Come Drink with Me

Though the cheapness of the production is pretty apparent in the sound and the rather bland fight choreography, it's still reasonably enjoyable with some fun characters.

The fights are not too spectacular and the story shifts focus halfway through, but it's martial arts with a cool and competent female lead and that's always a welcome sight. Not super memorable, but a nice enough watch.

I'm not sure, but I think this may have been the first, of many Shaw Brothers wuxia productions starring a female protagonist. Even if it bears that distinction, compared to some of the studios' 70s stuff, it's just not a good movie. The fights are lame, and the story is incoherent even for wuxia.

Especially for its time, this film struck me in the amount of agency its female protagonist has and in the almost Johnny Guitar-like reversal of gender roles. I found it novel for the heavy use of perfidy as a fighting tactic and the gradual process by which it introduced the principal characters. Nearly every shot had some beauty or dynamism to it, more than enough to offset the oddly discursive, abrupt, and incomplete ending.

The story is interesting until Golden Swallow takes a backseat to the more generic plotline of Drunken Cat and the betrayed master. The fights are creative and exciting, but frequently look like the choreographed dances they are and not actual fights.

Head of a fresh wave of Wuxia with a new focus on action. Here, very deliberate action; circling buildup punctuated by the abrupt and often absurd—be it fantastic catch, slash, or burst of blood. Most memorably in the tavern scene, where it is least about the fight and most about that tension and rhythm. Sparse score with occasional evocation of Beijing Opera percussion. Expansive composition with judicious stretches of coloras in the grand Huangmei Operas that so defined "Shaw Scope".

Re-watch. I didn't remember much, but it's a solid film and clearly an inspiration for many subsequent films. It's evident from the first scenes that King Hu is a very competent director and takes his time to set up the mood. Pei-Pei is cool and the characters are memorable. The fights are still a bit slower and more resembling dance numbers instead of the faster, stripped down kung fu fights of the 70's. I could have lived without the song numbers though. Nice sets and cinematography.

Political prisoner's exchange becomes bloody negotiation after Golden Swallow is sent to recover her brother and governor's son from opponents. PEAK Kung fu and sword fights. Set pieces move slowly and elegantly, but editing sweeps through shots like an arrow. There are comedy (Cat fools everyone), musical (the pack of orphans that follow Drunken Cat) and fantasy (the monk and his former colleague, Drunken, can bend wind, live in a fable forest and sucks poison from a Golden wound).

Lots of fun, and I'm sure groundbreaking for its day, the film exhibits a fluid camera and concise editing in fight scenes that speak to a clear visual language. I also love the female and beggar fighters, taking on the classic tropes of outsiders fighting for justice in the community.

The story is fun, but the editing is very confusing.

This still stands as very well-crafted simple wuxia movie. While the action is a bit slow, there still is plenty to enjoy in the rhythm and elegance of the fight choreography. Which was influenced by Peking Opera. That it takes a lot of suspension of disbelief to accept that nobody sees trough the disguise of what obviously is a gorgeous woman, I can let pass as a genre idiosyncrasy. Unfortunate Golden Swallow's story in the later part is taken over by the drunken beggar's story. (2nd viewing)

Competent.

Really stands out among other kung fu movies of the era. The fight scenes aren't very convincing by today's standards, but it doesn't hurt the film. The story seems to leave a lot of people cold, but I think it makes the movie.

Excellent choreography with pretty solid characters and a good-enough story. My only real problem was that the subtitles on my DVD were pretty poorly done.

Very awesome and important.

Beautiful and historically significant wuxia pian.

One of the best and most important movies in Hong Kong Cinema. Golden Swallow (Pei-Pei) is definitely the star of the show, but Drunken Cat and Smiling Tiger are both wonderful characters too. Drunken Cat's hideaway is one of the more beautiful sets I've seen in film.