Bo jin

GODFATHER FROM CANTON is one of the less well-known later Shaw Brothers movies, but I thought it was a real blast. It's a rags-to-riches gangster story that feels like a Hong Kong variant of SCARFACE, with the great Gordon Liu playing a coolie who unexpectedly finds himself rising through the local ranks of corrupt police to become a leading gangster. This is one of those intriguing movies in which every character seems to be morally dubious (with a single notable exception). On the face of it it's a blast: action increasingly dominates in the second half, building to a lavishly violent climax, and the fine supporting cast includes a good turn from the excellent Ku Feng.