Have Sword, Will Travel (1969) User Reviews

Early Shaw Brothers classic

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 25 August 2017]

HAVE SWORD WILL TRAVEL is one of the earliest Shaw Brothers films featuring the classic 'iron triangle' of youthful stars David Chiang and Ti Lung alongside Shaw's best director, Chang Cheh. Be warned, this is more of a character piece than an action movie, given that the only real action is at the opening and the climax, but for once the non-action bits are just as engaging as the swordplay.

Ti Lung and Ching Li play a betrothed couple who become involved in protecting an upstanding lord's valuables. Unfortunately the lord has been left weak and a ruthless bandit leader, played by studio regular Ku Feng, has designs on the shipment. He sets up an ambush, at which point the wandering swordsman hero David Chiang comes into play. What follows is beautifully-shot and involving, with Lung playing a pretty unpleasant character while Li holds things together through her charm. Chiang is typically excellent throughout. The lavish, lengthy climax offers all the bloodshed, fine choreography, and heroism you've been waiting for.

Pretty good

[Jeremy_Urquhart · 7/10 · 14 January 2023]

An interesting set-up leads into a slower, sometimes confusing middle act, but then the final act comes around and delivers most of the film's action (and it's all very good action).

Maybe there's a little more directness to 1970s Shaw Brothers movies, but this earlier one is interesting, given it feels like more than "just" a martial arts movie (and there's really not much fighting for the first hour or so, saving basically all of it until the end).

The fairly intricate plot is one I appreciated more than I truly got sucked into, but it's there, it's definitely not bad, and made for a nice change of pace from the more standard revenge themed stories, or stories about rival martial arts schools fighting each other.

A Work of Passion

[joelnova93 · 9/10 · 17 August 2019]

The premise is simple, but I'll admit you'll have to get through a few odd curveballs the writers threw in just to get the story moving along in an interesting way. A plot summary made me assume that a 20 year-old Ti Lung, playing Brother Siang, was not going to play an invincible hero again, and I was a bit off-put when he quickly dispatched the first group of baddies skillfully with his sword.

But then it all made sense when David Chiang's Lo Yi shows up. Not only is his character incredibly strong, but this actor is always so impressive. At first he appears a bit too scrawny, but the more you watch, the more charisma and gravity he adds to the film. And this gravity is played off even better when Piau Piau, Siang's fiancee, takes a liking to Lo Yi.

All the characters are strongly written, and a theme for their development seems to be one about pride, and how strongly they are all willing to protect it. The world and lore seems quite alive too: The bad guys are really notorious, and the good guys are really heroic. We follow Lo Yi for most of the film, making us feel like we are stepping into a bigger world than we first thought, and the story plays out similarly for a Lo Yi, a man with a simple goal; a place to sleep and a job to feed himself and his rather magnificent horse. The characters are definitely living in a immersive world. I myself don't want to be there as it is brutal, but I feel like the world is alive and I'm glad I get to watch it all.

The sounds are great, with recurring musical themes and some of my favorite Shaw Bros. stock sounds, which I also recall from another David Chiang film "The Heroic Ones".

The action in this film is intense, with some of the directing feeling experimental; usually a big focus on fast acrobatics offset by some isolated slow motion scenes as well. Director Chang Cheh seemed unbound for this film, and I have truly never felt more emotional tension in any other Shaw Bros. film so far due to the precise level of emphasis and grandeur displayed in his directing.

HAVE SWORD WILL TRAVEL is worth the watch, and overall a beautiful character driven story.

