The Sword (1980) - full transcript

Starring:
GORDON LIU

(Taoist White Brows!)

Co-Starring:
LO LIEH, KARA HUI

Starring:
LAM FAI-WONG, HSIAO HOU,
SHENG HSIEN, CHING CHU (KING LEE),
CHING MIAO, YEUNG CHING-CHING

Cinematography:
PETER NGOR

Unit Manager: WANG CHIH-HSIEN
Lighting: CHEN FEN, YUEN TENG-BONG
Sound Recording: TSUI PING-KWONG
Script Supervisor: CHOW JAN-WING

Props: LAI YU, WONG KWOK-WAI
Costumes: LIU CHI-YU
Makeup: WU HSU-CHING
Stylist: PENG YEN-LIEN

Assistant Martial Arts Choreographer:
SHENG HSIEN, CHING CHU (KING LEE),
HSIAO HOU

Executive Producer:
LAWRENCE WONG

Martial Arts Choreography:
LAU KAR-LEUNG

[RESIDENCE OF THE PROVINCIAL COMMANDER]



Upon Taoist White Brows' death at the
hands of Hung Man-Ting and Wu Ah-Biu,

Wu Ah-Biu along with many
Shaolin disciples were put in prison,

arousing outrage amongst the populace.

The Imperial Court, therefore, ordered
the release of the Shaolin disciples.

Arrival of Imperial Edict!

[IMPERIAL EDICT]

By the Mandate of Heaven,
the Emperor decrees:

Commander of the Two Expanses,
Ko Chun-Chung,

will execute with immediacy
these imperial orders

by method of his own discretion.

The previous dynasty's sanction
on the restoration of the Shaolin Temple

has now been lifted
and restoration is permitted.

Furthermore, of the rebels
who conspired a coup,

batches one and two of these
ethnic Han criminals will be released.



Observe the sentiment of the people;
do not betray my intentions.

This, the will of the Emperor,
shall be done!

[BY IMPERIAL DECREE,
HAN PRISONERS TO BE RELEASED]

Hey, look at this!

- Come take a look!
- Look!

Wu Ah-Biu?

[WHITE LOTUS MONASTERY]

My lord.

Arrival of his excellency,
the Provincial Commander!

Arrival of his excellency,
the Provincial Commander!

- My lord.
- Where is Martial Uncle?

Upstairs.

[SCRIPTURE PAVILION]
[WHITE LOTUS MAIN ALTAR]

[WHITE LOTUS]

What do you want from me?

I bow in greeting, Martial Uncle.

Martial Uncle,
you have to help me this time.

The Emperor has ordered
the release of the Shaolin followers.

Moreover, they are
permitted to restore Shaolin.

With this... I will not be able to
avenge Master White Brows.

I hope Martial Uncle
will lend me his strength,

and send some men to exterminate
these Shaolin dregs in secret.

Otherwise, their momentum
will only continue to grow.

This heralds disaster for the White Lotus
and for you, Martial Uncle.

Sister-in-law Biu! Siu-Ching!

Hey, the government's releasing prisoners.

Sister-in-law Biu...!

Sister-in-law Biu.

Man-Ting, such familiarity
even though I'm not married yet.

What is it? Why were you
causing a ruckus out there?

Sister-in-law Biu, the government's
releasing prisoners.

- Releasing prisoners?
- That's right.
- What about my brother, then?!

They'll be letting him go, of course.

How wonderful!

- I'd never have thought...
- I can see my family again!

What luck!

I'd never have guessed
I'd live to go home.

Brother Tong? Just let me down over there.

Alright, easy now.

Thank you.

Brother Tong, let's part ways here.

My home's just beneath
the foot of the mountain.

You should all be on your way too.

Don't worry about me.

Brother Biu, it was so we'd all be spared
that those lap dogs tormented you so...

We have to see you home safely.

That's right! What he said!

Actually...

they already knew it was Hung Man-Ting
and I who killed Bak Mei the Taoist.

They had a grudge to bear.

So they took this opportunity
to cripple me.

It had nothing to do with you.

Brother Biu, you lost your leg
in order to save all of us.

Just say the word, and we'll be there!

When my leg recovers,
I will definitely join your cause,

and exterminate these inhumane lap dogs!

Brother Biu, let us part ways here, then.

Take good care of yourself.

We'll meet again!

We'll meet again!

Sister-in-law Biu, are you alright?

- I'm alright.
- Let's hurry up, then.

