The Sentimental Swordsman and the Heartless Sword

This film (drama)Also known as魔剑侠情，is aHong Kong, ChinaProducerwomen sex，At1981Released in year 。The dialogue language isMandarin Chinese，Current Douban rating7.3(For reference only)。

This film is adapted from Gu Long's classic novel "The Sentimental Swordsman and the Heartless Sword," directed and written by Chu Yuan, featuring Ti Lung as "Little Li Flying Dagger" Li Xun Huan. During the peak of the new wave of martial arts films, the trio of "Gu Long, Chu Yuan, Ti Lung" became a renowned iron triangle. Chu Yuan is the director who has brought the most Gu Long's martial arts novels to the big screen, and Gu Long acknowledged that Chu makes films faster than he writes books, while Ti Lung is the leading male star in most of Chu's films. Fu Sheng plays "Left-Handed God Blade" Jing Wu Ming, Eric Tsang portrays the hero Ah Fei, Ching Li plays Li Xun Huan's cousin Lin Shi Yin, Ku Feng plays the gang leader of the Money Gang, Shangguan Jin Hong, and Chu Xiang Yun plays Lin Xian Er, who captivates Ah Fei. This film is claimed to be Chu Yuan's one hundredth work, still maintaining his recent style of Gu Long's martial arts films. It cannot be said to be groundbreaking, but Chu Yuan undeniably puts in a solid effort. If you have not grown tired of Gu Long's melancholic and inebriated heroes, and Chu Yuan's "maple flowers and moonlit nights," along with their old and new combination in an artistic flair, this film does have some entertainment value. Chu Yuan had previously filmed "The Sentimental Swordsman and the Heartless Sword" (i.e., Little Li Flying Dagger), but only covered the first half of the original work; this film represents the latter half, with both parts already aired on television. Little Li Flying Dagger never misses; he is also a refined gentleman, deeply valuing loyalty and easily falling for tricks, losing both home and love, becoming a nostalgic "blood-spitting poet." This type of character is indeed somewhat unique in the martial arts world. After the major twists from the previous installment, the film starts with Ti Lung quietly returning to the home of his beloved to hide away, gazing at her beautiful figure from afar without meeting her until a crisis arises, prompting him to appear and face danger. The reunion of old lovers takes place on a snowy night, where Chu Yuan conveys a touch of sorrow, and the entire film is imbued with this sense of helplessness. This past romance is briefly touched upon in the film without dragging it out, and the story still mainly revolves around adventure and intrigue. Many skilled fighters seek out Little Li to duel for "martial arts rankings," and Little Li must deal with the overwhelmingly powerful leader Gu Feng, resulting in numerous martial arts scenes that remain engaging. The main plotline follows Little Li's search for his old friend Ah Fei's assistance, but Ah Fei is entranced by the scheming beauty Lin Xian Er, rendering him nearly useless. Thus, Little Li uncovers this woman's false facade and works to motivate Ah Fei again, adding some interesting elements to the narrative. If the last film depicted betrayal in friendship, this one portrays betrayal in love. Eric Tsang plays the pure-hearted Ah Fei, while Chu Xiang Yun plays Lin Xian Er (in the last film, it was Ching Li). Additionally, Yue Hua and Liu Yong portray skilled fighters known for their reputations and loyalty, while Lo Lieh plays a quirky wanderer, all presented well. Notably, Fu Sheng's portrayal of the gang's assassin stands out; his right-hand mystery adds unexpected dramatic flair. While this film is rich in plot and characters, the story is not as complete as in the previous installment, and viewers unfamiliar with the prior film or the original work may find the character relationships somewhat confusing. Fortunately, Chu Yuan significantly cut down the original material, allowing for a relatively smooth and lively plot development, with special attention to the settings and cinematography, resulting in a visually stunning experience. However, strictly speaking, although Chu Yuan puts in effort, he noticeably lacks fresh ideas. The martial arts scenes feel familiar, as Ti Lung's duels with Yue Hua and Liu Yong have some ingenuity, but others become increasingly chaotic. The worst part is that during the battle between the two top fighters Gu Feng and Fu Sheng against Ti Lung, they appear clumsy and devoid of skill, completely mismatching their levels. Little Li's flying daggers darting around like ping-pong balls also seem somewhat distorted. Chu Yuan's filming of Gu Long has clearly become somewhat numb; he barely manages to regain his spirit but sometimes loses feeling entirely, akin to anesthetic numbness. In the previous film "Heroes Without Tears," Zhao Yazhi, after severing a leg, can still jump away on one leg calmly, while this time Eric Tsang toward the end gets pierced through the chest by a long sword yet behaves as if nothing happened. This is the best proof of the director's sensory numbness. The film concludes in this manner.