The movie starts with the Chinese military trying out new guns and cuts to our hero David Chiang, the most popular man about town having a carefree day. Ku Feng has been following him and before you really get settled into your seat David Chiang, Ti Lung, and Ching Li are in over their heads in a plot to steal guns and ammunition from Ching Li's army general father to support a revolution. No real motivation was ever established other than it might be fun perhaps?

David Chiang, Ti Lung, and Chang Cheh came to be known as Iron Triangle of movie making. I totally respect that except this early movie is more far more lightweight a metal along the line of Aluminum Triangle or even Tin Triangle. The first time I watched it I made a few notes and ended my review with the fact I just did not like it. I watched it again about four years later to watch it again and write this review.

For certain there are simply not enough fights in this movie to satisfy my appetite for martial arts. Also I believe guns have no business in martial arts movies yet here we have a well- armed modern army. The train chase sequence is the worst piece of film in Shaw Brothers history. The train appears to be moving so slowly the pursuers on horseback could walk up to it. The cuts between outdoors and studio are such a total mismatch and so obviously do not fit that they are cartoonish. The models used are total failures.

There is one good thing about this movie - the audio commentary.

I am sticking with my first impression and rating this movie as below average. It will not be on my list to watch again. I am done here.

Anonymous Heroes (1971) was an interesting step for Shaw Brothers famous duo of Lung Ti and David Chiang. In this 1930's era storyline, the two actors star as a pair of wild dudes who like to have fun and raise hell whenever they can. They both like the same girl who hangs out with them whenever they feel like doing something real stupid. But one day, the trio come across a group of revolutionaries who are plotting to take out a local warlord. One of them strikes up a friendship with David and Lung and ask if they'll do a job for them for some quick money. During one of their "raids" for guns, their new found friend is killed. Before his death, they make a blood oath, finish the job of stealing the rifles and get the promised cash so his comrades can continue the revolution. Not a pair of guys who renege on such a serious pact, they decide to carrying on with the mission and try and contact his fellow revolutionary. Along the way the trio steal guns, get arrested, escape and go out like the WILD BUNCH. After dying in a bloody, honorable and dramatic fashion, the three friends forever become heroes in the revolution. They gave up their lives for a cause that they slowly begin to believe in.

A strange film that was like a hybrid of BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID and THE WILD BUNCH. I was surprised by how different it was. The movie was light hearted fare (until the bloody heroic end) and the actors seemed to be enjoying themselves. I saw the newly restored version that was released by Celestial Pictures. The movie was shown in beautiful Shawscope with vibrant colors and a restored soundtrack.

Highly recommended!

THE ANONYMOUS HEROES is another collaboration between the two biggest Shaw Brothers stars of the era, Ti Lung and David Chiang, and director Chang Cheh, Shaw's number one action director. This one has more of a contemporary setting than many of their other movies, and sees Li and Chiang playing a couple of roguish rebels who decide to help out revolutionary Ku Feng in his battle against some oppressive warlords and their armies.

It's a typically action-packed adventure, filled with the brim with the frenetic fight scenes that Shaw are known and loved for, and a film that's very easy to like. The set-piece dominated narrative seems to have much in common with some of the westerns being made during the era and one train set-piece in particular hammers home those similarities no end. Lung and Chiang are both likable presences and are well supported by Feng, who has a more important role than usual, and actress Ching Li. There are even bit parts for Chen Sing, good old Simon Yuen and his offspring, Phillip Ko, and Fung Hark-On.

THE ANONYMOUS HEROES features a straightforward story and lots of impressive fight scenes. It's also got a surprising lightness of touch, with plenty of comedy and humour thrown in along the way, although of course things develop into a deadly serious climax which is inevitably the highlight of the whole movie. It's solid Shaw; not one of the studio's absolute classics, but a thoroughly entertaining movie nonetheless.