bought off to join Bao's gang. Those that said no, were killed. Lin Geng-Sheng tells Bao where to shove an offer also join Bao's gang.
Lin Geng-Sheng doesn't make it passed the walk in front of Bao's home. He wants Bao's men that though he is dying, they have no idea the hell they've unleashed on themselves. Bao's men fill Lin Geng-Sheng's body with lead, wrap it up and dump it off a bridge.
When Lian-Huan calls his house and is told Lin Geng-Sheng isn't available, he knows something's off. Chu-Fung volunteers to go to the casino where Chow-Kai hangs out, to find out what's happening. She learns of Lin Geng-Sheng's death, Lian-Huan's men selling him out and overhears a telephone conversation informing Chow-Kai that Lian-Huan had been captured outside of town. She panics an heads back to her house and is relieved to find Lian-Huan still there. She tells him everything she's learned. Lian-Huan wants to exact revenge for his his Bestie, but is still too weak from his injuries.
Chow-Kai has been set up by Boa's men, who tell him, his driver and bodyguard that they work for Lian-Huan. Chow-Kai is assaulted and tossed into a car trunk. His bodyguard is killed and his driver left severely injured. The driver manages to get back to town to inform Zheng-Ting of the events. He knows Lian-Huan wasn't involved in his son's murder. Zheng-Ting knows Bao is behind it and tells this to Bao, who feigns shock at the accusation. Zheng-Ting announces he's retiring and moving to the country. He's done with the whole mobster scenario.
Bao decides to give him a more permanent exit by having Zheng-Ting's one loyal associates kill him. Bao then sets his sights on eliminating Lian-Huan. The problem is locating him.
Lian-Huan makes his presence known at Zheng-Ting's funeral. Bao has everything planned down to a tee. What he doesn't expect his how much of a fight Lian-Huan puts up. The man simply won't stay down. Even having minions edge Lian-Huan into an alleyway where an ambush awaits doesn't stop him. Lian-Huan, who has been stabbed by a minion (Lau Kar Wing), manages to zipped up his leather jacket to keep pressure on the wound, staggers back out of the alley (David Chiang Da Wei did something similar in Four Riders).
More bloody fighting ensues. Each time Bao thinks Lian-Huan is down for the count, Lian-Huan rises to his feet and kills more of Bao's minions. The two finally battle, with Bao being stabbed several times by Lian-Huan. The surviving minions run away, when Lian-Huan, who's lost far more blood than was in his body, once more rises to his feet. Rather than attempt to make it back to Chu-Fung, Lian-Huan decides chasing the minions is a better idea. This uses the last of his energy and he dies in the middle of the street.
Though it was probably one of the bloodiest Shaw Brother's movies I've seen, the fight weren't just for having fights. They were integral to the story. I gave this an 8 due to a plot that moved smoothly, there was even some romance for a change and Chen Kuan-Tai's take no prisoners presence. I would highly recommend this movie.