From China with Death (1974)

From China with Death (1974)
Aka: Wits to Wits; Dirty Partners; Duel of Dragons; Conman and the Kung Fu Kid
Chinese Title: 狼狽為奸
Translation: Embarrassed and Treacherous

 

Starring: Henry Yu Yang, Wu Ma, Shek Kin, Chiang Nan, Mang Lee, Wong Sam, Fung Hak-On, Lee Chiu, Yen Shi-Kwan, Yuen Shun-Yee, Huang Ha, Tino Wong Chung
Director: Wu Ma
Action Director: Yuen Woo-Ping

 

From China with Death is an unusual film for its time. Rather than follow the usual revenge or anti-Japanese tropes that defined the vast majority of chopsockey films at the time, this movie is a caper film with strong comic elements. All too often fans point to Drunken Master and Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow as being the original kung fu comedies, but that could not be further from the truth. And speaking of those films, it is worth pointing out that the action here is not only provided by Yuen Woo-Ping, but many of the supporting actors would later have larger roles in Yuen Woo-Ping’s later movies, like Fung Hak-On, Yen Shi-Kwan, Yuen Shun-Yee, Huang Ha and Tino Wong.

The movie follows the exploits of a pair of conmen, played by Henry Yu Yang (Bloody Fists) and Wu Ma, who also directed the film. The former is a kung fu master who often finds himself in trouble at the gambling tables, while the latter likes to seduce rich spinsters while getting some extra bed action from whomever he can convince to sleep with him. They meet on a train while trying to get away from the people after them and strike up an uneasy partnership in order to rob the gold bullion from a bank ran by Chiang Nan (of Call Me Dragon and Shaolin Martial Arts). As the bank guards are armed with guns, the two would-be robbers will need some backup. So they turn to the local casino owner (Enter the Dragon’s Shek Kin) for some extra manpower to help pull of the heist.

Thus we have the Hong Kong kung fu version of Ocean’s Eleven, although this time it’s Ocean’s Three. There is a fair amount of action on display, but the backbone of the film is the interplay between Henry Yu Yang and Wu Ma. Henry Yu plays his character as the nicely-dressed gambler who is less successful than his attire would indicate, but thankfully he has the fighting skills to compensate. Wu Ma, on the other hand, looks like a complete bum, but still has the mojo to seduce married women as he sees fit. From start to finish, the two are constantly trying to screw the other over, except when circumstances require them to work together.  Their antics quickly devolve into fighting on a number of occasions, although the end sees them stepping up to the plate and putting aside their differences to save their respective hides.

Yuen Woo-Ping continues his evolution as a fight choreographer here. It is amazing at how much poise, rhythm and complexity he was able to put into what might have been just another sloppy basher film. There are moments when the choreography looks almost borderline 80s Sammo Hung in terms of speed and power performed in complex sets of simple moves. There is a little bit of undercranking at times, but it still looks fairly natural and keeps the pace of the fights up. Shek Kin, who was 61 years old when the film was made, also gets a good showcase for his abilities—within the confines of his age, mind you. Shek had studied a number of martial arts in his lifetime, including ying jao pai, or Eagle’s Claw. His character does a lot of arm and join manipulations, or qin na, in his big fight at the end, which is characteristic of that style. He also kicks fairly high for a man his age and size, generally reaching chest level of his opponents. Shek certainly looks more impressive here than he did in Enterthe Dragon, and that is just one of several reasons that From China with Death is worth checking out for fans.