River of Fury [江湖行] (1973)
AKA Drug Gang
Starring Lily Ho Li-Li, Danny Lee, Ku Feng, Tin Ching, Yeung Chi-Hing, Ou-Yang Sha-Fei, Fan Mei-Sheng, Yi Fung
Directed by Chang Tseng-Chai
Expectations: Low. I’ve heard this isn’t that good.
River of Fury is one of those movies that sneaks up on you. Throughout nearly the entire film I was entertained, but I thought it was just an OK movie. 2 1/2 stars, without a doubt. But then the final 15 minutes or so come around and really elevate the movie, bringing together themes teased in the opening moments that I had forgotten about amidst all the melodrama. The 3rd act brings everything together so well that I finished the movie with an overwhelmingly positive take on the film. I’m probably overselling it, but it really worked for me.
River of Fury opens with Ye Zhuang-Zi (Danny Lee) on the precipice of the rest of his life. His father recently died and Zhuang-Zi has sold the family farm. He took the money and paid off his family’s debts, leaving him with $100. He doesn’t quite know what he wants to do with himself — farming is definitely not his thing — but he does fancy seeing the world as a helmsman, like his idol Duobo (Ku Feng). Duobo agrees to take him on as an apprentice of sorts. His boat is transporting an opera troupe from town to town, and before Zhuang-Zi even has a chance to get settled, he’s falling for the beautiful, budding actress Ge Yi-Qing (Lily Ho Li-Li).