Just two points: This is almost certainly a Taiwanese production. Most Taiwanese 'fu films are pretty lowly rated, but I'm beginning to understand that the Tawiwanese film-makers of the 1970s were much more rooted in their theatrical tradition than their Hong Kong counterparts. When the women dance to obviously recorded music in what should be ancient China, they do so not because the film-makers are too cheap to have real musicians there (they have real dancers there, after all), but because that's exactly how it would have been done in a live performance of the story in a theater. For me, this explains a lot of the broad performances and quirky staging.
Second point: The gender-bending here - not only the deployment of the bold sisters who defend the Prince better than any of his male guards, but the 'drag' appearance of the (undeniably effeminate) Prince at the end, raises some interesting historical issues - as the Hong Kong 'New Wave' gained steam during the 1980s, such gender issues became a central theme of historical sword-play cinema. And the theme seems to be deeply embedded in the history of the Chinese imperial court, according to both historical texts and legends.
Such issues do not raise this film above criticisms of low budget and programmer formula; but the film is not unwatchable 'fu fare, and there may also be something to learn from it in the viewing.
Second point: The gender-bending here - not only the deployment of the bold sisters who defend the Prince better than any of his male guards, but the 'drag' appearance of the (undeniably effeminate) Prince at the end, raises some interesting historical issues - as the Hong Kong 'New Wave' gained steam during the 1980s, such gender issues became a central theme of historical sword-play cinema. And the theme seems to be deeply embedded in the history of the Chinese imperial court, according to both historical texts and legends.
Such issues do not raise this film above criticisms of low budget and programmer formula; but the film is not unwatchable 'fu fare, and there may also be something to learn from it in the viewing.