Vengeance of a Snowgirl
What is it with Shaw Brothers directors delivering their best work after they’ve left the studio? Swordsman at Large was easily one of Hsu Teng-Hung’s finest, and here’s Lo Wei showing folks how it’s done a mere 12 (or so) months after leaving for Golden Harvest.
Hong Kong audiences had to wait a while to see this one. Similar to The Shadow Whip it finished filming in early 1970 when Lo Wei went to South Korea to film some snowy locations. And it got a Taiwan release way back in 1970, almost 14 months before it opened in Hong Kong.
Why the wait? A quick check of rival Golden Harvest’s release schedule may clear things up. The Shadow Whip, directed by Lo Wei, released in HK on August 6th, while Golden Harvest’s The Comet Strikes, directed by Lo Wei, opened on August 11th. And Vengeance of a Snowgirl opened in HK on October 29th, just two days before the Lo Wei-directed blockbuster The Big Boss.
Beating the competitor to the punch was a Shaw Brothers stand by. Oh, you want to see a new Lo Wei movie? Well, here’s Vengeance of a Snowgirl! It did not work in this case. No one could stop the Bruce Lee train. Shaw Brother’s last ever Lo Wei release finished 37th in the annual box office chart.
Which is a shame. Because I like this movie a lot more than I liked The Big Boss. Li Ching plays the lead with intensity, almost bordering on mania. Ostensibly the hero she frequently veers into obsession. And her opposite, played by Lisa Chao Chao is blithely despicable.
The men are dopes, though. Elliot Ngok Wah is faithful and lovestruck to an almost ridiculous end. And Paul Chang Chung doesn’t see the many red flags that his fiancé is waving around. If your significant other says “Yeah, murdering those folks in cold blood is a good idea” then you should end that relationship.
Making brief appearances are some other actors that had left for Golden Harvest along with Paul Chang Chung. Sammo appears, of course. As do James Tien in a brief but fun fight and Lee Kwan, wearing the most inexplicable prosthetic nose.
We’ll see Sammo again, but I believe this movie closes the books on the Shaw Brothers careers of the other three. Lee Kwan and Paul Chang Chung had both been with Shaw Brothers since the early days and both had long careers afterwards. Movies always need a goofy sidekick and a stuffy guy. James Tien also had a long career, though maybe not the one he expected. Before a certain star signed with Golden Harvest, James Tien expected to play the lead in The Big Boss.
Ian Whitney
Published: 2026-08-16