Drunken Master
One of his internationally best-known films came late in his career, "Drunken Master" (1978), in which he played Beggar So (Sam Seed in some English dubs), an old hermit who had mastered the art of drunken boxing, aiding a young Wong Fei-hung, played by Jackie Chan. The role was a reprisal (in all but name) of the one he had played in another of Chan's films, "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow" (1978). At the time, "Drunken Master" proved to be the most successful film to feature Chan. The film portrayed Wong Fei-hung as a young and mischievous rascal as opposed to the venerable, Confucian master of kung fu played in many films by Kwan Tak-hing. The movie was a surprise international hit, and greatly helped to boost the career of the then 66-year-old actor. Yuen reprised the role of the beggar So for three further films, "Dance of the Drunk Mantis", "Story of Drunken Master", and "World of the Drunken Master" (in which he had a cameo).