Rating: **
Review Date: 6/21/13
Cast: Judy Lee (Chia Ling)
Shanghai in the 1930's was a powderkeg of gangsters, revolutionaries, and Japanese bad guys, rife with corruption, violence, gambling, and prostitution. Judy Lee comes into town for reasons unknown and quickly finds herself sold to a brothel. Lucky for her, she's a kung fu expert and beats up anyone who lays a hand on her. From there, she manages to hook up with some Chinese revolutionaries who want to take out the Japanese oppressors who are messing up the city. There's also a baffling reunion between her and a Bruce Lee wanna-be that's a complete mystery due to the lack of subtitles. I'm guessing they're both students of the same kung fu school, whose teacher was killed by the Japs. Ultimately, after much hardship, the rebels storm the bad guy's house and kill everyone in sight.
I always enjoy watching Judy Lee fight, but the patriotic agenda and laughably inappropriate music score make the film a chore to get through. The version I saw didn't have subtitles, which made it even more challenging. Ms. Lee looks great and her fighting is quick, precise, and intense. Only when she's fighting with the other leads does it look like she's holding back. Otherwise, the stunt players are at her mercy. The production values are decent and typical of the time period, as is the formulaic plot. Recommended only for Judy Lee completists.