King Cat

King Cat

film poster
Traditional 七俠五義
Simplified 七侠五义
Mandarin Qī Xiá Wǔ Yì
Directed by Hsu Tseng-hung
Produced by Run Run Shaw
Written by Ting Shan-hsi
Based on The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants
by Shi Yukun
Starring Pat Ting Hung
Chiao Chuang
Chang Yi
Chin Feng
Carrie Ku Mei
Ching Li
Lo Lieh
Huang Chung-hsin
Paul Wei Ping-ao
Ching Miao
Music by Wang Chu-jen
Cinematography Wang Yung-loong
Edited by Chiang Hsing-loong
Production
company
Release date
  • December 5, 1967 (1967-12-05)
Running time
 83 minutes
Country Hong Kong
Language Mandarin

King Cat is a 1967 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Hsu Tseng Hung and produced by Shaw Brothers Studio. The story is loosely based on the 19th-century Chinese novel The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants. The title refers to a nickname of the protagonist Zhan Zhao (the nickname can also be translated as "Imperial Cat").

Plot

During the Song dynasty, after the upright prefect Bao Zheng executed Pang Yu for embezzlement, the grand tutor Pang Ji sent assassins to avenge his son's death. A chivalrous man, Zhan Zhao the "Southern Hero", saved Bao and was conferred the title "King Cat" by the emperor. This title invoked the jealousy and anger of Bai Yutang the "Brocade-Coated Rat" — as rats were considered cat food — who went to the capital Kaifeng (also known as Bianjing) to challenge Zhan. He was later joined by his 3 elder sworn brothers — Han Zhang the "Earth-Piercing Rat", Xu Qing the "Mountain-Boring Rat" and Jiang Ping the "River-Overturning Rat", and together they stole a treasure from the imperial palace, knowing that Bao would send Zhan to retrieve it.

On their way home, the four brothers were confronted by Bai's girlfriend Ding Yuehua the "Nine-Tailed Phoenix", who accused them of raping and killing 3 imperial maids whose corpses were discovered right after their theft. Infuriated by her lack of trust, Bai admitted to the crimes, and Ding broke up with him. The real criminal, however, was Hua Chong the "Flowery Butterfly", who had been involved with the treacherous grand tutor and his daughter Consort Pang, as well as a few Taoist priests in a plot to overthrow the dynasty. Hua tried to rape Ding, but fled after Zhan stopped him. Ding informed Zhan of Bai's guilt, so Zhan went to the island occupied by Lu Fang the "Sky-Penetrating Rat" and his four sworn brothers to arrest Bai, but was trapped under a fish pond. Ding Yuehua and his two brothers Ding Zhaolan and Ding Zhaohui arrived later looking for Zhan, and Zhan escaped from the trap. Finally Zhan discovered that Bai was not the rapist, and Jiang remembered overhearing a plot by Hua to rape Princess Yong'an during her visit to a monastery.

The heroes and gallants arrived in the monastery to rescue the princess, only to discover it was filled with rebellious priests. Helped by an army led by Bao, they eventually subdued the rebels and killed Hua. The "Five Rats" returned the treasure, and Zhan became romantically involved with Ding Yuehua.

Cast (in order of appearance)

References

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