The Golden Swallow

Come Drink with Me (1966) made Cheng Pei-pei famous overnight and turned her character, Golden Swallow, into an instant icon. Following the film’s success, Shaw Brothers brought in Chang Cheh to direct a sequel centred on the heroine, again played by Cheng. Co-written by Ni Kuang, one of Hong Kong’s most prolific writers, the script underwent numerous revisions and ultimately bears little connection to Come Drink with Me beyond Cheng’s character. Known for his macho tales of male camaraderie, Chang shifts the focus to a male swordsman played by Jimmy Wang Yu, whom Chang discovered and sought to groom as a star.

Cheng Pei-pei is, of course, Golden Swallow, who is rescued from danger by another swordsman, Golden Whip (Lo Lieh). He soon falls in love with her, but she cannot forget her childhood sweetheart, Silver Roc (Jimmy Wang Yu), whose obsession with her has driven him to increasingly extreme behaviours. Caught between the two men, she is devastated when the rival swordsmen face each other in a deadly duel. The two wuxia film masters give their works strikingly different treatments: King Hu’s Come Drink with Me is poetic and measured, using slower movements to build tension, while Chang Cheh’s The Golden Swallow delivers a more direct and action-packed style. Even while sharing the spotlight with Jimmy Wang Yu, Cheng’s tenderness and femininity remain captivating.

Date	Time	Venue
6/11/2026 (Fri) #	11:00am	Cinema, Hong Kong Film Archive

# Post-screening talk with Eric Tsang Siu-wang

The contents of the programme do not represent the views of the presenter. The presenter reserves the right to change the programme should unavoidable circumstances make it necessary.

Back to Film Screenings