The Big Boss

The Big Boss (; originally titled Fists of Fury in the United States) is a 1971 Hong Kong action martial arts film produced by Raymond Chow and starring Bruce Lee in his first major film in a lead role. The film also stars Maria Yi, James Tien, Tony Liu, and Nora Miao. Originally written for Tien, the leading role was given to Lee instead when the film's original director, Ng Kar-seung, was replaced by Lo. The film was a critical success and excelled at the box office. Lee's strong performance overshadowed Tien, already a star in Hong Kong, and made Bruce Lee famous in Asia and eventually the world. The film went on to gross nearly worldwide (equivalent to approximately adjusted for inflation), against a tight budget of $100,000, approximately times its original investment. It was the highest-grossing Hong Kong film up until Lee's next film, Fist of Fury (1972). Plot Cheng Chao-an is a Chinese man from Tangshan, Hebei, who moves to Pak Chong, Thailand to live with his adopted family and to work in an ice factory. He meets his cousin Hsu Chien and Hsu's younger brother by accident when Hsu stands up to local street thugs who steal dumplings from his brother. Cheng refrains from getting involved despite being tempted to, as he swore to his mother to never participate in any fighting and wears a jade amulet around his neck as a reassurance of his pledge. Cheng begins his work at the ice factory. When an ice block is accidentally broken, a bag of white powder — obviously illegal drugs — falls out. Two of Cheng's cousins pick up the bag and are told to see the manager later that night. The factory is actually a front for a drug smuggling ring led by Hsiao Mi (a.k.a. the Big Boss). When Cheng's cousins refuse to join them, the manager sends his thugs to kill them and dispose of their bodies, thereby preserving the secret. Hsu Chien and Ah Pei, another one of Cheng's cousins, go to Hsiao Mi's mansion to find out what happened to the two cousins. Hsu doubts Hsiao's claims that he doesn't know anything and threatens to go to the authorities. Hsiao sets his gang on the duo as a result, and after a brutal battle, they are both killed as well and their bodies hidden. When the Chinese workers at the ice factory learn that Hsu is missing as well, they refuse to work, and start a riot against the Thai management, who are joined by a group of hired thugs.