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Kung Fu/Kung Fu
| Kung Fu | |
| Pilot | |
| Airdate | February 22, 1972 |
| Written by | Ed Spielman, Howard Friedlander |
| Directed by | Jerry Thorpe |
| — N/A |
1x01 → King of the Mountain |
| Kung Fu — Season One | |
Kung Fu is the pilot movie of Kung Fu, which aired as part of the ABC Movie of the Week.
Cast: David Carradine (Caine), Barry Sullivan (Dillon), Albert Salmi (Raif), Wayne Maunder (McKay), Benson Fong (Han Fei), Richard Loo (Master Sun), Keye Luke (Master Po), Philip Ahn (Master Kan), Victor Sen Yung (Chuen), Robert Ito (Fong), James Hong (Hsiang), Radames Pera (Young Caine), Roy Jenson (Fuller), John Leoning (Master Teh), David Chow (Little Monk)
Contents |
Plot Overview
The pilot movie for the series Kung Fu was 90 minutes long with commercials and 72 minutes without.
The pilot introduces us to the character Kwai Chang Caine, who is a young orphan of an American man and Chinese woman. The boy asks the Shaolin Temple monks if he can join their order. He meets Master Kan, who tells him that the Shaolin order has only accepted members who are of full Chinese blood; but Master Kan makes an exception for the young Caine and he is allowed to enter.
We then fast forward to the American west, where an older Caine meets up with a company that is helping to build the Transcontinental railroad. The company employs many Chinese workers. He joins them and finds out that the workers are being abused; the workers propose a revolt but Caine refuses, based on his Shaolin belief in passivity.
We flashback to find the reason Caine has come to America. Caine was escorting the blind Master Po to the city when Po interrupts the caravan of the Chinese emperor's nephew. When the guards hit him, Caine throws a spear into the litter, killing the emperor's nephew. Po dies in the arms of Caine. Caine runs from the authorities, and the emperor places a $10,000 bounty upon his head.
Back to America in the 1870's - the railroad owners find out about the bounty on Caine's head, and a warrior is dispatched from China to kill Caine. Caine and the warrior fight a fierce battle in which Caine is victorious, but he is forced to kill again, a tremendous affront to his Shaolin beliefs. He goes into exile in the West and becomes a drifter, searching for a better life.
Notes
Many people who have seen the series wonder why Master Po refers to Caine as "grasshopper". The reason for Caine's childhood nickname is revealed in a scene in the pilot movie. In this scene, Caine tells the blind Master Po that he feels sorry for him because he cannot see; but Po asks Caine if he can hear the grasshopper at his feet. Indeed, a grasshopper is seen at Caine's feet, showing that Po is attuned to his senses and giving Caine an important lesson.
