The Crane Fighter is set just after the majority of the Shaolin monks have been outlawed and killed by the, I think, Ching Dynasty. A few have escaped, and live secretly among the common people. One old guy has a daughter that he has forbidden to learn kung fu, but she does so anyway, by watching some other monks in a nearby temple.

Hot shot cop Gold Eagle drops out after the evil Mr Chau disrupts his wedding by killing a number of the guests. Eagle hides in an isolated village disguised as a drunkard garbage collector. But neither old flame Senny nor Chau have given up finding him.