Verdict
Summary
From Shaw Brothers, The Golden Lotus is an unpleasant story that becomes cruel, kinky, and depressing, straying far from the kung fu type fodder Shaw Brothers was better known for. A simple enough plot that puts its characters through the meat grinder (especially Chin’s character who is stripped and humiliated by the end), the film might appeal to a demographic looking for counter programming for Valentine’s Day, as it’s exactly the opposite of romantic and sweet, or for fans of some of the lesser known films Shaw Brothers produced in the ’70s.
Plot:
A wealthy man has an affair with a poor man’s wife, leading to deception, murder, and debauchery.
Review:
It all starts innocently enough: A bamboo stick falls from the second story of a house on a busy boulevard, striking a rich man named Hsi-Men Ching (Peter Yang) on the head. Enraged, he demands satisfaction, not realizing that the stick fell by accident. As soon as he realizes the stick belongs to a very pretty woman named Pan Chin-lien (Hu Chin), his entire demeanor shifts to instant attraction. He asks a peasant (played by a young Jackie Chan) who hangs out nearby who the woman is, and he finds out that she’s a married woman. He convinces the woman’s landlord to allow him to return, but it’s a secret, and over the course of some days and weeks, he begins a torrid sexual affair with Pan. He must have her at any cost, and he convinces her to poison her husband to death, which she does, but she botches it terribly, making a bloody mess of it, which prompts accusations of murder. Hsi-Men has the accusers murdered (Chan gets stabbed to death in an alley, no spoiler), and he’s able to claim Pan for himself. Time passes, and the guilt of the murder they committed corrupts their relationship, and Pan falls out of his favor, becoming merely one of his concubines while he takes on other lovers. Pan is forced to watch while Hsi-Men toasts other women, and she becomes an object of his ridicule and hatred.
From Shaw Brothers, The Golden Lotus is an unpleasant story that becomes cruel, kinky, and depressing, straying far from the kung fu type fodder Shaw Brothers was better known for. A simple enough plot that puts its characters through the meat grinder (especially Chin’s character who is stripped and humiliated by the end), the film might appeal to a demographic looking for counter programming for Valentine’s Day, as it’s exactly the opposite of romantic and sweet, or for fans of some of the lesser known films Shaw Brothers produced in the ’70s. Chan’s devotees will be interested to see him in his small supporting role. From director Li Han-Hsiang.
88 Films recently released The Golden Lotus on Blu-ray in a strong high definition transfer, adding some bonus features such as some art cards, new artwork with a slipcover (limited edition only), a stills gallery, the trailer, and a reversible sleeve. It’s numbered #38 on the spine as part of their Asian Collection line.
