Zhuo shu ji (1974) User Reviews

No rats were harmed, or even seen, in making this movie

[ckormos1 · 5/10 · 16 February 2020]

I have the video CD release. I am a fan of martial arts movies of the golden age from 1967 to 1984. Shaw Brothers dominated that genre and at times I watch a Shaw Brothers movie regardless of the genre because I have a lot of time on my hands.

The movie starts with our lovely "pickpocketress" at work. In the movies a lovely lady wearing the brightest red hat in Hong Kong would be a pickpocket. In the real world, never.

I watched this movie more for reasons other than the movie itself. Two reasons, the sites and the clothes. Hong Kong, particularly Central in the 1970s, is the setting of so many scenes. I kept pausing the scenes to compare then and now. The clothes of the 1970s are my favorite style. Tanny wore an outfit just like my high school sweetheart wore back then.

Somehow people who have a taste for these movies manage to find them. That particular fan would find this an average one worth a watch and that's all.

Shaw Bros B-Movie ticks boxes, but little more.

[sccoverton · 12 July 2011]

The Rat Catcher follows the adventures of single father Lin (Liu, Lu Hua) as he tries to scrape a living in the mean streets of Hong Kong and keep his children in their New Territories nursery. In doing so, he continually comes into contact with bumbling traffic cop Brother Neoi and sassy pickpocket Anna ("Tanny" Tien Ni). The former finds that arresting Lin (with his acquiescence) gets him rapidly promoted, and the latter finds the man to be a soft touch and rips him off at every opportunity, even as she scams shop owners, tourists and just about everyone else. Still, Lin and Anna have more than a little in common and they strike up a partnership in petty crime. They soon find that their obligations to Brother Neoi, and each other, run deeper than they thought.

This is a nice film, but nothing more. Many scenes feel like filler and it's often contrived and predictable. However, like many of the Shaw Bros films, it captures an interesting moment in Hong Kong's past - the chase through Central is like stepping into the past (and it looks like it was shot guerrilla-style!); the costumes and hairstyles are straight out of a 1970s clothing catalogue; and there are elements of the kind of screwball cop comedies and rom-coms that were so characteristic of 70s and 80s Hong Kong movies.

Still, there's no denying that this is a B picture, and probably only for fans of the lovely Tanny (Tien Ni) in what is likely one of her better roles. The film has been restored for DVD as part of Celestial Pictures excellent Shaw Bros reissue programme, but only in the Mandarin version.

Catching the rat.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 10/10 · 14 June 2020]

Seeing a best films of 1974 poll taking place,I checked the Hong Kong titles from that year. Excited by the sound of a Shaw Brothers Caper movie,I set off to catch the rat.

View on the film:



Getting Lin's hands stuck in the till each time he attempts to pickpocket, director Chih-Hung Kuei & his regular cinematographer Chi Yu handcuff Lin with a enchanting Comedy Caper atmosphere, brushed in Shaw Brothers shimmering bright blues and yellows colours that keep the atmosphere light and playful.

Stealing a number of Spaghetti Western soundtracks, Kuei takes the grit of the Wild West tunes, and twists them into hilariously heightening a zany atmosphere, via washing them over the brightened faces of Lin and traffic cop Brother Neoi , whose blushes become redder with each succeeding underhand steal pickpocket ace Fang performs.

Sadly not being credited anywhere online, and the subtitles not making clear when their credit appears on screen, the unlisted writer spins a merry Caper tale of Fang charming all who catch her sight, which Fang slyly uses to commit a robbery right under noses. Keeping the stakes high for Lin to become a successful thief by the threat of his kids school closing, the writer folds Lin's motive into Fang's escapades, and wonderfully twists the Caper power play inside out, with Fang and Lin ending up trying to help their old arch enemy Neoi in getting a promotion.

Caught out by Fang and Neoi,Locke Hua Liu gives a sweet performance as Lin, whose hapless stealing skills shine with a aw- shucks sincerity, whilst Ni Tien sparkles in her glamour clothes and teasing flirting Fang greets everyone with,used by Tien as a cover for Fang catching the latest rat.