A project by producer Tsui Hark and director King Hu and a story taken from the wuxia novel “Xiao Ao Jiang Hu” which roughly translates as “Smiling Proudly in the Martial World” written by Jin Yong (Louis Cha). Anyhow, be it creative differences or sickness, Hu left the production and it was the ensemble of Ching Siu Tung, Raymond Lee, Tsui Hark himself and Ann Hui (uncredited) working together as acting directors to finish the job. However, as seen in the opening credits, Hu was the only one listed as the original director nonetheless.
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Although “Swordsman” has a plot which involves masses of characters, basically it's about a happy-go-lucky young swordsman Ling Hu Chung (Sam Hu) from the Wah Mountain Clan who gets caught up in the pursuit of retaining a Sacred Scroll, wanted by numerous clans including his own greedy Master, Yue Bu Quan (Law Siu Ming). Rumored to give any practitioner the ability to gain supernatural martial arts power, this sought after scroll has gone missing from the Imperial library. Poor Ling, who's more than content just to roam the martial world with a drink in his hand, is on a mission to deliver a simple message to Elder Lin in the dye factory when he gets heavily involved in the quest for a scroll in which he's not even interested in.
Moreover, further investigation leads to the storming of the dye factory by the evil Eunuch Gu Jin Fu and his small army from the Forbidden City who's on the case. Ling manages to escape while Zho (Yuen Wah) and his Rangers brutally kill the less fortunate Lin and his family. Accordingly, this leads to another encounter in the highlands in which the leader of the Sun Moon Holy Cult steps in and nurses him back to life after he's poisoned by Gu's right hand man Ou Yang Quan (Jacky Cheung). Hoping to retrieve the much treasured scroll, everyone rushes back to the dye factory after it's reviled to be hidden there; consequently this all ends up in a bloody showdown.
For his contribution, Ching Siu Tung won the Best Action Choreography Award and he sure made the suave, unrestrained and non-martial artist Sam Hui looking good with a sword on screen. As the movie's lead protagonist he's sympathetic, charming with a devil may care attitude and well suited to the spirit of the character as written in the novel. Traveling along with Ling is Yue Ling Shan “Kiddo”, daughter of Master Ngok, the Chief of the Wah Mountain Clan. Portrayed by a sparkling Cecilia Yip who shares some wonderful chemistry on screen and provides some light and humorous moments. The theme song “Hero of Heroes” or “Laughter in the Vast Sea” by James Wong and performed by Sam Hui won Best Original Film Song Award and plays an important part in detailing the essence of the plot and the spirit of the lead character. Veteran Wu Ma and Lam Ching Ying appear as a couple of old friends in a too brief but memorable cameo in which they also “sing” the theme song.
In contrast and remarkably good as the cunning and calculating villain Ou Yang, Jacky Cheung excels in a role which nested him the Best Supporting Actor Award. Together with his even more powerful evil boss Eunuch Gu (Lau Shun) they're indeed deadly opponents for Ling. Playing the leader of the Rangers, a master of Chi Kung who can shoot out deadly energy with his fingers, Yuen Wah is certainly another stand out. While running from the army of the Eunuch, Ling comes across the beautiful female leader Ren Ying Ying of the Sun Moon Holy Cult who takes a shine to him. Wonderfully portrayed by Sharla Cheung, Ren uses a powerful whip that can split a human wide open. While her second in command Blue Phoenix, played here by the lovely Fannie Yuen almost steals the show with her ability to summon bees and snakes as her weapons.
The success of this groundbreaking and trendsetting “Swordsman” resulted in two sequels and numerous “new-wave wuxia” and besides, it gets better with repeated viewings. Although overshadowed by “Swordsman II” probably because it has Jet Li and Brigitte Lin as leads, it's still very entertaining, full of lively, charming characters, decent action and a killer theme song that will surely haunt the viewers for days.
