Snake in the Eagle's Shadow

The movie was directed by acclaimed action choreographer and director Yuen Woo-ping. It was one of the pivotal films that helped launch the career of its star, Jackie Chan, establishing his comedic kung fu style. Yuen's expertise in action direction revolutionized the Hong Kong martial arts genre.

The story follows an orphan named Chien Fu who is constantly abused by a rival martial arts school until he befriends an elderly beggar. The beggar secretly teaches him the 'Snake Fist' style of Kung Fu. Chien eventually combines this with his pet cat's movements to create a new style and defeat an assassin using the lethal 'Eagle's Claw' technique.

The film features legendary martial arts actor Yuen Siu-tien, who plays the old beggar and master of the Snake Fist. Yuen also starred alongside Chan in the equally famous Drunken Master, which was released the exact same year. Their on-screen chemistry as the master-student duo was instrumental in creating the comedic Kung Fu subgenre.

It was one of the first massive box office hits for Jackie Chan, establishing the formula of an underdog hero combining physical comedy with impressive martial arts. This success broke his string of early box office failures playing traditional, stoic action heroes. It set the definitive trajectory for his global fame and his signature slapstick action style.