Contents: The story is based on Angela Mao was the undisputed queen of Hong Kong-produced kung fu cinema in the 1970s and BROKEN OATH (1977) is arguably her best film and one of the two best showcases for her considerable martial arts expertise. In addition to several superbly staged fight sequences, the film boasts a compelling plotline, strong characters and a solid cast of top-of-the-line Hong Kong performers. It's also beautifully photographed on picturesque locations and spectacular sets, with compositions, lighting, production design and color values on a par with the best Japanese period pieces of the era. Renowned composer Joseph Koo provides an evocative music score based on traditional Chinese melodies and instrumentation.
BROKEN OATH is loosely based on the Japanese swordswoman revenge film, LADY SNOWBLOOD (1973), which I've also reviewed on this site. Here, Angela plays Jie Lian, daughter of a woman who was wrongly imprisoned and died in her cell after giving birth. She's raised by nuns at a Buddhist convent where she learns some awesome kung fu and stick-fighting skills. When she kills a would-be rapist, she's kicked out by the Abbess and sent to live with her godmother (veteran HK actress Wang Lai) who recounts the tale of her mother's sad fate and how four men with Imperial connections killed Angela's father and left her pregnant mother to rot in jail after she gouged the eye of one of the killers in self-defense. Angela then goes on a mission to locate the four men, one by one, and get revenge for her dead parents. She finds unexpected allies in a pair of undercover Imperial agents sent to investigate corrupt practices by Officer Chou, who is somehow tied to the four culprits. It all culminates in a sprawling, nonstop kung fu battle at Chou's mansion.
No of Disk: 1
Duration: 93 Mins
Region Code: All
Subtitle: Chinese(Traditional),Chinese(Simplified),English
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Languages: Mandarin
Video: NTSC,DVD-5
Rating: OATII
Screen: Widescreen,16:9
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