The Big Boss (aka Fists of Fury). 1971. Hong Kong. Directed by Lo Wei. With Bruce Lee, James Tien, Han Yingjie, Maria Yi. In Cantonese; English subtitles. 100 min.
Bruce Lee rose to mega-stardom with this first feature following more than a decade spent in the US. The Big Boss broke Hong Kong box office records and injected much fanfare into the kung fu genre with a performer of unmatched power and charisma. Lee plays Cheng Chao-an, a hotheaded young migrant in Thailand who has found work in an ice factory. Upon arrival, coworkers begin to disappear one after another, and the factory turns out to be a front for a drug trafficking business. Cheng unleashes his inner fighter in explosive fashion to take on the devilish factory owner. Digital.