This extraordinary comedy-drama (a sequel to 1973’s hit Back Alley Princess) was shot entirely on location in San Francisco. Lo Wei’s grasp of American realities is rather tenuous, but that’s no problem when the entire fiction turns on the question of Shangguan Lingfeng’s true gender. (She was the Brigitte Lin of her day, known for playing boys – and the gags are no less louche for being played out in the more innocent 1970s.) She and Sam Hui reprise their roles as streetwise ‘brothers’ from the earlier film; they go stateside to look for a millionaire’s missing daughter (played by a very young Sylvia Chang), only to find her dealing dope on campus and using herself… Tony Rayns
