The Flying Dagger (1969)

Like two men out of an old American Western, Lo Lieh and the Big Bad slung daggers with pin-point accuracy and at distance. Lo once again plays the gruff loner with a heart of gold. Cheng Pei Pei and her family are the ones in need of help this time. She started a clan war when she killed the Big Bad's son after he committed a heinous and gratuitous crime in the opening minutes. If not for Lo Lieh I would have dropped the movie right there.

The first twenty minutes or so are scenes of Pei Pei's clan being decimated by the Big Bad and his endless stream of murdering, torturing, minions. Lots of spurting blood, but after awhile tedious to watch. Her fortunes changed and so did mine when Lo finally showed up. A little romance in the last part of the movie gave Lo and Pei Pei's characters more depth, too bad the writers didn't develop the relationship earlier and better.

The clarity of the movie was a relief, some of these old kung fu movies have lost much of their visual integrity and sound. Fortunately, this version of the movie was NOT dubbed on Amazon Prime.

Final evaluation, most likely a movie for Lo Lieh or Pei Pei fans or those working their way through the Shaw Brothers inventory.

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