An Excellent & Dreamy Shaw Brother's Classic

[gotmilked · 10/10 · 22 February 2004]

I've been disappointed by a variety of Chang Cheh films in the past, including the overly-vaunted American-guy's kung-fu favorite "5-Venoms", but this flick is just WAY MORE tastier; in fact, it may very well be my Chang Cheh favorite thus far, next to Boxer From Shantung. The coolness of character Lo Yi (played by the then VERY young Jiang Dawei aka:David Chiang) and his dominating ability (as well as those of his fighting-skills/girl-friend rival Siang, played by the then VERY young Di Long aka:Ti Lung), and the burning-cool chivalry between him and young master Siang make you wanna brandish a sword and act all cool in front of your mirror; just like how a movie like The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly would make you wanna grab a gun and act cool with it. Lo Yi inadvertently becomes part of a security force transporting and protecting a big load of gold being transferred from Luoyang town to government reserves in Kaifeng, and his presence ultimately proves vital as an overpowering number of bandits ambushes the goverment caravan. This movie also has one of the MOST INTENSE & MOST POIGNANT HEARTBREAK SCENES to EVER adorn the silver-screen..... that's the scene where Lo Yi discovers that the girl he most desires and love (female bodyguard Yun Piaopiao, played by the then VERY young Li Jing aka: Li Ching) is engaged to his semi-friendly rival Siang. Lo Yi then envisions his bitter death in a bloody fight scene that culminates in grueling slow motion, a scimitar that penetrates through his bosom; and then the heart-wrenching vision of Yun Piaopiao and master Siang galloping away on their steeds into to sunny green hills. Needless to say, the former premonition all comes true (except that the scimitar impales his lower abdomen, for a slower and even more dramatic broken-hearted death; almost like a self-fulfilled prophecy of hopeless end that is nothing short of bittersweet bloodbath. Very touching movie that's certainly a classic Shaw Brother's artsy-martial-arts flick with an underlying message of love..... oh, did I mention lots and lots of hard death and gallons and gallons of classic bright red SB studio blood? Definitely an all-time classic from 1969!! 4+ stars outta 5!!!

Johnny Chan 22 Feb. '04

No school like Old School...

[poe426 · 10/10 · 4 August 2011]

Before Ti Lung and David Chiang and Chang Cheh gave us DUEL OF THE IRON FIST, there was HAVE SWORD, WILL TRAVEL. We're introduced to Lung as he attempts to woo the lady Li. He's interrupted by some pesky members of the Flying Tiger Clan, but he casually dispatches them as he puts OTHER moves on Ms. Li. Chiang, meanwhile, is accosted when he tries to enter a seven-story pagoda to rest for the night: it's inhabited by members of- surprise- The Flying Tiger Clan, and they don't want him around. He, too, proves too much for the gang but moves on of his own accord. Lung and Chiang bump into each other and have a brief but inconclusive encounter... during which Chiang and Li lock eyes and, well... The trio effectively becomes a triangle at that point. Later, when Chiang arrives at Lung's Invincible Village still looking for a place to bed down for the night, Lung attempts to impress Chiang by turning a chopstick into a PAIR of chopsticks with one stroke of his sword. Chiang, rising to the challenge, splits a chopstick into THREE separate chopsticks with a single thrust... Needless to say, these guys are GOOD swordsmen. In Akira Kurosawa's THE HIDDEN FORTRESS, a hidden fortune is transported by the surviving princess of a fallen House and her bodyguard (Toshiro Mifune). Here, the shipment is to be watched over by Lung and Chiang (who volunteers, after putting two and two together and being threatened with death, though his volunteering has nothing whatsoever to do with fear of Death). In an interesting sequence, Chiang has a vision of his own death and its aftermath (which happens to come true). Although many of Chang Cheh's movies end abruptly, HAVE SWORD, WILL TRAVEL allows for a longer and more poignant resolution. There's a GAME OF DEATH type of ascension to the top of the pagoda and the often slow motion Finale prefigures the ending of DUEL OF THE IRON FIST (with Chiang, at one point, sporting more arrows than a pin-cushion). Just one of the many reasons why I think Easterns are better than Westerns.

Good stuff

[arisaema · 10/10 · 12 May 2002]

Highly entertaining swordplay picture from Chang Cheh, scripted by I Kuang. David Chiang and Ti Lung are both well-cast. For once, the love story part even adds something -- stay tuned for one of the best oh-so-THAT'S-what-you-two-are-up-to flashes ever committed to film. Great action repays a couple of viewings.

While the plot is a bit simple, the fight scenes are incredible.

