Legend of Wisely, The (1987) Review

“The Legend of Wisely” Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Legend of the Golden Pearl
Director: Teddy Robin Kwan
Cast: Sam Hui, Ti Lung, Joey Wong, Teddy Robin Kwan, Bruce Baron, Blacky Ko, Heidi Makinen, Alan Kuo Yau Lun, Alan Lee, Kim Fan
Running Time: 86 min.

By Matthew Le-feuvre

With an unambiguous career spanning back to the infant days of Golden Harvest, Sam Hui – younger brother of Michael and Ricky – is probably better known internationally for his lengthy partnership with fellow comedy director, Karl Maka. Indeed the outrageous thought of combining these unique, yet converse, talents resulted in an ambitious celebration which doubly furnished south-east (Asians) and trans Atlantic cine-patrons with the popular (and very funny!) Aces Goes Places movies that, throughout the eighties, playfully lampoon the likes of Mission: Impossible, Cannonball Run and James Bond; even the mechanical innovations of (pre-Hollywood) Transformers was not exempt from parody. Still, the wacky capers of King Kong and Kodiak became a box office force to be reckoned with, until, sadly, an inevitable downward spiral.

Singing accolades; a hit television sketch show in unison with his brother, Michael; and the opportunity of socializing/instruction by the late maestro himself, Bruce Lee; weren’t enough for Hui to penetrate the highly competitive ‘kung fu’ market in the manner Samo Hung, Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao, who were all able to collectively reinvent with kinetic realism, originality and passion.

Although he appeared in a support capacity for a couple of Lo Wei films –  Back Alley Princess (1972), starring Angela Mao Ying, and the Jimmy Wang Yu potboiler Tattooed Dragon (1974) – before achieving monumental acclaim as a novice gumshoe investigator in Private Eyes (1976), Hui was never really a skilled on-screen fighter (wire-work, minimal techniques and carefully paced editing were his secret methodology) unlike his contemporaries; whom often committed themselves to surreal acrobatic displays or complex stuntwork. Alternatively, he downplayed the traditional martial arts formats, and concentrated very hard on ‘promoting’ as well as ‘sustaining’ his comedic persona of the quintessential ladies’ man or a charming rogue. However, he never quite inherited or matched his elder brothers’ flare for deadpan delivery or wry expressionism.

As with most Hong Kong actors, Hui hankered for more effective control over his projects, especially in areas of production, finance, and casting. For direct advice he turned to his old friend, Maka – then, also – an active board member of Cinema City, the same company which invested in the Aces pictures.

Before long, inspiration came in the form of writers: Philip Cheng, Calvin Poon and Gerald Lin for an unusual script – by Hong Kong standards – entitled The Legend of Wisely (aka Legend of the Golden Pearl), a modern day action-fantasy; though, in essence integrates the panoply of science fiction by way of Chinese/Tibetan mythology. Ostensibly, the writers have modeled their concepts on a variety of stimulus: from Indiana Jones to The Golden Child to Jackie Chan’s own jet setting adventurer The Armor of God. In fact, one could say an eclectic stew of cultural references. Still, Hui was not dissuaded at all with the intended scope, quality or Hollywood comparisons of the screenplay which, in some instances, more or less acts like an expensive travelogue, than a studio-based production reliant on intricate set designs or blue screen technology.

Directed with neo-influenced zeal by Teddy Robin (who incidentally co-stars). Externally, The Legend of Wisely is a tightly packaged affair offering exquisite vistas of both the Himalayas and Egypt (specifically the pyramids), adrenalin-paced visuals, pyrotechnic extravaganzas and top notch choreography from Blackie Ho, whose dynamic arrangements equalize with the likes of Yuen Woo Ping and Ching Siu Tsung (A Chinese Ghost Story trilogy). The downside is the plotting, marred by formulaic dialogue and an editing continuity that flits between artistic grandeur and schizophrenia. However, the film’s core premise objectively concerns itself with the myth (or reality?!) of a magical pearl said to contain properties that expands human conciousness, senses and telepathy.

Enter Howard Hope (the late Bruce Baron), an enigmatic businessman who approaches novelist/playboy, Wisely – pronounced in Cantonese as “Wei-Say-Li” (Sam Hui) – with an inducement of tracking down his missing archeologist friend, David Ko (Teddy Robin); he declines. Out of interest, Wisely travels to the splendor of Nepal, Ko’s last known whereabouts. There, he discovers Ko has stolen the legendary pearl from its Tibetan keepers. It also transpires that Ko was secretly employed by a crime overlord named Pak Kei Wei (Ti Lung), who desires the pearl for himself.

After promising the Tibetans to recover the pearl for them, Wisely returns to Hong Kong and once more, Howard Hope reappears expressing an interest in Wisely’s findings, as well as those who actually retain the pearl. Following further confrontations – both physical and vehicular – Wisely persuades Pak Kei Wei’s sister, Sue Pak (Joey Wong), to unite with him and rescue Ko in perilous quest to solve the mystery of the golden pearl. Their journey ultimately takes the trio back to Nepal, via Egypt, with Pak Kei Wei in hot pursuit. Hidden agendas, concealed identities and labyrinth temple passages all await; but the biggest question remains: who is exactly Howard Hope? And what are his real intentions?!

Verdict: In addition to minor inconsistencies (to reveal more would inconvenience potential audiences into a conjectural debate over the complexity of the storyline which, to a point, coalesces with an almost elaborate formality), there are several loose ends that, despite fostering a need for clarity, never quite resolves itself. And to assert “a twist ending” would somehow advertise an intellectual falsity. Clever it is not! Intriguing, yes! But it’s all about spectacle before all else.

Matthew Le-feuvre’s Rating: 7.5/10