Clan of Amazons
The Embroidered Flower Thief

Hong Kong 1978
produced by
Run Run Shaw, Mona Fong for Shaw Brothers
directed by Chu Yuan (= Chor Yuen)
starring Tony Liu (= Lau Wing), Ling Yun, Norman Chu, Ching Li, Yueh Hua, Chan Man-Na, Shih Szu, Cheung Ying, Chan Shen, Lam Fai Wong, Ai Fei, Chong Lee, Deborah Dik, Kara Hui, Ku Kuan-chung, Liu Hui-Ling, Ouyang Sha-fei, Yuen Wah
screenplay by Chin Yu, based on a novel by Ku Lung, music by Frankie Chan

Chu Yuan's Ku Lung-adaptations

review by
Mike Haberfelner

The Embroidery Bandit, a veritable martial arts master, is stealing treasures left and right, and his trademark is he always leaves his victims blinded via his embroidery needles. The case soon proves too big for investigating cop Jin Jiuling (Ling Yun), so hero Lu Xiaofeng (Tony Liu) is called in to take over, and soon enough he and embroidery specialist Xueming (Ching Li) set out to track down the Bandit - and via eccentric nun Jiang Qingxia (Shih Szu) and a crime kingpin (Cheung Ying) who mysteriously ends up dead, their trail leads them to the House of Red Shoes - which consequently makes the house's leader Gong Sunlan (Chan Man-na) the prime suspect,a nd even when Xueming ends up kidnapped, every clue leads to her. But all of that seems to be a bit too convenient for Lu Xiaofeng ... so he paralizes Gong Sunlan and brings her back to Jin Jiuling as the culprit, but this way he only tricks Jin Jiuling into confessing the Embroidery Bandit was he himself all along, with the help of his lover, nun Jian Qingxia. Now the case is solved, but even though Gong Sunlan was far less (as in not at all) paralyzed than Lu Xiaofeng has claimed but was his accomplice all along, Jin Jiuling and Jian Qingxia manage to escape with all of their loot and with Xueming as their hostage. And when Lu Xiaofeng manages to catch up with them on their boat to freedom, he walks into a trap, and only when he sets the boat on fire, risking his own and Xueming's life in the process, does he turn the tides ... and everything ends happily!

Yet another Ku Lung adaptation by Chu Yuan ... that shows the director at the top of his game (yet again), as he effortlessly blends a whodunnit plot with martial arts elements - including excellent action setpieces -, uses the Shaw Brothers period sets and costumes to full effect, brings everything to life in fully saturated primary colours, adds a few bizarre, even surreal elements here and there, and manages to remain as light-footed on a directorial level as can be. In other words, another very fine movie in a series of very fine movies.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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