In terms of the kung fu cinema world, the fact that Angela Mao Ying’s character in Broken Oath uses scorpions hidden in her handkerchief to assassinate targets is par for the course. Gimmicks and the various larger than life characters that use them are a dime-a-dozen in the cinematic landscape of martial arts films. Quite frankly, there are more far more absurd things to witness in other films. Yet, when her character Liu Chieh Lien first uses a wafting movement to place a scorpion on a man’s neck just to watch him suffer and die in front of her, it’s perhaps one of the most fitting elements of Broken Oath. It’s a symbol that is befitting of the character and, to some extent, the actress on hand. A swift and deadly killer that is hidden underneath the movement and beauty of a lace handkerchief? It’s gimmicky, but it’s also incredibly fitting. It’s the perfect character to build a film around.
Liu Chieh Lien struts her vengeance and charisma as the main protagonist of this Golden Harvest gem. Broken Oath is a film so rooted in its martial arts tropes and style that often enough it’s easy to forget that the film is a remake of one of the most iconic genre films, Lady Snowblood. Although the latter chanbara film certainly stakes its claim as classic also rooted in its creative elements, time period, and style, it’s a film that does share one key feature – an incredible lead performance that anchors the entire film. Although each actress has her own bravura in their respective films, their ability to hold an intensely emotional moment before and after completely decimating an action sequence is why each film is successful at its core. It could be argued that if both Meiko Kaji and Angela Mao Ying had a staring contest of hatred then the world would implode.
Broken Oath is by far my favorite Mao Ying flick. I discovered this masterpiece by accident when I was walking in New York City’s Chinatown one Saturday afternoon in the early part of 1990. I was flipping thru the N.Y.U.E. books when I saw a video sleeve with a picture of a mean looking Mao Ying holding a sword over a sleeping villain. Right there I knew that i had discovered gold. It is too bad that this was probably her last feature length project with Golden Harvest movie studio. What a way to go out !!!