- Brother Biu!
- Big Brother!

Brother Biu...!

I'll be a dad soon.

Brother Biu, your leg...?

My leg is fine. Let's go home first.

- Brother Biu. Here, let's go.
- Big Brother.

Alright, then. Let's go home.

We're really lucky this time, huh?

I haven't seen my family in so long!

I never thought I'd live to go home!

Die!

Die!

They all carked it...

Hey! Did you see Wu Ah-Biu?!

Didn't see him!

Come. Come. Drink.

- Cheers!
- Drink. Drink.

- Cheers.
- Cheers. Cheers...

Brother Biu.

What a blessing that we
can be together as a family.

Brother Biu? You and Sister-in-law
can share the joy of being a family now.

But as for Siu-Ching and I...

Man-Ting, you can rest assured.

Siu-Ching is all grown up now.

Brother Biu will make arrangements,
of course.

As soon as we become husband and wife,
we'll all be family.

Brother Biu can't use his leg.

And you're now with child.

Siu-Ching and I can give you a hand.

Siu-Ching? Let's drink to
Brother and Sister-in-law Biu.

Drink.

Siu-Ching, go back to your room.

- Brother Biu...
- Who are you looking for?!

Little Sister, be careful of the flames!

Hurry up, let's help!

Sister-in-law!

Wu's Junior, we'll save you!

Martial Brother Wu, what's going on here?!

The Imperial Court must've sent them
to eliminate us!

The Qing Court is so unjust...
We'll take their lives!

- Sister-in-law!
- Mei-Ha, are you hurt?!

Brother Biu... I'm fine...

Little Sister, take care of Sister-in-law.
We'll retreat as we fight!

Siu-Ching,
we'll go inside and pack some clothes...

Halt!

[WHITE LOTUS]

Oh... so it's the White Lotus Sect's
hermetic Taoist Master White Lotus!

Taoist Master White Lotus,

there have never been grievances
between Shaolin and the White Lotus.

Why have you attacked us?!

Have the two of you forgotten that you
killed my junior, Taoist White Brows?

Oh... I understand now.

So it was Ko Chun-Chung
who incited you to come here!

Enough talk.

Wu Ah-Biu. Hung Man-Ting.

I, Taoist White Lotus,
have come here today

to experience your abilities for myself.

Fine, I'll teach you, then!

Brother Biu, you can't use your leg.

Leave him to me!

Your Shaolin blade
is only good for gutting fish.

Actually, who needs a blade
to finish off you people?

You really want to run off
that badly, huh?

I'll let you take seven steps.

Run. Run.

Run.

Run. Run. Run...

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

Brother Biu! Tiger and Crane Double Form!

Leave it to me!

Tiger and Crane Cry Together.

My leg can't keep up!
Take Sister-in-law and run!

Brother Biu, you--

Why are you still here?!

Wipe out every last one of them!

Take that!

Your crippled crane can only peck at
dead fish and dead prawns.

Your Shaolin Fist
can't even touch my clothes.

How pathetic!

Brother Biu!

Brother Biu...!

Big Brother...!

Why are you still here?!

Take Sister-in-law and go, now!

Siu-Ching, you--

Don't worry about me.
I have to avenge my brother!

Siu-Ching!

Why are you still here?!

Little girl...

where have they gone?

In here!

Leave no stone unturned!

Sister-in-law Biu,
I'm worried about Siu-Ching.

Why don't we head home
and check up on her?

They have strength in numbers...

Siu-Ching will have more trouble
than fortune.

How about we lay low for now,
work out what to do later?

In that case...

Where can we hide?

I have a relative in Wai On Town.

Let's ask them for help.

Alright.

Here.

[WHITE LOTUS MAIN ALTAR]

- Drink.
- Martial Uncle.

Come, come, come. Let us drink.

Martial Uncle, I raise my glass to you.

- Come, come, come.
- Drink.

It was only with Martial Uncle's support
that we could accomplish our plan.

Most unfortunate though...

that Hung Man-Ting managed to escape.

Tiger and Crane Double Form
is absolutely nothing to me.

What's more, the crippled crane
is now dead.

Nevertheless, your dead master,

my junior, White Brows,
has been properly avenged.

The Master's words ring true.

Martial Uncle, I fear those
surviving dregs will...

Put your mind at ease.

Hung Man-Ting has the same temperament
as his father, Hung Hei-Gun.

Sooner or later, he'll come
personally knocking on death's door.

