The One-Armed Swordsman

The One-Armed Swordsman (獨臂刀) is a 1967 Hong Kong wuxia film produced and distributed by the Shaw Brothers Studio. Directed by Chang Cheh and based on a screenplay he co-wrote with Ni Kuang, the film starred Jimmy Wang in the title role. It was the first of the new style of wuxia films emphasizing male anti-heroes, violent swordplay, and heavy bloodletting set in the Han dynasty. It was the first Hong Kong film to make HK$1 million at the local box office, propelling Wang to super stardom.

This film eventually became the first in the One-Armed Swordsman trilogy. A sequel was released in 1969 called Return of the One-Armed Swordsman, followed by The New One-Armed Swordsman in 1971, all directed by Chang Cheh. It has since achieved classic status in Hong Kong cinema. In the Hong Kong Film Award's 2005 poll, The One-Armed Swordsman was voted as the 15th best Chinese-language film.