The Delinquent (3 Stars)

This 1973 Shaw Brothers film was called "Street Gangs of Hong Kong" when it was shown in American cinemas. That title probably sums the film up better than "The Delinquent".

Unlike the other Shaw Brothers films that I've been watching over the last two months, this isn't a period piece featuring costumed fighters from times gone by. It takes place in modern day Hong Kong. Much of the film takes place outdoors, and I can't help feeling that the onlookers aren't paid extras, they're the excited neighbours standing on their balconies watching a film being made.

This is just one scene where there are hundreds of people watching a fight.

Shen Chang, who likes to be called John, spends most of the day lying on the couch smoking and drinking. He does part time jobs, such as delivering food, but he's often fired because he's lazy. His father tells him to stop smoking and drinking, which John throws back in his face: "You don't smoke or drink and you've worked hard all your life, but you have nothing to show for it. You were so poor that my mother left you". John's father works as a security guard at a warehouse, which is hardly a high earning career.

John has one thing in his favour. He practises martial arts, and he's a skilled fighter.

Big Sean, the owner of a local brothel, wants to rob the warehouse. He offers John the free use of his prostitutes if he'll give him the code for the warehouse's safe. John doesn't give in, so Sean sends his men to beat up John. He's too much for them.

They can't even handle him when they come after him on motor bikes.

But Sean doesn't give up. When he sees John's fighting skills he's impressed and is all the more determined to have John work for him. He refers the matter to his boss, Mr. Lam, who knows how to win John over. John doesn't want cheap hookers, he wants a fine lady.

Fanny is an elegant lady with expensive tastes who drives a red sports car. That's the life John wants. Will his conscience allow him to betray his father?

Yes, the word is conscience, not consciousness. This is what happens when a foreign film is subtitled by someone who isn't English. The subtitles are understandable, but in broken English, throughout the film. The subtitle in this scene is the only one that made me laugh.

This is a film that shows the unpleasant side of life in Hong Kong. The action takes place in the poor parts of the city. It doesn't look like a place anyone would want to visit. I found the film disturbing, not up to the level of the other Shaw Brothers films. The only scene I really enjoyed was the fight scene in the last 15 minutes, but that wasn't enough for me to give the film a better than average rating.