The Golden Seal is a 1971 Shaw Brothers wuxia film, made during that period in the early 70s when their output consists solely of almost nothing but wuxia.
In a plot that's practically formula for the studios, the film revolves around the swordsman Dai Tian-chou (Chung Wa), who lose his father as a child when a traitorous martial arts clan leader, Lei Zhentian, betrays Dai's father and have his whole family killed, with Dai and his uncle being the only survivors. The betrayal is caused by a priceless Macguffin, the titular Golden Seal of identity, which Lei Zhentian desires to covet, and twenty years later, the adult Tian-chou must continue his father's quest in escorting the seal to the Imperial capital.
In his quest for revenge, Tian-chou encounters three women - swordswoman Xiao-yan, cavegirl Shi, and assassin Jing Yi, all who have a vendetta against Lei Zhentian as well.
Contains Examples of:
- Action Girl: Xiao-yan, a capable swordswoman worthy of any wuxia, and the assassin, Feng Jing Yi. Shi, the fighter who lives in a cave, might also count.
- Amazonian Beauty: Shi is noticeably more buff than the tougher two action-girls, Xiao-yan and Jing Yi. Might have something to do with her growing up in the wild.
- Badass Crew: Tian-chou and the three women he befriended can take on loads and loads of Lei Zhentian's mooks.
- Beauty, Brains, and Brawn: Ohhh look, a wuxia example.
- Beauty: Feng Jing Yi, the beautiful-but-deadly elite assassin.
- Brains: Xiao-yan, who proves to be a capable chess player and a thinker.
- Brawn: Shi, the Nubile Savage cavegirl and vagabond fighter.
- Bulletproof Vest: The Big Bad, Lei Zhentian, wears a Swordproof vest in the final battle, making him a challenge compared to his mooks.
- Censor Steam: Used in Shi's intro, when she bathed at an outdoor waterfall.
- Designated Girl Fight: The three female leads gets to fight each other at various points for different reasons, including a short scuffle in Shi's cave.
- Dual Wield: Xiao-yan and Jing Yi both use dual short swords. Meanwhile, the Big Bad, Lei Zhentian wields his sword in tandem with a Deadly Disc.
- The Hero Dies: Well, it's implied, but the film's final scene is Tian-chou, having smashed the Golden Seal into Lei Zhentian's forehead, collapsing motionlessly atop his enemy. Whether he died or not isn't exactly made clear.
- In a Single Bound: It's a wuxia.
- In the Back: There is one small opening in Lei Zhentian's armoured vest, right in his spine, and the final battle consists of the heroes trying to locate that spot. After Lei's coat is burned off by Mistress Hui Ming, Feng Jing Yi eventually found it and inflicts a stab that slows the villain down, turning the tide of battle.
- MacGuffin: The titular Golden Imperial Seal. Dai Tianchou is assigned as the seal's carrier and protector in a MacGuffin Escort Mission.
- MacGuffin Title
- A Minor Kidroduction: The film opens with Tian-chou as a child, witnessing his father's murder in the hands of Lei Zhentian and barely escaping with his uncle, who then raised him to be a warrior. An Age Cut occurs after the titles, and twenty years later he's an adult seeking revenge.
- Ms. Fanservice: Shi, the cave-dwelling swordswoman. Not only does she have an extended Shower Scene where she bares it all, but she spends most of the film in skimpy furs and reveals more skin as well.
- Mutual Kill: In the final battle, the mortally wounded Lei Zhentian, in his dying throes, hurls his Deadly Disc into Tian-chou. But despite being hit, Tian-chou managed to take out the titular seal and leaps onto Zhentian, using said seal to smash his enemy's skull.
- Nubile Savage: Shi, another woman fighter who lives in a cave and is dressed in furs.
- Outdoor Bath Peeping: How Tian-chou and Shi meets for the first time.
- Revenge: Dai Tian-chou seeks to avenge his father's death in the hands of the martial arts traitor, Lei Zhentian.
- Rugged Scar: On Feng Jing Yi's mother, Mistress Hui-Ming
, one that almost obscures an entire side of her face. Fitting for a veteran ex-killer of the martial world. - Smart People Play Chess: In her Establishing Character Moment, Xiao-yan appears to be this unkempt vagabond roaming in a tavern... but turns out to be smarter than she looks when she came across two guests playing chess. She simply walked over and in a single move, helps one of the men checkmate his opponent instantly.
- Sweet Polly Oliver: Xiao-yan in her earlier scenes have her dressed as a male beggar.
- Tastes Like Friendship: How Xiao-yan and Tian-chou first bonds in a tavern, when he offers what appears to be this beggar-girl a meal.
- That Reminds Me of a Song: Shortly after embarking on his journey, for some baffling reason, Tian-chou's journey is followed by a musical montage of him travelling. It comes out of nowhere, and after it ends the movie doesn't have any other musical scenes.
- Time Skip: One occurs during the opening credits, where 20 years goes by in a single shot and the young Dai Tian-chou is now an adult ready to go on revenge.
- Trivial Title: The titular artifact, despite it's prominence to the plot, only appears in two scenes. Once in the prologue, and once in the ending when Tian-chou uses it to bash Lei Zhentian's skull.
- Waterfall Shower: This is how Tian-chou first met Shi, the vagabond swordswoman, as she takes a shower in a waterfall outside her cave. With him Eating the Eye Candy.
- Weapon Specialization: One of Lei Zhentian's subordinates, Ji Dianqiong, specializes in using a whip in combat.
- World of Action Girls: There's the swordswoman Wu Xiao-yan, the vagabond cavegirl fighter Shi, assassin Feng Jing Yi, and Feng's disfigured mother Feng Hui Ming who used to be an elite swordswoman in her youth, but still retains her skills in kicking ass.
- You Killed My Father: The reason why Tian-chou is on a quest; to seek his father's murderer, Lei Zhentian.
