The Big Boss

Enter a legend. Bruce Lee’s return to the Hong Kong film industry after a decade in America proved to be his big breakthrough, launching him to instant superstardom and setting a new standard for kung fu heroics.

Lee commands the screen with his gravitas and explosive physicality in the role of a Chinese immigrant working at a Thai ice factory and sworn to an oath of nonviolence. When he discovers that the factory’s ruthless higher-ups are running a secret heroin ring and offing their own workers, his commitment to pacifism is put to the test. With his undeniable charisma and fluid, lightning-fast martial arts style, Lee is a revelation, streaking across the screen with a speed and power the likes of which had never been seen before.

• Director: Lo Wei
• Country: Hong Kong
• Year: 1971
• Runtime: 100 minutes