The Anonymous Heroes (1971) User Reviews

Solid Shaw chuckles and thrills

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 10 December 2016]

THE ANONYMOUS HEROES is another collaboration between the two biggest Shaw Brothers stars of the era, Ti Lung and David Chiang, and director Chang Cheh, Shaw's number one action director. This one has more of a contemporary setting than many of their other movies, and sees Li and Chiang playing a couple of roguish rebels who decide to help out revolutionary Ku Feng in his battle against some oppressive warlords and their armies.

It's a typically action-packed adventure, filled with the brim with the frenetic fight scenes that Shaw are known and loved for, and a film that's very easy to like. The set-piece dominated narrative seems to have much in common with some of the westerns being made during the era and one train set-piece in particular hammers home those similarities no end. Lung and Chiang are both likable presences and are well supported by Feng, who has a more important role than usual, and actress Ching Li. There are even bit parts for Chen Sing, good old Simon Yuen and his offspring, Phillip Ko, and Fung Hark-On.

THE ANONYMOUS HEROES features a straightforward story and lots of impressive fight scenes. It's also got a surprising lightness of touch, with plenty of comedy and humour thrown in along the way, although of course things develop into a deadly serious climax which is inevitably the highlight of the whole movie. It's solid Shaw; not one of the studio's absolute classics, but a thoroughly entertaining movie nonetheless.

Entertaining Post War Action Drama With Ti Lung & David Chaing!!

[Movie-Misfit · 6/10 · 2 April 2020]

While not one of my favourite Shaw Brothers action flicks, The Anonymous Heroes is still an entertaining fare that takes its director, Chang Cheh, and stars away from the usual chop-socky traditional storyline, bringing in a 1930's post-war setting with modern day weapons and vehicles to add to the mix...

Led by the very young and handsome duo of David Chaing and Ti Lung, the two charm their way through without a care in the world, bringing a little more light-heartedness to things as they rip-off the army in a bid to help the revolutionaries steal guns. With a strong cast behind it, including many future Hong Kong legends in bit-parts or as extras, the film sprinkles a handful of fight scenes throughout the first hour - aided by some gun-play that is hardly worthy of the heroic bloodshed style we see today, but still passes the time well.

As the hour mark creeps in, the revolutionaries have a train prepared for their escape back to the South. With the army giving chase, they find themselves outnumbered, and after a gun fight, lose one of their leaders. This is quickly followed by a (poorly filmed model set) train crash, of which the heroes manage to leap from beforehand. Along with Chaing's girlfriend, the 3 of them find a 'handcar' further along the railroad, and promise to get the guns to the South no matter what!

Although a good lot of it was filmed on location, there is a hefty amount of impressive set work used, as with all Shaw Brothers films. For me though, the films saving grace was its violent and serious ending which pits our heroes against the army in a mix of gun fights and gritty martial arts - choreographed by the infamous Lau Kar Leung, along with Hong Kong movie veteran Tang Chia.

Overall: Slow to begin, with a better second half, The Anonymous Heroes is still entertains and stars Ti Lung and David Chaing are always worth the watch!

ANONYMOUS HEROES - action comedy with Ti Lung, David Chiang

[BrianDanaCamp · 6 January 2003]

THE ANONYMOUS HEROES is a 1971 action-adventure-comedy from Hong Kong recently released on DVD as part of the new wave of restored & remastered Shaw Bros. movies. It stars David Chiang and Ti Lung, was directed by Chang Cheh, with fight direction by Tang Chia and Liu Chia Liang, and written by I Kuang, all members of the same team that made such exemplary Shaw Bros. martial arts films of 1970-73 as THE HEROIC ONES, THE NEW ONE-ARMED SWORDSMAN, BLOOD BROTHERS, DEADLY DUO and, from the same stars and director, DUEL OF THE IRON FIST, all also reviewed on this site.

THE ANONYMOUS HEROES lacks the brooding intensity of the other films and opts for a lighter tone and looser approach to the action. The fight scenes are more of a brawling nature than a demonstration of martial arts. The two heroes, knockabout hustlers played by David Chiang and Ti Lung, punch and kick a lot, leap through windows, and use rifle barrels, carts and handy objects as weapons. There is some bayoneting and a lot of rifle and pistol fire. The heroine, Li Ching, uses only a pistol when called upon to fight. It's all fun to watch, but never engages our emotions the way their other collaborations did.

