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Thomas Merino
The One-Armed Swordsman is a 1967 Hong Kong wuxia film produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio.[2] Directed by Chang Cheh, it was the first of the new style of wuxia films emphasizing male anti-heroes, violent swordplay and heavy bloodletting. It was the first Hong Kong film to make HK$1 million at the local box office, propelling its star Jimmy Wang to super stardom.
This film eventually became the first in the One-Armed Swordsman trilogy. A sequel was released in 1969 called Return of the One-Armed Swordsman, followed by The New One-Armed Swordsman in 1971, all directed by Chang Cheh. It has since achieved classic status in Hong Kong cinema. In the Hong Kong Film Award's 2005 poll, The One-Armed Swordsman was voted as the 15th best Chinese-language film.
The Golden Sword school is attacked by bandits. The servant Fang Cheng sacrifices his life to protect his master Qi Ru Feng. In gratitude, Qi accepts the dying Fang Cheng's son, Fang Kang, as his student. Years later, Fang Kang is scorned by his snobbish fellow students because of his poor background. Deciding that he will only cause trouble for his master, Fang Kang leaves the school only to run into his classmates and his master's spoiled daughter, Pei Er. In the ensuing fight Fang's right arm is cut off by Pei Er, who is angry at his indifference towards her. Stumbling away, Fang falls off a bridge into the passing boat of a peasant girl Xiao Man.
Xiao Man nurses him back to health and the two fall in love. Fang Kang is nevertheless depressed as he is unable to practice his swordsmanship. Reluctantly, Xiao Man gives him a half-burnt kung-fu manual which she had inherited from her now dead parents. With its help, Fang Kang is able to master a new one-armed style of swordplay, making him stronger than before.
Meanwhile, master Qi Ru Feng is preparing for his 55th birthday and has invited all of his students to the celebration to choose a successor from amongst them so that he can retire from the martial arts world. However, his old enemies the Long-armed Devil and the Smiling Tiger Cheng are taking the opportunity to destroy Qi Ru Feng. Using a specially designed "sword-lock", they ambush and kill Qi's students travelling to the celebration.
Fang Kang inadvertently learns of the plot and, breaking his promise to Xiao Man not to involve himself in the martial arts world, rushes to save his master. He is delayed en route by the Long-Armed Devil's accomplices, and when he arrives the Long-Armed Devil has already killed most of the students and wounded Qi Ru Feng. In a vicious battle, Fang Kang manages to kill the Long-Armed Devil, but chooses to return to Xiao Man and become a farmer instead of taking his master's place at the school.
The film's box office success earned Chang Cheh the epithet "One Million Dollar Director",[1] established Jimmy Wang Yu as a star, and helped to secure the popularity of the Shaw Brothers Studio and martial arts cinema.
The modern reception of the film in Hong Kong and Taiwan is positive.[3][4] At the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards various Asian film critics, film makers and actors voted for the top Chinese films from Hong Kong, Taiwan and China.[4] The One-Armed Swordsman was listed at 15th place on the list.[4] In 2011, the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival had 122 industry professionals take part in the survey.[3] The voters included film scholars, festival programmers, film directors, actors and producers to vote for the 100 Greatest Chinese-Language Films.[3] The One-Armed Swordsman was listed at 73rd place on the list.[3]
Chang Cheh directed a sequel in 1969, Return of the One-Armed Swordsman, which was also produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio with Jimmy Wang reprising his role as Fang Kang (or Fang Gang). In 1971, Cheh made a third one-armed swordsman film for Shaw Brothers, The New One-Armed Swordsman, starring David Chiang as a different one-armed swordsman.
The popularity of these films led to imitations by other studios and Jimmy Wang playing similar one-armed characters on several occasions, beginning with the Japanese film Zatoichi and the One-Armed Swordsman in 1971, in which he was paired with the blind swordsman Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu). Also in 1971, Wang directed and starred in One-Armed Boxer, combining elements of the One-Armed Swordsman and The Chinese Boxer films he had previously made with Shaw Brothers. In 1976 he appeared in three other films with this trope: Master of the Flying Guillotine (a sequel to One-Armed Boxer), One-Armed Swordsman Against Nine Killers and One Armed Swordsmen, which starred and was co-directed by Jimmy Wang and David Chiang, playing rival one-armed swordsmen.
