Sword-locking weapon? We don't need no stinkin' sword-locking weapon!

I was in the mood for some wuxia cinema tonight, so I watched Chang Cheh's "Dubei Dao (One-Armed Swordsman)" with the audio commentary switched on.
The insights of film scholars David Chute and Andy Klein were interesting.
They contend -- rightly I believe -- that protagonist Fang Gang's disability (he is the one-armed swordsman of the title) actually provides his greatest advantage in conquering his foes.
A major plot point reinforces this view.
Fang Gang's teacher Qi has developed a "golden sword" that has given his martial arts school a distinct advantage over their rivals.
Until Qi's enemy Long-Armed Devil (so named for his prowess with a whip) develops a sword-locking weapon that binds the golden swords and allows Qi's forces to be killed with swift dagger thrusts.
SPOILER ALERT!
Fang Gang's sword is "disabled," too -- it has been broken in two -- and its shortened state makes it impervious to the sword-locking weapon of Long-Armed Devil's forces.
OK... So "Citizen Kane" it ain't.
That's not really the point. I classify "Dubei Dao" as a great film because of its insight into the Chinese psyche *AND* its super-cool martial arts moves. So there!
I highly recommend "Dubei Dao." Maybe, if you watch it enough, you will even become as GEEKY as I am and you will watch it with the film-scholar audio commentary, too. You'll learn a lot!