Fighting without seeming to fight is the ingenious premise at the heart of this dazzling film. Targeted for assassination by his elder brother, a prodigal prince (and a hyper-cultivated epicurean) is hunted by killers disguised as a wine merchant and an antiques dealer. The climactic fight back to the palace, pitting prince and apprentice against a battery of swords and arrows, is a set piece for the ages. 1979, Hong Kong, color, 35mm, in Cantonese with English subtitles, 100 minutes.
Dirty Ho (Lan Tou Hou)