The film is set sometime in the early 20th century during a period of civil war in China. There is one brief mention of the Japanese and a slightly more specific mention of a warlord, but the exact time period is hard to pin down, despite the 1940s cars. The plot has to do with a revolutionary (Ku Feng) from South China, whose affiliation is never specified, who recruits the two heroes to steal 3000 rifles and 200,000 rounds of ammo from a local army outpost and transport them by train to "South City," where the rebels are waiting. After lots of adventures and misadventures, the mission is accomplished, but never with any degree of plausibility. The military officers all behave like buffoons and the heroes get away with everything much too easily. The bloody finale comes as something of a surprise given the lighthearted tone of the rest of the film.

The film owes a lot more to Sam Peckinpah's western THE WILD BUNCH (1969) and Italian westerns of the period than to earlier Hong Kong martial arts films. The two heroes wear stolen army uniforms for much of the film and the scenes on the train from which they shoot at pursuing troops deliberately recall similar scenes in Peckinpah's film. There is some location shooting for the scenes involving the train, but most of the film was shot in the studio. The process shots of the heroes standing on the train top and the miniatures used to depict a train wreck are jarringly inept.

The two heroes smile a lot (too much) and carry on like swashbucklers of yore, ready to leap into full fighting mode at a moment's notice even when the odds are stacked against them. However, they seem to be in it for fun, given their lack of moral purpose or political ideology. They're not even in it for the money, since they refuse to accept pay for the job. David and Ti were always charismatic performers and they go a long way in carrying the weight of the contrived goings-on here. Li Ching, normally the demure heroine (see THE MAGIC BLADE and BOXER FROM SHANTUNG), is much spunkier than usual, playing the customs chief's daughter who helps the heroes transport the weapons and winds up joining them on their journey. Many other familiar Shaw Bros. faces are on hand also, including Wang Chung, Cheng Miu, Wong Ching Ho, Cheng Lei, Cheng Kang Yeh and kung fu villain Chen Sing.

The music score seems to be entirely ripped off from Hollywood soundtracks, with John Barry's haunting theme from THE CHASE (1966) standing out as a particularly frequent refrain.

I would prefer to remain anonymous rather than be associated with this movie too!

[ckormos1 · 4/10 · 18 April 2019]

The movie starts with the Chinese military trying out new guns and cuts to our hero David Chiang, the most popular man about town having a carefree day. Ku Feng has been following him and before you really get settled into your seat David Chiang, Ti Lung, and Ching Li are in over their heads in a plot to steal guns and ammunition from Ching Li's army general father to support a revolution. No real motivation was ever established other than it might be fun perhaps?

David Chiang, Ti Lung, and Chang Cheh came to be known as Iron Triangle of movie making. I totally respect that except this early movie is more far more lightweight a metal along the line of Aluminum Triangle or even Tin Triangle. The first time I watched it I made a few notes and ended my review with the fact I just did not like it. I watched it again about four years later to watch it again and write this review.

For certain there are simply not enough fights in this movie to satisfy my appetite for martial arts. Also I believe guns have no business in martial arts movies yet here we have a well- armed modern army. The train chase sequence is the worst piece of film in Shaw Brothers history. The train appears to be moving so slowly the pursuers on horseback could walk up to it. The cuts between outdoors and studio are such a total mismatch and so obviously do not fit that they are cartoonish. The models used are total failures.

There is one good thing about this movie - the audio commentary.

I am sticking with my first impression and rating this movie as below average. It will not be on my list to watch again. I am done here.

Shaw Brothers Classics: The Anonymous Heroes!

[Captain_Couth · 9/10 · 17 August 2005]

Anonymous Heroes (1971) was an interesting step for Shaw Brothers famous duo of Lung Ti and David Chiang. In this 1930's era storyline, the two actors star as a pair of wild dudes who like to have fun and raise hell whenever they can. They both like the same girl who hangs out with them whenever they feel like doing something real stupid. But one day, the trio come across a group of revolutionaries who are plotting to take out a local warlord. One of them strikes up a friendship with David and Lung and ask if they'll do a job for them for some quick money. During one of their "raids" for guns, their new found friend is killed. Before his death, they make a blood oath, finish the job of stealing the rifles and get the promised cash so his comrades can continue the revolution. Not a pair of guys who renege on such a serious pact, they decide to carrying on with the mission and try and contact his fellow revolutionary. Along the way the trio steal guns, get arrested, escape and go out like the WILD BUNCH. After dying in a bloody, honorable and dramatic fashion, the three friends forever become heroes in the revolution. They gave up their lives for a cause that they slowly begin to believe in.

A strange film that was like a hybrid of BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID and THE WILD BUNCH. I was surprised by how different it was. The movie was light hearted fare (until the bloody heroic end) and the actors seemed to be enjoying themselves. I saw the newly restored version that was released by Celestial Pictures. The movie was shown in beautiful Shawscope with vibrant colors and a restored soundtrack.

Highly recommended!