Last Hurrah for Chivalry is a 1979 Hong Kong wuxia

Wuxia

Wuxia is a broad genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists. Although wuxia is traditionally a form of literature, its popularity has caused it to spread to diverse art forms like Chinese opera, manhua , films, television series, and video games...

film directed and written by John Woo

John Woo

John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...

, starring Damian Lau

Damian Lau

Damian Lau Chung-yan is a Hong Kong film and television actor, executive producer and film director. Lau has starred in many television drama series of various genres, produced by Hong Kong's TVB and ATV.-Early career:...

 and Wei Pai. The film is a precursor to Woo's heroic bloodshed

Heroic bloodshed

Heroic Bloodshed is a genre of Hong Kong action cinema revolving around stylized action sequences and dramatic themes such as brotherhood, duty, honour, redemption and violence. The term heroic bloodshed was coined by editor Rick Baker in the magazine Eastern Heroes in the late 1980s, specifically...

 films.

Plot

Last Hurrah for Chivalry is a story about two killers for hire. The two assassins are master swordsmen with no allegiance. They decide to help out a local merchant to seek out revenge against a kungfu master. The plot contains multiple twists of deception, and leaving characters wondering who to really trust. The story ultimately ends with a revelation as to who truly has honor. Most of the swordplay is very fast-paced.

Production

The film is a tribute to director John Woo

John Woo

John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...

's mentor, Chang Cheh

Chang Cheh

Chang Cheh was Shaw Brothers Studio's best known and most prolific film director, with such films as the Five Venoms, the Brave Archer , the The One-Armed Swordsman, and other classics of wuxia and kung fu film.-Career:Referred to as "The Godfather of Hong Kong cinema", Chang Cheh directed over 100...

. The stylish appeal also came from Akira Kurosawa

Akira Kurosawa

was a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...

 influences. The main character Tsing Yi is an inspiration taken from the real-life assassin Jing Ke

Jing Ke

Jing Ke was a guest residing in the estates of Dan, crown prince of Yan and renowned for his failed assassination attempt of Ying Zheng, King of Qin state, who later became China's first emperor...

, who is historically remembered for his failed assassination attempt of Qin Shi Huang

Qin Shi Huang

Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...

. The year the film was released is also the same year John Woo met Tsui Hark

Tsui Hark

Tsui Hark , born Tsui Man-kong, is a Hong Kong New Wave film director and producer. He is viewed as a major figure in the Golden Age of Hong Kong cinema .-Early life:...

.

Cast

• Damian Lau
  Damian Lau
  Damian Lau Chung-yan is a Hong Kong film and television actor, executive producer and film director. Lau has starred in many television drama series of various genres, produced by Hong Kong's TVB and ATV.-Early career:...
  
   as Tsing Yi
• Wei Pai as Chang San / Cheung Sam
• Lau Kong
  Lau Kong
  Lau Kong is a Hong Kong actor who works on the network TVB.-Biography:Little is known of Lau's private life, but he has been acting since 1976, when he first joined the now defunct network Commercial Television, he later joined RTV Lau Kong (劉江) is a Hong Kong actor who works on the network...
  
   as Kao Pang / Ko Peng
• Lee Hoi-sang as Pak Chung Tong
• Hsu Hsia as wedding guest
• Fung Hak-on as Pray / Let It Be
• Chin Yuet-sang as Sleeping Wizard
• Ngai Chau-wa as courtesan who loves Tsing Yi
• Cheng Lui as Chen Guan Wu
• Huang Ha as Pak Chung Tong's man
• Wang Kuang-yu as Wang
• Cheung Ging-boh as man who refuses to pay 100 taels
• Wong Chi-ming as party guest / constable
• Alan Chui as oriental fighter / bodyguard
• Mars
  Mars (actor)
  Mars , born Cheung Wing Fat is a Hong Kong actor, action director, stuntman and martial artist. He is one of Jackie Chan's best friends.-Early life:...
  
  as Pak Chung Tong's man
• Baan Yun-sang as Pak Chung Tong's man
• Tai San as Pak Chung Tong's man
• Chan Dik-hak as constable
• Chui Fat as party guest
• Yik Ga as Chang's sister
• Chik Ngai-hung as constable/ San's drinking buddy
• Homer Cheung as Kao Pang's man
• Wong Chi-keung as wedding guest
• Lai Kim-hung as party guest / bodyguard
• Benny Lai as San's drinking buddy
• Lau Kwok-shing as Chuan
• Chow Kong as casino thug
• Man Sau as Chang's sick mother
• Fung Chi-fung
• Fung Yun-chuen
• Tam Bo as Pak Chung Tong's man
• Law Keung as Pak Chung Tong's man
• Lee Wan-lung
• Kong Chuen as constable
• Wong Ka-tung
• Ho Kei-cheong as Pak Chung Tong's man
• Cheung Chi-ping as Kao Pang's man
• Yuen Shing-chau
• Chui Kin-wa as casino dealer
• Lee Fat-yuen as Wu's disciple
• To Wai-wo as casino thug
• Lee Hang as casino thug
• Ho Hon-chau
• Chan Siu-gai
• Woh Seung as wedding guest