Plot summary

The hero Qi Rufeng takes in Fang Gang, the son of Fang Cheng, a servant who sacrificed his life to save himself, and teaches him

martial arts, and wants to become a Head. Rufeng's daughter Qi Pei failed to fall in love with Fang Gang, so she teamed up with her senior brothers to compete with Fang, and plotted against him. Fang's right arm was cut off, and he escaped with injuries. He was rescued by the girl Xiaoman, and practiced according to the "Left Hand Atlas" left by Xiaoman's father. The magic sword in his left hand. Later, Rufeng was avenged by his enemies Smiling Erlang and the Long-Armed God and Demon. His disciples were killed and Qi Pei was imprisoned. In the crisis, Fang Gang and Xiaoman rescued Qi Pei regardless of their previous suspicions. They also killed the Smiling Erlang, the Long-armed Demon and their henchmen, and rescued the master. Afterwards, the two of them traveled far and wide hand in hand. Cast and crew list Character actor notes Fang Gang Wang Yu Xiaoman Jiao Jiao Qi Rufeng Tian Feng Qi Pei Pan Ying Zi Qi Mrs. Chen Yanyan Long-armed God and Demon Yang Zhiqing Wei Senior Brother Huang Zongxun Guo Junior Brother Fan Meisheng Fang Chenggu Feng

Introduction?: Fang Gang's father Bashuang Liu Jialiang Ding Peng Tang Jia Tang Di Zheng Tianshou Junior Zeng Chulin Wang Hao Luren Sun Junior Brother Zhang Peishan Seventh Senior Brother Zheng Lei Mars Temple Fair Children Zhao Xiong Shun'er Ninth Junior Brother Wang Guangyu Qi Rufeng Apprentice Yuan Heping Qi Rufeng Apprentice Yuan Xiangren Qi Rufeng Apprentice Liu Jiarong Qiru Feng Disciple Liu Gang guest stars Kurata Yasuaki guest stars Zhang Baishuang Ren Shiguan guest stars Chen Quan guest stars Zhou Xiaolai Producer Shao Renmei Director Zhang Che Assistant Director (Assistant) Huang Yuansheng Screenwriter Zhang Che, Ni Kuang Cinematography Ruan Zengsan Music Score Wang Fuling Editing Jiang Xinglong Art Design Chen Jingsen

In 1965, Run Run Shaw, the boss of Shaw Brothers Company, was tired of the proliferation of clichéd martial arts films and was determined to make new types of martial arts films. After several attempts, Chang Cheh became the director of the film industry in 1967. In 2001, he shot the legendary work "The One-Armed Sword" and became the first film to have a box office of over one million. Chang Cheh won the title of "Millionaire Director". This film established Chang Cheh's important position in the film industry and is known as a new martial arts film. In Chang Cheh's films, male actors really have the status of protagonists; in previous Huangmei School works, male actors were just foils. In Chang Cheh's movies, the male protagonist is a strong-willed knight with an independent personality and his own standards for dealing with others. He values ??the friendship between men and the love between his children serves as a foil.

In 1967, Shaw Brothers established itself as the king of martial arts films with its intense plot and tight shots. Chang Cheh therefore set an example of "new martial arts movies", and Ni Kuang also wrote a powerful script. The actors in the film were all chosen at the moment, such as Wang Yu as Fang Gang, Jiao Jiao as Xiao Man, Pan Yingzi as Qi Pei, and Yang Zhiqing as the long-armed demon. The story describes that when Fang was growing up, he was discriminated against and scorned by his fellow students. During a competition, Fang accidentally had his arm broken by his fellow apprentice Qi Pei and escaped with injuries. Later, he was rescued by the peasant girl Xiaoman. He originally wanted to live in seclusion in the mountains, but encountered difficulties with his master. For the sake of revenge, he used his late father's broken knife and Man's father's sword skills to fight the long-armed god and demon...

