The Wandering Swordsman

The Wandering Swordsman, directed by Chang Cheh, charts the rambling adventures of David Chiang's eponymous ranger, a lightly supernatural presence in Ming Dynasty era China who combines the altruistic intentions of Robin Hood with a weightless mischief reminiscent of JM Barrie's Peter Pan. There's also something of Toshiro Mifune's sauntering bodyguard about the character too; an expert swordfighter trapped between two equally matched factions. However, where the older (itchier) Yojimbo was able to leverage his spectacular martial arts skills to manipulate his competing troublemakers, Chiang's much younger man is himself hoodwinked and exploited. Although Chang's film takes a significant amount of time getting there, Chiang's rootless swordsman is, eventually, tricked into working alongside a group of dastardly thieves, cast as their difference maker. 

While a litany of disguised officials and treacherous bandits go about their circuitous treasure transportation, director Chang repeatedly returns to a Cheshire Cat image of the smiling Chiang. The actor is photographed in the manner of a pop-star pin-up, his pearly white teeth shining out of the creeping greenery that hangs like a haze over these claustrophobic Shaw Brothers sets. No matter the occasion, Chiang is the subject. This pointed attempt at star making could come off as obnoxious where The Wandering Swordsman less dedicated to chewing up its characters: Bolo Yeung, in his feature film debut, has his face cut in half while the heroic Chiang is skewered more than once, forced to wrench swords from his oozing trunk. Chang and cinematographer Hua Shan stack their frame with layered limbs and glistening weapons, perhaps as a way to generate depth on these stock, artificial locations. The combat sequences that conclude The Wandering Swordsman may be filled with the theatrical twirling and tumbling typical of this period, but Chang's camera doesn't stand apart from the bloody violence. Instead of observing at a discreet distance, our viewpoint rushes headlong into the sparking flurries, making itself a willing participant in the unfolding slaughter.