Come Drink with Me begins when a group of bandits ambush a caravan and take a general’s son hostage to trade for their imprisoned bandit leader. Golden Swallow, the hostage’s sister, arrives at an inn to negotiate with the criminals, but the talks quickly turn into a fight where she single-handedly defeats the gang and sends them running. With no other options, Swallow, assisted by a drunken beggar, decides to investigate further and retrieve her brother by force.
King Hu was one of the first Hong Kong film directors to be internationally recognized and this breakthrough film is the reason why. Released in 1966, Come Drink With Me revolutionized the genre with striking action and meticulous production design to usher in the age of the “new wu-xia” pic. Hu’s directorial talent and the high Shaw Brothers budget raised the bar and started a popular trend that would pave the way for Zhang Che, Bruce Lee and the whole kung-fu craze. While those pics went in a different direction, Hu’s swordsmen and female knight errant imagery have still become landmarks of Hong Kong cinema and major influences for the wu-xia revival with Tsui Hark and Ang Lee.
There’s plenty to love about this film, whether it be the calm, confident and alluring performance from star Cheng Pei-pei (the crush of every male Hong Kong film lover) or the gorgeous action, which oscillates between flurries of choreographed, Beijing opera-inspired movement and tense, still moments of calculation. This is a film that wants to be about Golden Swallow, and the first two acts are perfectly paced for this strong female hero with big set-piece fight sequences— one at a temple and another at an inn.
In fact, the inn is the film’s most famous scene. The location frequently recurs in Hu’s work (and loads of other films) and it encapsulates the elements that make these genre pics so successful. Wide shots, distinctive angles and unobtrusive editing capture all the stylish movement. Close attention to the environment through props and choreography helps weave the actors around tables, chairs and wine jugs while the viewer seamlessly follows. And plot-wise, all sorts of paths cross as the bumbling innocents, rude villains and mysterious heroes come together for explosive results. These inns are the places where wu-xia and kung-fu dreams are made.
Unfortunately, Come Drink with Me makes some major missteps as it moves into its third act. The film shifts attention away from Swallow, turning her into a minor player, and it barrels its way into a hasty, unsatisfying conclusion—oddly mirrored by the noticeably undercranked camera in the final bout. While King Hu’s A Touch of Zen makes a similar shift for thematic reasons, it is simply baffling why he does it for Come Drink with Me. Some viewers may find the climax to be an enjoyable, frenetic change to the earlier steady pacing, but regardless, it’s a disappointingly disjointed end to the intriguing story of Swallow. While Come Drink with Me is a genuine classic, it’s by no means a perfect film.
Reviewed by Tarun
