The Twelve Gold Medallions claims second highest grossing film in 1970. Writer/director Cheng Kang reimagines the all-too-familiar historical tale of General Yue Fei who led the Southern Song resistance to the Jin dynasty in 1140 but was recalled to the capital Hangzhou by the collaborationist prime minister Qin Gui with twelve gold medallions. Here Yue Fei never appears in the film while Qin Gui’s brief appearance is deliberately out of focus. Cheng Kang’s interest lies instead in the “unsung heroes” who fight against the martial arts villains assembled by Qin Gui. The film is clearly heavily influenced by King Hu’s groundbreaking Dragon Inn (1967) where the elaborate action basically takes place in a convoluted travelers’ inn. Cheng adopts its framework but also expands both the film’s narrative and action sequences into the outdoor, while adding elements of romance and comedy.
© Licensed by Celestial Pictures Limited. All rights reserved.