Snake Deadly Act
Director: Wilson Tong
Year: 1979
Rating: 5.5
The film begins with
Wilson Tong and Fung Hark-on dueling one another with snake like slashing
attacks and nasty insults. They land more blows with the insults than they
do with their hands. Fung is challenging Wilson because as he yells at him
“You raped my wife”. Wilson counters this with a stinging “You once raped
a woman as well” to which Fung sheepishly replies “Ya, but it wasn’t your
wife!” Fung soon runs off promising Tong that he will be back for revenge
some day. Clearly, both are terrific citizens.
After the credits roll, that day turns out to be some twenty years in the
future and now Fung’s hair has turned gray and Wilson is a wealthy benevolent
man in a small town. He also has a son, Ng Kun-lung, who is a bit cocky but
goodhearted and sees himself as a protector of the weak. This is constantly
getting him into fights in which his kung fu is generally good enough to prevail.
After saving a girl from a pack of thugs, Ng discovers that she has been
sold to a brothel to pay for her father’s gambling debts.
Ng heads for the brothel and asks for the owner in order to set the girl
free. And who should the owner turn out to be but Angela Mao in a highly unusual
role for her. Not only does she run a brothel but there is also no heart
of gold hidden beneath her frosty manner. This film (1979) was made very
near the end of Angela’s career and she is only in it for some five minutes.
It’s a nice five minutes though. She picks up a sword and tells Ng to take
a hike upon which they have a nice joust that is more wushu sword exercise
than anything, but Angela looks extremely graceful and quick. She makes short
work of Ng – nearly ending any thoughts he might have for being a father
some day – before he is rescued by a watching Fung. Now Fung and Angela go
at it – he with a fan, she with sword and then by hand. This is quite enjoyable
watching as well except for in the end Angela finds herself at the wrong
end of the sword.
Ng continues getting himself into trouble – getting thrashed by casino owner
Michael Chan before once again being rescued by Fung. Fung eventually takes
on Ng as his student and puts him through arduous training sessions – but
it is clear that this is all part of some diabolical plot to gain his long
sought after revenge. Wilson it soon turns out is not quite the benevolent
man that everyone thinks. Appearing also in the film is Phillip Ko as the
head servant, Chan Lung as one of the kung fu instructors and Bolo Yeung as
a muscle man.
Overall the film has a fair amount of action and much of it is competently
if not excitingly choreographed. Still, it never gets very involving and though
Ng Kun-lung shows some good acrobatic talent, he doesn’t have the personality
or presence to carry the film. Fung Hark-on is clearly the more interesting
character and the more interesting to watch in action – but he is often off
stage for long sections. And of course a lot more of Angela Mao would have
been very welcome.