The Long Chase (1971)

I found this movie was very good, with good fighting scenes and decent story. When I first read the title 'The Long Chase', what first came to mind was: 'must be something like Les Misérables, a hard headed police trying to catch a kind-hearted criminal', and my guess was not far from wrong.

Yueh Hua played Kuo Ying, the King of Flying Daggers. He assassinated the Prime Minister in the beginning of the story. Lo Lieh played Fan Yi, the guards' leader.

Fan Yi deserved a death penalty because the prime minister had been assassinated under his guard, but as he was the only one who could recognize the killer, he would be pardoned if he could catch the killer in five days.

Fan Yi followed Kuo Ying's tracks to the Xuan-hua county. Meanwhile, Kuo Ying met a dying man named Song Hua-long, an officer on his way to Xuan-hua to get rid of the Erlong Mountain bandits. Kuo Ying took his identity.

Kuo Ying and the wanted poster

Fan Yi recognized Kuo Ying but did not have any proof. They stayed in the same inn. The inn belonged to Song Hua-long's uncle. The uncle and his daughter helped Kuo Ying with his false identity because they admired his heroic act for killing the corrupted prime minister.

Fan Yi and Kuo Ying

The Erlong Mountain bandits, believing that the real Song Hua-long had come to destroy them, killed the uncle, kidnapped the daughter, and set a trap for Kuo Ying. To help the daughter, Kuo Ying had to disclose his identity by using his trademark weapon. Now Fan Yi had his proof and Kuo Ying was arrested.

When Fan Yi and Kuo Ying was ready to leave Xuan-hua, the bandit leader came back with back-up and in this final fight, Kuo Ying saved Fan Yi's life several times. Fan Yi then let Kou Ying go free and he himself became a wanderer.

Fan Yi : I am not someone who's afraid to die.
Kuo Ying : But why are you trying so hard to catch Kou Ying?
Fan Yi : For my dignity. I've never failed anything and I won't lose to Kou Ying.