All the King's Men (1983): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1983, All the King's Men is an action and drama film directed by King Hu, running about 100 minutes. “The ultimate kung fu--only 1 fighter will live!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. It's the 10th century BC, the emperor (Tien Feng) is not well, and the medicines he is receiving from con artist "Immortal Li" are in reality only making him worse. There is a man in a nearby kingdom, "Divine Physician" Chang Po-chao, whom it's said could cure his epilepsy, but the only way to bribe the head of the border guard is with a new work by painter Wei Yu-pi. He, meanwhile, wishes to be paid in jade, in fact with a specific piece, which requires a thief. But Ting Yu-yu, the best in the area, claims to be retired, though his daughter Li-ting (Cheng Pei-pei) seems enthusiastic. And for the sake of secrecy, the archivists originally sent to recruit Chang don't even know it's on behalf of the emperor!

Who’s in it. All the King's Men stars Tien Feng as Emperor Chai Rong, Fu-chuang Chang, Chieh Chang and Chiu Ming Chen, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 8.3/10, All the King's Men sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch All the King's Men page.

If you liked it. Fans of All the King's Men tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.