Synopsis: Jimmy Wang Yu makes for a 'Gallant Boxer' in this high-flying martial arts anthology film that sees him play three different characters across as many time periods. Each role sees the hero employ his hardened fighting skills to the max, delivering plenty of martial arts action and excitement along the way. (116 Mins)

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Views: In one of Wang Yu's more original projects (and especially of this time period), The Gallant is an anthology of sorts that delivers 3 short films over different time periods focused on the theme of vengeance and redemption gained through sacrifice. For an early 70s production, it was incredibly different and somewhat ahead-of-its-time in a decade where both Taiwan and Hong Kong were dishing out traditional kung-fu movies by the hundreds...

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The first episode is called The Stranger, a story set in the modern-day about a woman who escapes from her abusive and brutal nightclub boss. Hiding out in Wang Yu's apartment as the boss's men search for her, our hero takes a liking to the singer and manages to get a sneaky snog as a 'thank-you' before she goes on her way. It doesn't take long for her to get captured after leaving his home and after a failed rescue attempt, Wang learns that she has been taken back to the nightclub she has been trying to escape. Without a second thought, the one-man-army heads to her place of work in an attempt to free her once and for all which leads to Wang Yu taking on the big boss and about 30 men in a brutal showdown. Severely wounded but coming out as the winner, the young lovers exit the nightclub which sees poor Jimmy get gunned down on the doorstep, closing the first chapter of The Gallant. Although the story may have suited a longer running time in allowing the pair to build up a relationship, The Stranger still proves to be an enjoyable segment to get things rolling. The big boss of the nightclub is played by Yi Yuan, a veteran actor of over 200 titles and someone that has shared the screen with Wang Yu on a number of occasions. His right-hand man is Tsai Wang, a regular face of kung-fu cinema and Jimmy Wang Yu movies noticeable for his roles in films like One-Armed Boxer, Knight Errant, Beach Of The War Gods, Eight Strikes Of The Wild Cat, and a host of Shaw Brothers titles. I must say, the nightclub fight is pretty damn impressive and quite brutal with Wang Yu in top form as he beats the hell out of everyone – and often in lengthy, unedited shots. It reminded me quite a bit of Sonny Chiba's Streetfighter character with Jimmy giving a similar vibe while in action, and definitely stands as one of his most exciting battles!

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The second episode is The Prodigal Son, set in the late 800's and quite a change in contrast to the opening segment. Wang Yu plays a grieving son who blames himself for his parent's death. Before he began living as a hermit, he buried the cursed family treasures – a large fortune that was known to be in the family's possession by everyone across the land. Although his sister still lives at home and often brings him food, Wang Yu refuses to take it or return from his mountain home where he seeks atonement for his loss. As more and more bandits arrive to steal the treasure, Wang soon learns that his sister has been killed by the outlaws and sets out on a path of vengeance. It results in a violent fight at his parent's graves, that sees Wang Yu as the hero but broken in knowing what he has lost overall. The second episode of The Gallant gives Wang Yu the chance to flex his acting chops (as opposed to dishing them out) in a role that takes him back to his One-Armed Swordsman days, and melodramatic roles at Shaw Brothers. It's a much more serious affair than the last, but he still gets to bust a move a few times during the story – albeit in a more violent and realistic fashion. The big boss in this segment is played by popular Hong Kong star, Paul Chang Chung. Starting in the industry in 1939 as a child actor, Paul would go on to star in titles such as Fantasy Mission Force, Dragon Lord, Millionaires Express, My Lucky Stars, and much more – as well as directing a handful of flicks in the mid-1970s. Another of the bandits is Shan Mao, another Wang Yu film regular and popular villain of the time. A bit more polished to some degree than The Stranger, this second episode is a much more mature piece.

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Episode 3 is called The Revenger, set in China around the 1930s. This time, Wang Yu plays an ex-con man who returns to town with a major vengeance against his brother who had not only stole money from him but also his woman. Beginning in a restaurant, The Revenger wastes no time in getting the action started as Wang Yu starts asking questions that some men just don't want to hear. As he gets closer to finding his brother, death quickly follows as Wang Yu finds attackers coming from all directions. After hearing of his return, Wang's old girlfriend tries poisoning the brother but fails, landing her in big trouble and forced to write a letter to her old lover that will lead him to a trap. Faced against his brother and a host of gangsters, Wang must fight to the death in order to exact revenge and teach his wicked sibling a lesson! The Revenger definitely plays as the most action-packed segment of the three, closing The Gallant like the end battle of any kung-fu movie. His brother is played by popular kung-fu star Chen Hung Lieh, an actor who shared the screen with Wang in films like Temple Of The Red Lotus, The Twin Swords, Magnificent Trio, and many more. He also starred in many other great titles in his career such as 8 Dragon Swords, Super Dragon, Fire Dragon, and A Life Of Ninja, among many others. A young Blacky Ko pops up as a restaurant waiter, while many other recognisable faces from 70s Taiwanese kung-fu cinema also appear...

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I quite liked The Gallant. While it has its flaws, the film is perfect in defining Wang Yu as the trilogy of characters he most often plays such as the cool, suave, kick-ass hero from The Stranger, the dramatic underdog who doesn't give up in the Prodigal Son, and the tough, no-nonsense hard-man who lets no-one get in his way from The Revenger. I've always been a huge fan of Jimmy Wang Yu since catching him over 30 years ago in films like The Chinese Boxer, Killer Meteors, and One-Armed Boxer, and find it such a shame that his complete filmography has not been made available to fans in a restored fashion. Director Yang Su does a fine job in putting The Gallant together, a project that came up halfway through his decade-long career in the industry, although I must admit I haven't seen anything else from him. Kung-fu actor and martial arts director, Chang Yi Kuai, handles the action across the board and delivers some violent and brutal fight scenes. Of course, Jimmy Wang Yu will never be known as the most graceful of on-screen fighters, but he always puts on a show and usually impresses. Having worked with Wang on Blood Of The Dragon (aka The Desperate Chase), Chang honed his skills on a number of Shaw's productions and starred in many fun titles including Beach Of The War Gods, Showdown At Cotton Mill, A Massacre Survivor, Ninja Hunter with Alexander Lo Rei, and much more!

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Overall: Like watching 3 Jimmy Wang Yu movies at once, The Gallant is worth a watch for fans of the star or that of old-school kung-fu films!