Rape of the Sword
Rape of the Sword is a 1967 Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Yueh Feng and produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio, starring Li Li-Hua, Lee Ching, Chan Hung-lit, Kiu Chong and Tien Feng.
| Rape of the Sword | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Traditional | 盜劍 |
| Simplified | 盗剑 |
| Mandarin | Dào Jiàn |
| Cantonese | Dou6 Gim3 |
| Directed by | Yueh Feng |
| Produced by | Runme Shaw |
| Written by | Wong Baak-yat |
| Starring | Li Li-Hua Lee Ching Chan Hung-lit Kiu Chong Tien Feng |
| Music by | Wang Fu-ling Zhou Lan-ping |
| Cinematography | Pao Hsueh-li |
| Edited by | Chiang Hsing-lung |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Shaw Brothers Studio |
Release date |
|
Running time | 78 minutes |
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Language | Mandarin |
This film is believed by many, including Yuen Woo-ping (action choreographer for the 2000 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon),[1] to be a loose adaptation of Wang Dulu's 1941 novel Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, even though it doesn't explicitly state so.[2] It has been noted that during the early Cultural Revolution it was impossible for the Shaw Brothers Studio (located in British Hong Kong) to get in contact with Wang Dulu (who lived in mainland China) to acquire the film rights.[3]
Plot
The film starts out with two students fighting over the inheritance of their deceased master's sword called the "Green Frost Sword". Eventually, Han kills the other student and takes the sword. Han then brings it back to the king.
Later, General Zhong Ki, his daughter Zhong Jiaolong, and her servant Geng Liuniang visit the king. The king later forces the general to make his daughter marry Prince Lu Tianxia. Then at night, Geng, revealing herself to be an expert martial artist, goes to steal the "Green Frost Sword". She brings Jiaolong away to save her from marrying the prince. The prince arrives with his henchmen and a big fight occurs in which Geng seriously wounds the prince. Geng and Jiaolong then go into hiding. Jiaolong becomes Geng's disciple where she teaches her kung fu.
The king sees his son wounded and that the "Green Frost Sword" is gone. Han knows who the culprit is and the king sends him to find the suspect.
The next day Geng leaves a note to Jiaolong and leaves, but Han finds her. Geng is then revealed to be the widow of the student Han killed in the beginning of the film. They then fight and Han overpowers Geng, heavily injuring her while taking the sword back. Han assumes that she is dead. Jiaolong sets out and manages to find her teacher.
One day, Jiaolong goes out and meets a good bandit named Luo Yihu. Jiaolong fights briefly with him before bringing him home where he finds out who her teacher is. Luo turns out to be the disciple of Geng's kung fu elder sister. The three of them revolt against the evil king and get the "Green Frost Sword" back. They also meet a rebellious nobleman Master Liu who joins them.
They engage in a big fight where Han is eventually killed but Prince Lu Tian Xia manages to get away. In the end, the heroes decide to retreat and hope to get the prince later.
Cast
- Li Li-Hua as Geng Liuniang, nicknamed "Jade Fox"
- Lee Ching as Zhong Jiaolong (based on Yu Jiaolong in the novel)
- Chan Hung-lit as Prince Lu Tianxia
- Kiu Chong as Luo Yihu (based on Luo Xiaohu in the novel)
- Tien Feng as General Zhong Ki
- Tang Ti as Chief Instructor Han
- Lee Wan-chung as King Wuyi
- Yeung Chi-hing as Master Liu
- Ku Feng as Lo's man
- Fan Mei-sheng as Lo's man
- Hao Li-jen as Zhong's servant
- Tsang Choh-lam as Zhong's soldier
- Chui Chung-hok as Lo's fighter
- Chow Siu-loi as Lo's fighter
- Tung Choi-bo as Lo's fighter
- Cheung Hei as Prince's official
- Chan Ho as palace guard
- Wu Ma as Master Liu's man
- Chin Chun as Master Liu's man
- Nam Wai-lit as Lu's soldier
- Ng Ho as Lu's soldier
- Yee Kwan as Lu's soldier
- Chu Gam as Lu's soldier
- Wong Mei as Lu's soldier
- Lo Wai as Lu's soldier
- Hsu Hsia as Lu's soldier
- Chan Chuen as Lu's soldier
- Yen Shi-kwan as Lu's soldier
- Yuen Woo-ping as Lu's soldier
- Chan Siu-pang as Lo's man
- Lau Kar-leung as Han's thug
- Wong Ching as Lu's soldier
- Fung Hap-so as Lu's soldier
- Wu Por as Lu's soldier
- Chan Siu-gai as Lu's soldier
References
- "袁和平谈武侠片：写实的打来打去还能红火两年". QQ Entertainment (in Chinese). 25 February 2016.
- "亞蘿夏:入微--美中不足". China Press (in Chinese). 25 September 2014.
- "傳奇影后李麗華半世紀前就已演了「臥虎藏龍」！". United Daily News (in Chinese). 21 March 2017.