Wrath of the Sword
Director: Wu Ma
Year: 1970
Rating: 6.5
Wrath of the Sword from 1970 is an old fashioned Wuxia that is so chockful
of action that it almost becomes a bit numbing. I mean how many minions have
to die before the film comes to an end. A whole lot. This is directed by Wu
Ma who doesn't get nearly the credit he deserves for his many contributions
to Hong Kong film. He is everywhere as an actor (over 300 credits), director
(51 films) and planner - from his days with the Shaw Brothers to the New Wave
to working with Sammo Hung on many of the 1980 and 1990 classics. He was
part of that incredibly explosive period of girls with guns, vampire films,
ghost films, action - you name it and he was part of it. With his Muppet
face he is always easily recognizable even in his very early films in the
mid-1960s. With a face like that he was never leading man material but he
did everything else.
This is his first directing credit with a production company called Ming
Xing Film Company - not to be confused with the Mingxing film company in Shanghai
during the 1920's and 30's that produced many classic silent films. There
must have been a relationship between them and the Shaw Brothers because many
of the actors here were part of that Empire including Wu Ma. And one of the
posters I saw had the Shaw logo on it. After this film Wu Ma was to direct
the wonderful female swordswoman film Deaf Mute Heroine also for Ming Xing
and with a number of Shaw stars. But at any rate these two films do not fall
into the Shaw catalog.
As I said there is a massive amount of action - must be over 50% of a 78
minute film - and the body count is the equivalent of three Zatoichi films
combined. It is quite bloody with enough sword slicing to satisfy a serial
killer. There are some very imaginative moments, good use of trampolines rather
than wires (though we get that too) but much of it consists of that sword
fighting style where all the bad guys run into a sword and die. I do like
the bits where the hero or heroine stands back and five or more of them drop
simultaneously. Spaghetti Western styled musical themes play throughout as
I recall was the case in Deaf Mute Heroine.
It begins with Shaw stalwart of Wuxia films Shu Pei-pei (Bai Ling) walking
down a deserted road disguised of course as a man when she is surrounded by
a group of black clad villains. She smiles and sets about killing them. A
passerby played by another Shaw star, Tang Ching, pitches in to help her and
afterwards instead of a thanks she angrily challenges him to a duel for interrupting
her murder spree. As they set about their business they keep running into
one another - her to revenge the killing of the Bail family, his reason is
more murky. He is a rather desolate unruly character with no money but damn
good with the sword. They both stay at an inn run by another acting legend
- Sek Kin - who shows concern for Bai Ling. Being Sek Kin you of course suspect
that he is not what he seems.
You will see a few other familiar faces - Sammo and Lam Ching-ying as two
of the black clad minions who meet the sword. Wu Ma plays the sub-gang leader
of the black clad baddies. Solid film - the sort that were being knocked out
like an assembly line back then but years later feel quite enjoyable.
