Have Sword, Will Travel is highlighted by a rousing finale which makes the journey through this love triangle absolutely worth it. Unfortunately, there’s quite a lot of drama to get through before we get to all the bloodletting. This might be a turn off for some fans of wuxia, but the film remains a Shaw Brothers classic, warts and all due to its attempt to do something a bit more . . . common when it comes to drawing in western audiences.
It doesn’t always work, though. And that makes getting through some of the scenes a bit more of a grind than it ought to be.
Directed by Chang Cheh and starring Ti Lung, David Chiang and Lee Ching, the film opens with an interesting introduction as the characters and fighters are assembled on the screen in colorful ways thanks to the backlit screen. This is pretty standard when it comes to the Shaw Brothers, but it is still artfully done.
But, unfortunately, the film comes to a bit of a halt as the narrative comes into focus. We have a stellar performance from David Chiang as Yi Lo, a mysterious swordsman, who seems to be aping Clint Eastwood’s character in The Man With No Name as an aimless drifter who picks a side to help in the battle between Lord In and an unstoppable force of thieves and villains from the appropriately named Invincible Village, which few dare enter.
He chooses wisely and comes to the aid of Lord In (Ching Miao) who is tasked with transporting a large cache of silver across some deadly territory thanks to the bandits in the Flying Tiger clan.
But the riches must be transported and therein lies the main focus of the conflict as Lord In’s famed swordsman Siang (Lung) and his fiancée Piau Piau (Ching) travel the distance along with Lord In’s army, hoping to get by the criminals without any bad vibes. They are going to need help.
It arrives in the form of Lo, but an attraction develops between Piau Piau and Lo and it causes a whole lot of tension between Lo and Siang as they battle off one attack after another. 
Unfortunately, the film dips into some serious overwrought drama as the love triangle - without ever fully emerging in a carnal way - becomes a central focus. This means long gazes, long silences, and a horse which needs saving.
As a result, the epic romance suffers in the middle . . .
. . . but once we get to the multi-tiered pagoda the attack begins and all sorts of Hell is unleashed upon the characters. It’s worth all the drama from before as we get some cool choreography and a whole lot of gushing blood.
Have Sword, Will Travel is now on blu-ray as a part of Shout Factory’s The Ti Lung/David Chiang box set which comprises 12 classic martial arts films from the famous Shaw Brothers' library. Many of these films are debuting for the first time on Blu-ray.
Get ready for some exciting thrills and chills as our iconic heroes square off against abominable villains in a duel to the death!
Home Video Distributor: Shout Factory
Available on Blu-ray - November 28, 2023
Screen Formats: 2.35:1
Subtitles: English
Audio: Mandarin: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
Video: MPEG-4 AVC 1080p
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; 12-disc set
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A
Internationally acclaimed director Chang Cheh teams David Chiang and Ti Lung for the second time in the classic heroic bloodshed epic Have Sword, Will Travel, its title inspired by the lone gunman Hollywood hit TV show Have Sword – Will Travel. Ti Lung is the armor of an "armored van" taking silver to the capital. Along the way, a mysterious knight (David Chiang) stalks him. Although he appears to be the robber, his intentions prove to be far more mysterious.
Video
Shout Factory brings Have Gun, Will Travel to Blu-ray with a restored AVC encoded 1080p with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Interiors are strong. Colors pop throughout, but it is the blood effects - burning bright in the transfer - which seal the deal. It’s full of great atmosphere thanks to the quick-footed script and looks visually eye-popping due to the 1080-upgrade. Black levels are strong throughout, bringing out nice details in both the loud and quiet moments.
Audio
The film is supplied with the original Cantonese Mono DTS-HD Master Audio with new subtitle translation and an English Dubbed DTS-HD Master Audio with SDH subtitles.
Supplements:
Commentary:
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There is a NEW Audio Commentary With David West, Critic And Author Of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction To The Martial Arts Film which is quite good.
Special Features:
We are getting near the end of Shout Factory’s collection of Shaw Brothers films, but the hits keep coming in the supplemental items.
- NEW Audio Commentary With David West, Critic And Author Of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction To The Martial Arts Film
- Original Theatrical Trailer
- Celestial Trailer
- Still Gallery
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Composite Blu-ray Grade
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Runtime: 102 mins
Director: Cheh Chang
Writer: Kuang Ni
Cast: David Da-Wei Chiang; Lung Ti; Ching Lee
Genre: Action | Drama
Tagline: Bao biao
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor: Shaw Brothers
Official Site:
Release Date: December 28, 1969 (Hong Kong)
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: November 28, 2023
Synopsis: Ti Lung is the armor of an "armored van" taking silver to the capital. Along the way, a mysterious knight (David Chiang) stalks him. Although he appears to be the robber, his intentions prove to be far more mysterious.