Keep with our original plan,

and continue the extermination
of the Shaolin disciples!

Understood.

[SHAOLIN TEMPLE RESTORATION
RECRUITMENT STATION]

- Thank you, kind patron...
- I'm here to help.

Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha.

Over here!

Put it over there!

Over there!

[SHAOLIN TEMPLE]
- This Emperor's pretty good.

- Yeah!
- He let us go,

and is letting us
rebuild the Shaolin Temple.

What was that?

- Bring the bricks over here!
- Thank you, kind patron.

There are more people
coming to help.

[RESTORATION]

Thank you, kind patron.

Please sign your name first.

No need! We're all friends here!

You can find tools over there.

No... No need! We've brought our own.

The two of you are not helping?

Alright. Alright. Alright...

Over here. Clear it out.

You are...?

Die!

Die...!

Die!

Die!

Let's go!

[WAI ON TOWN]

Knife and scissor sharpening!

It's alright if you don't buy...

- It's cheap, it's high quality!
- Knife and...

Man-Ting? Why don't we ask someone?

- Shopkeeper?
- Y-Yes? What can I get you?

I've heard there's a
papercraft shop in this town...

Oh...! You want a
papercraft shop, is that it?

There... it's the one over there.

[PAK CHEUNG PAPERCRAFT SHOP]

Ah... Madam, what can I get for you?

We're not here to shop.

May I ask if Wu Nai-Shing is in?

Wu Nai-Shing...?

There's nobody named Wu here.

His face is kind of skinny...
He's got some scabies on his head.

Oh, Shing! Papercraft Shing, right?

- Yes!
- I'll tell him to come out.

Shing!

Papercraft Shing...!

Shing! Get out here!

What a damn racket...

What the hell's going on...?

- Do you have to be so loud?
- There's someone looking for you!

Oh, Sister-in-law.

Brother Shing.

How nice of you to visit me.

Where's Brother Biu?

We're in a spot of trouble.

We want to stay here for a few days.

And this is...?

This is Brother Biu's
martial arts brother, Hung Man-Ting.

Brother Shing.

Oh...! So this is the Hung Man-Ting
who killed Taoist White Brows!

Brother Biu told me all about it.

Brother Shing? Let's not talk now.

- Take us inside first.
- Oh... sure!

Follow me.

Come over here.

Over here.

Come in.

- Take a seat, Man-Ting.
- Alright.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Brother Shing.

So, Sister-in-law?

Just what's happened to Brother Biu?

It's like this.

Brother Biu and Siu-Ching...

They've both been killed by
the Taoist Master White Lotus.

All the other released
anti-Qing patriots...

have met the same fate.

It's all just destiny.

I told him right from the start
not to practise kung fu...

Join up with those unions or whatever.

Sister-in-law? Don't be sad.

Your health is important.

You two stay here for now.

Man-Ting can give me a hand with work.

I manage things out here.

I just have to let the owner know
when he's back.

- Thank you.
- Thank you, Brother Shing.

We're all family,
let's stop talking about bad things.

Ah, right... Sister-in-law?

I'm going to take Man-Ting
over to the other room.

Man-Ting? You can sleep on my bed.

Help me tidy up over there.

I'll go fetch a bed board.

Man-Ting? Not so hard.

You have to be gentle when bending it.

Taoist Master White Lotus...!

Crane's beak?

If we take Brother Biu's Crane Form Fist,

combine it with my Tiger Form Fist,

it can become
Tiger and Crane Double Form.

With this...

the White Lotus can be defeated!

Man-Ting?

Have some tea.

- Have some tea.
- Thank you.

Brother Shing?

For as long as I've been here...

you've taken good care of me.

Don't say stuff like that!

But... I do have a request.

What kind of request?

I hope that during my training...

you'll stand-in for
Brother Biu's Crane Form Fist.

No way!

I might've learnt a bit with Brother Biu
when I was a kid,

but for as long as I've worked here,
I haven't even raised a fist.

I've forgotten it all!

Don't worry.

I've more or less mastered
Brother Biu's Crane Form Fist already.

You just have to be willing to learn.

Well...

Well, do you want revenge?

Revenge?

Well, of course I do!

It's settled, then.

Starting from today,

you and I will practise
Tiger and Crane Double Form.

Come on!

Awesome, huh?

Let's keep going!

This is my big brother Biu's
Crane Pecks at Prawn.

It's something, huh?

Tiger and Crane Advance!

