AKA: Duan chang jian, 斷腸劍
Dialogue-heavy swordplay drama from writer-director Chang Cheh and Shaw Brothers studio sees Jimmy Wang Yu as a lovelorn sword hero-turned-fugitive who opts for a suicide mission to spare his lover a life on the run.
Swordsman Li Yue (Wang Yu) murders an official responsible for the wrongful execution of his father, a respected military commander, and subsequently goes into hiding after being branded a murderer and fugitive. He leaves behind his lover Liu Zhener (Chin Ping), who is later rescued from bandits from Flying Fish Island by a wandering swordsman from Wudang Mountain named Fang Junzhao (Chiao Chuang). Junzhao also falls in love with Zhener but after learning of her love for Li Yue, he vows to reunite the couple. While searching for Li Yue, Junzhao inadvertently befriends the fugitive, now hiding in a small village where Li Yue poses as a simple horse keeper at an inn. Despite Li Yue’s deception, a genuine bond forms between the two swordsmen and a savvy gambling hall owner (Paul Wei) who learns the truth along with his daughter Xiao Mei (Chiao Chiao). Both decide to keep quiet about it. Li Yue is able to maintain his secret identity until fighters from the Flying Fish Island, led by swordsman Tu Long (Chen Hung-lieh), catch up with Junzhao to avenge the death of their brother. Li Yue breaks cover to come to the aid of Junzhao. Tu Long escapes while vowing revenge. Although she is also in love with Li Yue, Xiao Mei is humbled by his selflessness and decides to bring Zhener to him. By chance, the two women meet on the road but before they can return Li Yue decides to leave alone and take on the remaining villains on Flying Fish Island to rid Junzhao of his enemies and allow him to marry Zhener in his place. Li Yue begins his lonely assault against an army of fighters as Junzhao and Zhener rush to his aid before it’s too late. Waiting for them is the master of Flying Fish Island, the “Black Net Devil” (Tien Feng) with his fish net weapon and deadly twin dagger attack.
Genre: Wuxia, Drama
Companies: Shaw Brothers
Release Date: March 4, 1967
Producer: Run Run Shaw
Director: Chang Cheh
Action Director: Tang Chia, Lau Kar-leung
Cast: Chin Ping (Liu Zhener), Chiao Chuang (Fang Junzhao), Jimmy Wang Yu (Li Yue/Jiang Qi), Chiao Chiao (Xiao Mei), Chen Hung-lieh (Tu Long)
