The Lizard(1972)

The Lizard is a 1930s Shanghai heist film following a Robin Hood-style thief who steals from the rich to aid the poor. Corrupt police chief Chen Can receives orders from Japanese occupiers to capture the elusive criminal, unaware that the Lizard is actually Cheng Long, a meek officer working under his command. By night, Cheng dons a mask and prowls the streets as the masked vigilante, outwitting Chen at every turn while pursuing his mission of righteous redistribution. Caught between duty to his superiors and sympathy for the Lizard's cause, Chen finds himself chasing a man he doesn't recognize—one who operates in plain sight within his own precinct. The film balances action and intrigue as Shanghai's criminal underworld collides with colonial-era politics and personal conscience.