Back in the day, Taoist White Brows

met his end at Brother Biu's and my
Tiger and Crane Double Form!

Tiger Crouches, Crane Cries!

Digging Sand, Crane Wings!

Hung Man-Ting,
Tiger and Crane Double Stop!

You want to stop? We can't.

Get up.

Brother Shing, you have to treat
this as that Taoist White Lotus.

Treat this as that Taoist White Lotus.

Crane beak!

Crane beak beak beak beak beak...

- It really hurts...!
- Tiger and Crane Cry Together!

Hey! I'm not Taoist White Lotus!

White Crane's Head Descends!

I've turned into...
Taoist White Crane now...!

Brother Shing, keep going.

I'm finished...

Hey! It's not covered, I'll die!

Hey! I still need that!

There's still more?

Brother Shing, how's my kung fu?

Powerful enough.

Fast enough.

Much better than when
you were training with me.

For the sake of defeating
the White Lotus,

I have to painstakingly practise
Tiger Crane Double Form.

Man-Ting.

Your Tiger and Crane Double Form
isn't bad, of course...

However...

it won't be that easy to defeat
the White Lotus.

How can I endure the shame
of being left alive?

For the sake of Brother Biu, Siu-Ching,
and all the anti-Qing patriots.

For them, I must have revenge!

Kind patron, may I ask
who you are looking for?

I am Hung Man-Ting.

I'm here for White Lotus!

Kind patron, perhaps you should
come back another day.

The Master is not seeing guests today.

He won't see me, but I'll see him!

Hung Man-Ting is coming...!

Hung Man-Ting is coming...!

Hung Man-Ting is coming...!

Taoist White Lotus!

Taoist White Lotus!

Hung Man-Ting.

Ko Chun-Chung, the Imperial Court
has already reconciled with Shaolin!

- But you!
- But my master has not been avenged!

Martial Brother Wu Ah-Biu and I
are responsible for White Brows' death!

But you colluded with
the White Lotus Sect,

murdering the Shaolin disciples
freed by the Imperial Court.

I've come here today to vanquish
you and Taoist White Lotus!

Martial Uncle was right.

Sooner or later, you'll come personally
knocking on death's door.

You coordinate your
Tiger and Crane Double Form with speed.

[LOTUS GARDEN]

Hung Man-Ting's out there!

What is all the commotion outside?

Report, Master: Hung Man-Ting is here.

Hung Man-Ting?

Ko Chun-Chung!

Leave it to me.

Understood.

Taoist White Lotus!

Hung Man-Ting,
today is the Tuen Ng Festival.

An auspicious day of cleansing
and purification according to the Tao.

Originally, I was to refrain
from taking any lives.

But you came all this way!

I'm here to send you to the Dragon King!

You're using dead Wu Ah-Biu's
Crippled Crane Form.

Turns out you're quite smart.

Your Tiger and Crane Double Form
has little effect on me.

That's still not good enough.

You think you're still a child
and want a piggyback?

Hung Man-Ting!

How can your half-arsed
Tiger and Crane Double Form

be worthy of even coming near me?

Don't even think about it.

You'll only ever be good enough
if you join that damned Wu Ah-Biu in Hell.

After him!

Chun-Chung!

Do not give chase!

- Martial Uncle.
- Send men in pursuit.

We'll get him in one fell swoop!

Come and shop here!

Buy something.

Have a look around.

It's high quality.

Choose whatever you like.

Buy something, mister!

Feel free to browse.

Thank you for your custom.

We have tables inside.

Table for two? If you're here for tea,
please come in.

Table for two?
There are tables over there.

We're looking for someone.

Oh? Feel free to look, then.

What is it?

Did you see a young man
wearing beige come in here?

Oh...! He just started working here.
It's the one who greeted you at the door.

Damn! We got tricked.

After him!

How is it?

Man-Ting, Sister-in-law's
already given birth.

You're only bringing the boiled water now?

Just look at you...
You've even got your shirt on inside-out!

I...

Congratulations. Congratulations...

Is it a boy or a girl?

Congratulations to you!
She's given birth to a big fat boy!

I'm not...

Your wife's body is very weak.

Remember, more nutritious stews for her.

I have something to do.
I'll come back tomorrow.

H-h-hey...!

Man-Ting?

Where did you go on the day I gave birth?

Brother Shing couldn't even
ask you for help.

- I...
- I'll do the talking. Sister-in-law?

Man-Ting refused to tell you
this whole time