Dirty Ho (1979)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
In this fictional historical drama, the 11th<\/sup> prince of Manchuria, Prince Wang, poses as a merchant to keep a low profile. During his disguised entourage he chances upon a thief Ho Jen towards whom the Prince takes a serious liking to the point he wants to assign this simpleton the esteemed job of being his bodyguard. Ho takes his job rather lightly until the Prince\u2019s life is under grave threat. In the light of a possible assassination that his master may face, Ho must now train hard to be able to protect his master from the impending danger.<\/p>\nOne of the first things that you will notice about this film is how they portray the Manchu dynasty in a positive light, unlike most other Hong Kong films, who show them as barbaric invaders, giving them a humane spin that not many movies do. This movie goes on to show that not all martial arts movies are mindless escapism with rampant violence.<\/p>\n
The depth in the storyline, the complex relationship between the prince and the thief, and many other aspects make sure that one takes this seriously. The fight choreography is pure art that you will be amazed by. The orchestrated camera and actors with their fluid movements make it a sheer joy to watch.<\/p>\n
In the absence of animated theatrics, the editing and camera tricks are all the director had to pull it off. Gordon Liu who stars in this film is a total package. His action skills coupled with his comic timings make him a delight to watch. The scenes where he disguises his kung fu maneuvers to maintain anonymity are fun to watch. This Shaw Brothers Film is both enjoyable and deep, a combination that you would rarely find!<\/p>\n