It was written by martial arts writer Ni Kuang, but the content was greatly modified by Zhang Che. Ni Kuang joked that only the five characters "Ni Kuang, a one-armed sword" were written by him. The plot tells the story of the servant Fang Cheng who dies to save the hero Qi Rufeng. Qi takes his son Fang Gang in to teach him martial arts and wants to become the master. Because her daughter Qi Pei failed to love Fang, she and her senior brother plotted against Fang in the name of a martial arts competition, causing his right arm to be cut off. Fang Gang was rescued by the girl Xiaoman and used the "Left Hand Atlas" left by his father to practice the magic sword of his left hand. The Qi family was attacked by their enemies Smiling Saburo and the Long-armed God and Demon. In the critical moment, Fang, regardless of the past grudges, worked with Xiao Man to rescue the master and Qi Pei. Carrying the golden sword representing the master's sect, he challenged the Long-armed God and Demon. Finally, he defeated the long-armed god and demon with his dead father's broken sword and barbarian father's sword skills. This film is the famous classic of the masculine director Chang Cheh. It is also the first blockbuster film with a box office exceeding one million Hong Kong dollars. It has set off a "new martial arts century" in Hong Kong and Taiwan. It is of great significance in the history of film and makes Wang Yu the first The martial arts superstar has since been extended to many sequels, and the "One-Armed Man" has also set off a new trend of disabled martial arts masters. Film review

It is undeniable that "The One-Armed Sword", co-written by Zhang Che and Ni Kuang, is suspected of borrowing from the plot of Yang Guo's broken arm in Jin Yong's "The Legend of the Condor Heroes". Fellow disciple Fang Gang (Wang Yu) was secretly affectionate, but because of his aloof and lonely nature, he became resentful, so he and his two senior brothers bullied and provoked him in every possible way.

Later, in a snowy night competition, Qi Pei was defeated, so he launched a sneak attack and cut off Fang Gang's right arm to express his anger... At this point in the film, it seems that the familiar "divine eagle" plot has not been completely separated, but overall, However, "One-Armed Sword" has a unique plot that shows the beauty of masculinity and cruelty. After Fang Gang broke his arm, he was rescued by a village girl Xiaoman. He originally wanted to withdraw from the world and live in seclusion in the mountains with her, but the reality was cruel and Xiaoman was bullied and teased. However, Fang Gang was helpless and unwilling, so he often got up in the middle of the night to practice martial arts. Xiao Man couldn't bear it, so he took out the incomplete sword manual left by his father, and finally made Fang Gang practice the "One-Armed Magic Sword", avenging his shame.

Although "The One-Armed Sword" mainly attracts the audience's attention with kung fu fighting, and the protagonist's experience of practicing special skills despite being disabled is also gripping, but the film obviously does not stop at the superficial kung fu. Gimmicks, the portrayal of the tragic hero Fang Gang is the most successful aspect of "The One-Armed Sword". --One arm, broken knife, and broken music constitute Fang Gang's complex emotional world. Being "one-armed" makes him even more lonely and angry; the broken knife represents his father's love and kindness. His biological father left the broken knife when he died. His mentor treated him like a son. Fang Gang valued love and righteousness. When the teacher was in trouble, he would go through fire and water without hesitation. The broken genealogy is not only the emotional connection of Xiaoman, but also a symbol of vendetta in the world. After learning the rudimentary kung fu, should he continue to fight bravely and fiercely, or should he go into seclusion anonymously with his lover and ignore the honor and disgrace of his master? All kinds of psychological contradictions and emotional conflicts are intertwined and stirred up with each other, making "One-Armed Sword" Overflowing with full and passionate romantic feelings, it strongly infects every viewer. Furthermore, even today, the unique rhythm and story tension embodied by "The One-Armed Sword" not only do not make people feel outdated, but are timeless and timeless, making it even more classic and charming! Film Review 1

After watching "The One-Armed Sword" and reliving Zhang Che's youthful dream, I looked back at the dead or aging parties in the highlights, and remembered that I saw middle-aged Wang Yu playing a knife on TV a few days ago (I don't know if it was... That one-armed sword) really makes people feel confused. Only the movie is still there, just like the broken knife in the film. After digital restoration, it shines brightly and is as intact as ever. Film Review 2

It is difficult to review "The One-Armed Sword", director Chang Cheh's pioneering masculine martial arts film, because the film is highly rated both within and outside the industry, and there are so many reviews that it is difficult to come up with new ideas. Even the title It is difficult to formulate.