Wang Kang, the one-armed swordsman, gets himself in hot water when he rescues a young boy from execution, forcing him into the life of a hunted outlaw.Zatoichi soon meets the same boy along with his dying father and agrees to take care of him for the time being. However, when he meets Wang Kang, the language barrier between them causes a misunderstanding that leads to a confrontation that only one will emerge from safely. Edit Translation
The movie New One-Armed Swordsman, released in 1971, is a martial arts film set in ancient China. The film stars David Chiang as Fang Gang, the protagonist and a skilled swordsman who loses his arm in a fight against the villainous Lu Ji-teng, played by Lung Ti. Ching Lee plays Fang Gang's love interest, while Lung Ti's mistress is played by Lisa Chiao Chiao.
The film opens with Fang Gang as a young boy, living with his parents who are both skilled swordsmen. Fang is sent to a martial arts school to continue his training, where he meets a girl named Xiaoyi (played by Ching Lee). The two become close friends, but their relationship is disrupted when the school is attacked by Lu Ji-teng and his men. Fang Gang's parents are killed in the attack, and Fang himself loses his arm.
Years later, Fang Gang is now a skilled one-armed swordsman, but he has retreated from the world and lives alone in a remote area. His peaceful existence is disrupted when Xiaoyi arrives at his home, seeking his help against Lu Ji-teng who has returned and is now causing havoc in the martial arts world. Fang reluctantly agrees to help, and the two set out on a dangerous journey to confront Lu Ji-teng and his men.
The film is notable for its exciting and carefully choreographed fight scenes, which showcase the skills of the actors and the beauty of the swordplay. One particularly memorable scene sees Fang Gang battling a group of Lu's men in a bamboo forest, using his one arm to great effect as he dodges and parries their attacks.
Along the way, Fang Gang and Xiaoyi encounter various other characters, including a group of prisoners who they free from a cruel warden, and a mysterious swordsman named Ironhead who agrees to help them in their quest. Ultimately, they face off against Lu Ji-teng in a climactic battle that tests their skills and resolve.
New One-Armed Swordsman is a classic martial arts film that has stood the test of time, and is still popular with fans of the genre today. David Chiang's performance as Fang Gang is particularly noteworthy, as he conveys the character's stoicism and determination despite his disability. The film's themes of loyalty, honor, and revenge are also timeless, and give the story a timeless quality that resonates with audiences to this day.
Overall, New One-Armed Swordsman is a must-see for fans of martial arts films, and for anyone looking for an exciting and engaging story set in ancient China. With its richly drawn characters, thrilling fight scenes, and timeless themes, it remains a beloved classic of the genre.
We are here in the mythology of the one-armed swordsman. Jimmy Wang Yu is this one. He loses his arm to a woman who loves him and hates him at the same time. He leaves his Kung Fu school to live in anonymity. But his past will force him to put forward his talent because of a woman.
The scheme is ultra classic. And the form too. Chang Cheh will make a more violent version of the film with the brilliant La Rage Du Tigre (1971) which will be much more violent, furious and masculine (the women have no influence on the story) and also less mawkish than this one which lacks subversion in an unsurprising framework. Jimmy Wang Yu does what he can, but he is not really helped, supported, transported, by the other actors who are a bit bland or else in sneers, nor by the two actresses (for the only two female characters) who are in the embarrassed pettiness. The fights are not particularly memorable, except for the super villain (whom we discover at the end) with his particular tools and his secret boot that allow us to get out of the routine of the usual fights for this kind of production.
"One-Armed Swordsman" is an early work of Chang Cheh, the practical godfather of kung fu cinema. Without wasting any time with describing the plot I'll dive into what I liked and didn't like.
This one is chalk full of great themes: ascension to manhood, honour, revenge, jealousy, hatred, redemption. Fairly unique in this genre is the love story between Fang Gang and Hsiao Man, which is actually quite touching.
I found it interesting, when the rival clan threatens Fang Gang's former teacher and school, how he has to choose between the martial way (protecting his teacher, seeking revenge and entering the cycle of violence again), and settling down in a comfortable life with Hsaio Man. The idea that the only thing that can save the school is Fang Gang's broken sword, that his father left him upon dying, was poetic.
The plot has all the makings of a great martial arts film. Where the film falls down though, is in the badly choreographed sword fights and really cheap sets and bad lighting. The swordfights are often wooden and slow.
I ask anyone who has raved about this film here, to look at the choreography critically... it does not come close to the best in the genre.
Granted, the fact that it is an early work (1967) probably explains this, but still does not change it.