Lin Chong ye ben

6/1/1972 – with Yueh Hua, Wong Gam-Fung, Fan Mei-Sheng, Paul Chun Oui, Go Ming, and Yeung Chi-Hing Yueh Hua is a good guy, too good, naïve for his years, and easily taken advantage. That's the whole problem with the plot. Fan Mei-Shen is his brother in arms and his opposite. Though not a bad guy he distrusts everyone and considers mercy a weakness. There is a historical basis for both characters but they are loosely represented here. For me the lead character came across as more pathetic than sympathetic though. Father and son action directors, Bruce Leung and his dad, created the fight sequences here and I wish I was there for that. Yeuh Hua has my respect as he is an actor and not a martial artist because he has certainly been practicing. In fact, I think he could have done better personally. Some of the strikes were about a meter off target but overall good, still lacking in 16 plus move sequences by my count. Fan Mei-Sheng is an easy target to criticize but this role was made for him and he gloried in it. Basically a one trick pony as the dumb guy who solves all his problems with a fight, I totally enjoyed every moment he was on the screen in this movies, especially his fights. Overall just slightly above average because of not enough action and totally depressing story line.

This story was taken from "The Water Margin". It is a Chinese novel attributed to Shi Nai'an that is considered one of the four great classical Chinses novels. The story of Lin Chong is in chapters 3-7. The Shaw Brothers version is rather stripped down but still works. For fans of this genre I recommend the 1993 movie "All Men Are Brothers - Blood of the Leopard" starring Tony Leung Ka-Fai as Lin Chong and Elvis Tsui Kam-Kong as the monk.

Father and son action directors, Bruce Leung and his dad, created the fight sequences here and I wish I was there for that. Yeuh Hua has my respect as he is an actor and not a martial artist because he has certainly been practicing. Some of his fight sequences had 16 moves without a cut but on the other hand some of the strikes were about a meter off.

Fan Mei-Sheng seemed to be made for the role of the monk and he gloried in it. His character contrasts the lead in that he never overthinks and solves most of his problems with a quick fight. I totally enjoyed every moment he was on the screen in this movies, especially his fights.

Overall it's hard to like a movie so depressing. The fights were good but there should have been more. Also there was nothing special about the fights other than competence. The problem is it's hard to enjoy a movie so depressing. In the novel all these tragic events lead the hero to joining the 108 heroes of the swamp. There he does heroic things. That upswing is just added as a sentence to the end of this movie.

Cheng Gang (or Nang) is on of the Shaw directors who are mostly unknown outside of China. A maker of films mostly before the Bruce Lee craze introduced a market for HK action, Cheng Gang is one of the more refined directors at Shaw. With a good eye for image and editing, his films are very well produced and stand above some of his more well known compatriots in some ways.

This film follows Instructor Lin who is home from training the imperial troops for several years. He is a kind and honorable person to a fault. He meets his wife and runs into his brother who has become a monk at the local temple. His superior Lord Gao, the son of the Imperial Commissioner, strangely decides to rape Lin's wife in the temple but Lin interrupts the crime. His brother, the monk, is enraged and tries to kill Gao but Lin stops him with the help of Lin's training brother and old friend Lu who works for Gao. Lin is loyal to the Commissioner and will not do anything to harm his son. Once back at the Commissioner's house, Gao and Lu hatch a plan to discredit and eventually kill Lin all with the Commissioner's approval. The plan is put into motion and Lin is unjustly arrested for trespassing on imperial property. Lin is tortured to confess but he refuses and is sent to the Royal Court in chains, beaten and tortured all the way by two of his students who have been paid off. Lin hopes that the Royal Court will hear his story of betrayal but it's not certain that he'll make it alive. Fortunately, the monk is not far behind and he is much more willing to kill corrupt officials.

A very cynical film where almost all the officials are corrupt and willing to do anything with the promise of money. There's an interesting commentary on ethics here. The character of Lin and the Monk are the only noble people besides the helpless wife and her family. The film is very well made with good pacing. The acting sometimes goes into traditional Chinese stage style but is good. The film is shot in a combo of real locations and some very obvious sets. The martial arts are well done but frequently also revert to stage style. Mostly Cheng Gang keeps the film moving and entertaining so that the occasional plots holes don't matter much. The repeated tortures might be hard to watch.

Very entertaining and good example of Shaw action from the early 1970's.

This film is supreme ridiculousness from start to finish. From the unbelievable spectacle of a monk uprooting a living tree in a sacred place, to Lin Chong AKA Panther( or Dunce) Heads pathetic character, attitude and (lack of) actions.

I wont relay the plot here, but its basically a frame up of Lin by the boss' wicked son Gao Yanei. Its an early chapter of the well known Water Margin saga. Other better films in the series by Shaw Brothers are the brilliant Delightful Forest, The Water Margin & All Men Are Brothers (in that order) , all are classics and highly recommended. Which makes this film even more disappointing.

The story makes no sense, there is a cringe of convolution in every scene and it's impossible to feel sympathy for Lin. It's as if he wishes his wife to be molested by rapeman Gao Yanei. How did Lin ever get to be a commander in the army with his utter lack of behavioural insight or the tactics of conspiracy & conquest ?

If the film is representative of the book , and the book is a faithful portrayal of the history , then the history is faked and the story a fudge. No one is that stupid, and the monk could have testified that 'fake mate' visited them that day, putting the matter to rest. Also, when entrapped Lin could have fought his way out, but instead stands there like a startled rabbit and takes a beating like some compulsive masochist

... and how come his wife is so utterly inept at Martial arts, even after being in hiding for a year with Lins Monk brother- who is the only other Martial Artist in this film with exceptional skills ?

There's so many more 'contrived' moments of illogic that to mention them all would give too much of the daft story away, and take longer to read than the film takes to watch.

The infuriatingly badly written story isn't helped by some laboriously stagey acting.

So, why a reasonable 6/10 ?

The direction is very good,including fabulous compositions and some great techniques. The locations and production is also great, and memorable- the later parts in the snow look superb.

While the most important concern for these types of films (for me) is the fight action, which is artfully choreographed and impressive for its time.. and still very enjoyable.

Unlike the other films in the series I wouldn't watch this again, even though I have watched the similar (and far better) Delightful Forest at least a dozen times in the last 35 years.