When I saw this The Sword, I can't believe it! The one armed swordsman, 1967, and Return of one armed swordsman, 1969, are the two masterpieces commonly and rightly related to Wang Yu in his Swordplay heyday. This movie it's not too far from them, and the plot is superior: Wang Yu plays a sword expert and collector whose search for The Perfect Blade becomes an alienating obsession, leading him to the mountain where a famous blade forging master lives with his daughter. The young swordsman gets married with the woman, in his relentless effort to put his hands on the special sword only the oldman can give to him. But the old forger refuses, because he's already figured out the swordman is falling into a dangerous alienation.
The incredibly tragic final has to be seen to be believed. All in all a fine movie and a touching psychological study about the theme of the blade-obsessed hero, something you can't find in any other Wuxiapan of that Era. Not even in King Hu's or Chang Cheh's best movies. A forgotten masterpiece who deserves a rediscovery.