Chang Cheh's first martial arts film was "The Three Heroes of the Border Town", but the foundational work of Zhang's martial arts should be "The One-Armed Sword". The box office of this film exceeded one million when it was released that year, and it received rave reviews. It can be said to be the first hit of Shaw Brothers' martial arts movies. Chang Cheh has since been nicknamed - Millionaire Director. This film is also the same as Hu Jinquan's "The Drunken Man" At the same time, it has been praised by the industry as the two banners of "new martial arts movies".

This "One-Armed Sword" was both a hit and a hit, but what's so good about it?

The script is clever and clever. Many people think it was written by Ni Kuang. According to gossip, Chang Cheh actually had a lot of interference in the screenwriting. This can be seen by watching the movie. There are two screenwriters, with Chang Cheh taking the lead. The main story line and main character settings are inspired by Jin Yong's martial arts novel "The Legend of the Condor Heroes". The protagonists Fang Gang, Qi Pei, and Xiaoman are suspected of being Yang Guo, Guo Fu, and Xiao Longnu. Making a fresh start at a certain passage in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" may seem like a risk, but it's actually a clever move. What is the most touching part of Jin Yong's martial arts novels? It is about the hero falling down and then making a comeback. Among them, Yang Guo's broken arm is an example, because there must be contradictions, conflicts, struggles, and releases between the fall and the end. This is the highlight. I think director Zhang Che It must be a concern for me. Regardless of whether you have watched "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" or not, the story of "The One-Armed Sword" will definitely impress you, because it is unexpected, reasonable, exciting and exciting enough. Speaking of screenwriters, I would like to mention the lines in the scripts. I think that the lines in both Chang Cheh and Hu Jinquan's martial arts movies are more sophisticated. The writing is more natural, has an ancient meaning, and is not jerky. This subtlety is worthy of watching martial arts. Great directors should study carefully to avoid making "kicking off the quilt" jokes all the time. Storytelling, seasoned. A good story also needs a storyteller. This involves many aspects, such as the complex and simplified setting of the plot, the soothing control of the rhythm, the reasonable combination of literary, opera and martial arts, the distance and distance of the camera, the combination of movement and stillness, etc. These are all areas that require the director's skill. Although it is only his second martial arts movie, Chang Cheh is extremely sophisticated in handling it. This "One-Armed Swordsman" seems to be a side-stepping sword, but in fact it is right in the middle. It can be called the most balanced work in all aspects among Zhang Cheh's dozens of martial arts films.