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 25 October 2012]

Not surprisingly due to the title, this Shaw Brothers film features TONS of magnificent swordplay. In fact, it's among the best of the genre when it comes to the choreography in the fight scenes--it's top notch. And, while I am not a huge fan of 'wire-fu' (making characters fly about in impossible ways using invisible wires and lifts), these were also handled well. The only shortcoming is a typical one--as the plot is a bit simple and the characters a bit one-dimensional...or at least most of them.

Master Ying Ke-Feng is an incredible swordsman--so incredible that he's entrusted with the job of transporting silver. However, what his enemies don't yet know is that he is ill and cannot do the job. So, he has his two best students, Siang (who is a bit of an idiot) and Piau Piau lead the procession. Not surprisingly, there are a group of baddies (the Flying Tiger gang) who plan on intercepting the shipment. The balance could be shifted one way or the other if an amazing swordsman, Lo (David Chiang), joins either side. As for the baddies, they are quite eager to procure his services. But Lo is a terrific guy--and seems very captivated by the beautiful Piau Piau. What will happen in the end? Yup...a giant free-for-all battle between good and evil! Throughout most of the movie, Siang behaves stupidly--distrusting and mistreating poor 'ol Lo at every turn. This became a bit tiresome after a while, but the initial one-upsmanship scene between them (involving candles and chopsticks) is a classic--and a lot of fun to watch. Perhaps this is because Siang is also in love with Piau Piau and is worried Lo might put the moves on her. All I know is that it's hard not to like Lo--and pretty easy to dislike Siang--even if he is playing for the good guys. Overall, the film works exceptionally well because Lo is a cool character (with some depth) and the fight scenes are done so well. This one packs a few surprises at the end as well--making it a must-see for lovers of the genre.

Sword Master

[kosmasp · 9/10 · 22 December 2020]

David Chiang and Ti Lung ... that might just be enough. I know it is generally speaking for me. But I might not be "normal" or what others consider to be normal I reckon. So if you are not aware of Shaw Brothers movies and also are blissfully unaware of who those two are that I mentioned (also star in this movie), than I might have to elaborate a bit more.

Now those two have done quite a few movies and especially David Chiang is one of my personal favorites. And it is not just because of his fine looks (that may be something notewhile for those attracted to him I reckon though), but because of his charisma and what he displays on screen. He played so many roles that required him to play with his sword (a real or rather plastic one that is), that he surely learned a lot. Ok so he also used trampolines a lot - all that jumping. But the sword and kung fu fighting is the one that matters.

Especially in a movie like this, were he and Ti Lung seem to have issues with each other. Trying to impress a woman but not just that ... because where do ones loyalties lie? And what are the motivations? Is it just the moral compass that seems to be very nicely tuned? Or is there something else? Questions arise and answers are given ... but overall there is a lot of action to be seen! And quite some blood spilled (very fake blood, but still)

Shaw Brothers Classics: Have Sword Will Travel.

[Captain_Couth · 9/10 · 17 August 2005]

Have Sword Will Travel (1969) is another blood soaked tale featuring two of the Shaw Brothers biggest stars (David Chiang and Lung Ti). This costume piece from China is about a royal carriage train being guarded from a group of bandits. Lung Ti is appointed to lead the train. Along the way, a savage band of thieves will stop at nothing to steal the imperial silver. Lung Ti's fiancée is along for the trip. Following the train is a lone knight (David Chiang) who arouses Lung's suspicions. But a strange friendship and triangle forms between the three characters.

After being attacked by a crazed mute assassin (Wang Chung) and having the entire train nearly sacked. Lung Ti chases the villains to a giant tower armed with scores of swordsmen and archers. Lung storms the tower and hacks his way to the top. Chiang witnessing such bravery shakes away visions of a love that'll never be joins Lung in his mission to kill the leader of thieves. In a selfless act, Chiang saves the life of Lung and takes out the remaining thieves in a blood drenched act of courage and bravery. He sacrifices his life so his friend and fiancée can live their lives out whilst he dies in honor.

One of the best action films I have ever scene. The well directed action scenes and blood letting alone recommends this Shaw Brothers classic. But watch the newly restored version released by Celestial Pictures.

Highly recommended!