The Crimson Charm (1971)

"No need to be rash. Someone will kill you tomorrow!"

Ivy Ling Po and Chang Yi avenge their master in The Crimson Charm. The film is an older Shaw Brothers, not a classic, but still watchable if you enjoy early martial arts movies.

Chiang Tzu Chao and his daughter, Shang Ching, enrage the Yellow Gowned Chief of the Crimson Charm gang when Tzu Chao kills his son who was attacking a young woman. Tzu Chao and Shang Ching are befriended by the Blood Master during an encounter with Tsao Kang’s men. Tsao has decreed Chiang and all his disciples will die the next day. During the bloody battle, only three Chiang disciples initially survive-Han Yu, a badly wounded Yu Fang Fang, a mortally wounded Shang Ching, and the Blood Master. The three ultimate survivors will independently forge new skills and resolution to take revenge on not only Tsao Kang but the head of the Crimson Charm gang, Lin Han Su.

The acting covered a wide range in this film. Fang Mian as Tzu Chao can always be counted on to do a good job, but Shih Szu as his daughter was quite limited. At first, Ivy Ling Po’s performance was annoying as a pouty disciple but after she faced disaster, her character’s resolve and steely determination was a much more mature turn. Chang Yi’s appearance never seemed to change in films whether he was 26 as in this film or 40 in later films. James Nam showed a broader range of emotion as Ling Wu Lui, the Blood Master. Ku Feng appeared at the end of the film as the Crimson Charm Chief, bald, bare chested and sporting a leopard vest. Ku always seemed up for whatever directors threw at him.

There was a mix of sword work, other weapons, and kung fu. Shih Szu really struggled to be convincing holding a sword. Ivy Ling Po, especially in the second half of the movie did a much better job, even with her handicap. I always like when they allow the woman warrior to take her own revenge without the help of the male characters, and Ivy was able to shine during a battle in an inn. Chang Yi and James Nam both had good fights against the various Crimson Charm clans. One fight engaged tridents with annoying bells on them. The loud weapons might have made me go berserk as well. Body parts flew and #2 red finger paint ran everywhere throughout the movie.

The Crimson Charm had little story to it, only multiple revenge layers. And in the end, it showed just how destructive revenge can be as many of the clans lay in waste. While not one of the more well-known Shaw Brother films, it was entertaining once you get past some of the awkwardness of the first twenty minutes. For old kung fu movie fans. As always, I rate these niche films before 1990 on a curve.

17 March 2024

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