Even after forty years, it can still become a model for martial arts film narrative. Apart from playing with the visuals, the new mainland martial arts directors should really learn how to tell stories from this "One-Armed Sword". The actors were chosen appropriately. Wang Yu is the first generation of Chang Cheh's masculine martial arts heroes. Although his appearance is not as handsome and dashing as those who followed him, Ti Lung and Jiang David, his temperament is very special. His simple appearance in ancient costume implies a formidable murderous aura, and his eyebrows are full of murderous aura. Often depressed, he is an excellent candidate to play a tragic hero. This characteristic was fully displayed in the subsequent "Golden Swallow" and "The Great Assassin". Chang Cheh's martial arts films emphasize the loyalty of men over the love of children. "The One-Armed Sword" is a surprise, taking into account both love and friendship. The two actresses Jiao Jiao and Pan Yingzi have a lot of roles, and both of them gave good performances, which is remarkable. The action choreography is intense. Today's martial arts movie fans may feel that the action of the one-armed sword is not elegant or fancy enough. However, it is a little less fancy and elegant, but a little more dense. This seems to be more in line with the solemn and tragic style of the film. The martial arts director of this film is Liu Jialiang. In the 1960s, it was rare to be able to design the action to such an extent. This film really put a lot of thought into the martial arts. The scenes change quickly, including martial arts halls, wine shops, inns, mountain roads, darkrooms, markets, and countryside. Fists, kicks, swords, and swords can all be seen. In terms of props, not only are there many weapons, but they are also designed to complement each other, which is quite interesting. In terms of action shooting, Chang Cheh boldly innovated and used a large number of hand-held sports shots to highlight the dynamic and tension. Although this film does not see the signature slow-motion rolling shots of blood that were common in Zhang Che's later works, there are some clues. Scenes such as Fang Gang's escape after breaking his arm, and the interception and killing of the Qimen disciples are all done without hesitation in the film's thick ink and color. Rendering, the aesthetics of violence have been revealed. The theme is quite interesting. A good work should not only be enjoyable to watch, but also entertaining. You can think of "The One-Armed Sword" as a simple story of revenge between father and son, but you can also figure out something extraordinary from the simplicity. A lonely person, with only one arm left, a remaining piece of music, and a broken blade. These four image settings are by no means accidental. Each one has a word - missing, and the opposite of missing is circle. Zhang Che is actually an out-and-out literati and must think deeply when writing screenplays. People will always encounter adversity when walking in the world. It is said that fate plays tricks on people, but nothing is absolute, and there will be changes in the ups and downs. If Fang Gang had not been an orphan, he might not have had the chance to study with Qi Rufeng; if his arm had not been amputated, he might have been just a nurse, bodyguard or instructor in the future; if he had not been disabled, his swordsmanship might have been mediocre; if he had not been one-armed, he might have been in a decisive battle. Instead, he lost his life... It was the lack of love along the way that finally made it complete - a balance between love and justice. The change in fate may have been arranged by God, but the change in consciousness belongs to oneself. Fang Gang's last battle was actually not to avenge his father, but to repay a favor. Only by removing this concern could he be freed. Why can't people help themselves in the world? It's because they are surrounded by grievances and grudges. Fang Gang failed all the way, but finally got a positive result. He realized the principle of not killing in the process of killing, no longer vassal to anyone, and became an independent and complete person. After a brutal killing, he was able to escape unscathed. Such an ending is rare among Zhang Che's similar works. Looking into the cause and effect, I can't help but think of the public case spread by Zen Buddhism about Hui Ke breaking his arm to pray for the Buddha. Okay, if you can't bear it, how can you have little virtue, little wisdom, carelessness, and arrogance and hope for the supreme vehicle? This is just in vain. Huike heard this teaching, so he took a sharp knife, cut off his left arm, and placed it in front of his teacher. This reminds me of Taibai's poem "Xia Ke Xing": Kill one person in ten steps, but leave no trace in a thousand miles. When the matter is over, he brushes off his clothes and hides his body and name. Perhaps this is what Zhang Che had in mind, so he would use Yang Guo as a shell and disabled martial arts as a means. The subtleties are well-intentioned. There is one detail that seems to be missed by many people, and that is the name of the protagonist. Fang Gang means that the blood and Qi are Fang Gang, which comes from the second commandment of the "Three Precepts of a Gentleman" in "The Analects of Confucius·Ji Shi": Qi Zhuang means that the Qi and Qi are Fang Gang, and the command is fighting. Zhang Che is a literati who shoots martial arts. With his literary quality, he must know this allusion. The name "Fang Gang" is by no means chosen randomly. It should be a subtle manifestation of Zhang Che's good intentions. This masculine and bloody martial arts movie seems to be valiant and ruthless, but its intention is exactly the opposite. It is precisely a reminder to strong-blooded men: to stop fighting, it is necessary to fight. From this point of view, "One-Armed Sword" is extremely appropriate as the foundation of Chang Cheh's masculine martial arts. This stone is like a broken knife with no rules, intolerance and strangeness, inserted diagonally into the ground. But this deviation happened to be neutral and peaceful, and it was extremely stable.

