This Shaw Brothers film is a fairly faithful rendition of the middle part of the life of Wu Sung (Wu Song) with a lot of added kills. But the plot remains the same. Wu Sung was a historical Hero during the Sung dynasty and his exploits were detailed in the classic Chinese novel Outlaws of the Marsh. He is played here by Ti Lung who played him three more times - in the Water Margin (1972), All Men are Brothers (1973) and then later in 1982 he played the character in Tiger Killer. The films though chronologically should be ordered Tiger Killer, The Delightful Forest, Water Margin and All Men are Brothers. In Tiger Killer he became famous for killing a tiger bare-handed and lauded throughout the land. In this one he is forced to become an outlaw, in Water Margin he becomes one of the 108 bandits to fight the government and finally in All Men are Brothers it is what happens to the bandits after the battle. He is as famous for his drinking as his super kung fu and drinks wine by the bucket. It is a fascinating life - fictionalized to some good degree no doubt but I am surprised he hasn't shown up in more films.


When this film begins he has already killed the tiger and is respected by all and been appointed to a prominent position. And his brother has been poisoned by the brother's wife and her lover. Wu has also already killed his sister-in-law and goes in search of her lover (Lau Kar-wing). In a very good fight (choreography from Tong Kai, Lau Kar-leung, Lau Kar-wing) Wu kills him and turns himself in to the authorities where he is sentenced to prison. He is marched off to the prison by two guards while restrained by a cangue - a large wooden block in which his hands go through like handcuffs. In a stop at an inn the woman owner (Yu Feng) tries to give them knock-out wine and kill them but he beats her back and when her husband arrives he recognizes who Wu is and apologizes. This is part of the legend. The owner says he will set him free but Wu refuses. They show up again at the end of the film to send Wu on his way to the mountains for the adventures in Water Margin. The film assumes that the audience knows who Wu is and explains very little of what came before or comes after. I had no idea till I took a break and read up on him.


In prison Wu is befriended by the warden's son (Tin Ching) who asks for a small favor - come to Delightful Forest - a town full of casinos and women of ill-repute - to take on a bully (Chu Mu) who has taken over the town. Happy to on one condition - we stop at every wine shop and I drink three large bowls of wine - and there are a lot of wine shops. Another good fight against the bully but the best is saved for the end when he has to take on a corrupt official. Chang Cheh is one of the credited directors (the other is Pao Hsueh-li) and this is one of his wonderful one against 100 men - something Chang was famous for with Jimmy Wang-yu. Now Ti Lung was his golden boy along with David Chiang (The New One-Armed Swordsman) and Ti Lung gets the great finale - bloody and rather wonderful.


I read that at the battle depicted in the Water Margin Wu lost his arm but he did not become the One-Armed Swordsman which is too bad. The last 20 minutes save the film. It was a little slow till then and Wu keeps telling everyone, yup that was me who killed the tiger. There was surprisingly little action till near the end but then three excellent action set-ups all like roller coaster cars. Ti Lung looks so athletic here and laughs constantly. Very charismatic and charming. A great early role for him.