Later, Chang Cheh made a large number of movies full of blood and violence, trying his best to exaggerate the tragic death scenes of heroes, which caused great controversy. But with this strange stone as the foundation, some people will understand the intention behind the violence and blood, as well as Chang Cheh's compassionate words. Sigh... "The One-Armed Sword" was famous in the world with his sword sacrifice. Later, Zhang Che made the sequels "The One-Armed Sword King" and "The New One-Armed Sword". Later, Jiahe poached Wang Yu and co-produced it with Japan. "The Blind Man vs. the One-Armed Sword" was remade by Tsui Hark into "The Knife" in the 1990s, and it can be said that there are countless residual poisons. Looking at it all, it is the "One-Armed Sword" that commands the martial arts world, and it is still dazzling to this day. Standing on the railing and thinking about the past, it is really like this; the hall was full of three thousand guests, and it was frosty for forty years with a knife. Film Review 3

"The One-Armed Sword" is Chang Cheh's famous work. It was the first in Hong Kong film history to gross a million at the box office and was the first to be shot with a handheld camera. The rhythm and beauty of its movements and the way it handles violence are also topics that will be discussed endlessly by future generations. It is said that Quentin Tarantino wanted to remake "The One-Armed Knife" because he liked the film's unique rhythm and the tension of the story. In fact, he should have already paid tribute in "Kill Bill". For example, the scene where Uma Thurman cuts off Lucy Liu's headband with a knife is very similar to Wang Yu's same action in the film when they were fighting in a wine shop. Film Review 4

The reason why "The One-Armed Sword" is of epoch-making significance is because this film can actually turn things around once it is released. It turns out that in the 1950s and 1960s, the Hong Kong film industry was in a period of prosperity and decline. Romantic and artistic (with singing) films starring female stars were the most popular, but the status of male actors had always been low. Even in 1966's "The Drunken Man", it was Zheng Peipei who played the heroine "Golden Swallow" who became famous in one fell swoop, not Yue Hua, the "Drunken Man". It was not until the release of "The One-Armed Sword" in 1967 that the lonely and masculine male protagonist Wang Yu became the new idol in the eyes of the audience. This not only wiped away the femininity on the Hong Kong screen, but also successfully replaced romantic and literary films with masculine martial arts films. , becoming the absolute mainstream in Hong Kong and Taiwan film circles.

As the pioneer of masculine martial arts films, Chang Cheh had already put forward the theoretical proposition that "masculinity should destroy femininity to save Chinese films" in the "Contemplation Essay" column of Taipei's "Lianhe Wanbao". The most powerful practitioner of this theory, during his more than 20 years of making films at Shaw Brothers, he brought out a large number of Qizai disciples who became popular stars, such as Wang Yu, Luo Lie, Jiang Dawei, Ti Lung, Chen Guantai, Fu Sheng, Qi Guanjun, Li Xiuxian, etc. , they are also the backbone of Hong Kong martial arts and kung fu films. In addition, Chang Cheh has collaborated with many emerging directors, including Bao Xueli, Gui Zhihong, etc., and has also supported behind-the-scenes newcomers such as Wu Ma and John Woo to carry forward the masculine martial arts and violent aesthetics he created since "The One-Armed Sword" and exerted an influence on future generations. Particularly extensive.

Nowadays, Wang Yu, Yuan Heping and even Quentin Tarantino in the United States have plans to remake "The One-Armed Sword". If it is made, it may not be a masterpiece, but nowadays, regardless of the audience No matter how much you like those remakes, they cannot replace the supreme status of "One-Armed Sword" in the history of Chinese martial arts movies, because classics are classics!

The film borrows Yang Guo's scene from Jin Yong's "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" With Arm's creativity, Zhang Che arranged the psychology of a western hero into the character Fang Gang. Pastoral life and the bloody storms in the rivers and lakes became Fang Gang's moral dilemma. "Returning to the mountains and fields" is similar to the symbol of "the hero is completed"-like all western heroes, After completing the redemption, he chooses to leave, because he represents killing. When he is here, the future will be bloody. Only by completing the expulsion of himself can peace come. In Fang Gang, there is the tragedy of a Western hero and the chivalrous pride of a traditional Chinese man. It can be said that this film is the martial arts film that best implements the "chivalrous spirit". Chang Cheh's masculine aesthetics took shape in "The One-Armed Sword", giving people a hearty feeling and ushering in a new era of Hong Kong martial arts movies. (Chinese Social Science Online Review)

In addition to its rich sense of lens, this film also gives modern vitality to the traditional Chinese spirit of martial arts and chivalry, and also projects the rebellious image of modern youth on the ancient chivalrous people. , in no way out of touch with the times. (1905 movie online review)