City Without Baseball (Chinese:無野之城; stylized: 無野の城; jyutping: mou4 je5 zi1 sing4) is a 2008 Hong Kong drama film starring Ron Heung and other members of the Hong Kong National Baseball Team. It is directed by South African-born Hong Kong filmmaker Lawrence Ah Mon, about a city where baseball is almost unknown, and where the team plays to empty stadia.
The film explores several themes traditionally regarded as 'taboo' in Hong Kong society. The film is the first of seven such films by Scud (the production-crediting name of Hong Kong writer/film producer Danny Cheng Wan-Cheung). The six later films are: Permanent Residence in 2009, Amphetamine in 2010, Love Actually... Sucks! in 2011, Voyage in 2013, Utopians in 2015 and Thirty Years of Adonis in 2017. His eighth film, Apostles, was made in 2022, as was his ninth, Bodyshop.[1]
His tenth and final film, Naked Nations: Hong Kong Tribe, is currently in production.[1][2]
Plot
The actual members of the Hong Kong National Baseball Team appear in the film as themselves, in a story set in 2004. Their isolated existence leads them to take unconventional choices in both love and friendship, and to summon great courage in the face of their lonely and disconnected existence. The story focuses on the easy-going, yet often detached, main character, Ronnie, as played by Ron Heung, and his friendships and relationships with others, both on and off the sports field.
Cast
Yu Chung Leung as Chung - Pitcher
Ron Heung as Ron - Pitcher (as Tze Chun Ron Heung)
John Tai as Coach Tai
Jason Tsang as Jason - Catcher
Jose Au as Jose - Captain (billed as Wing Leung Jose Au)
Yu Hong Lau as Hong - Second Baseman
Peter Mak as Peter - Right Outfielder
Herman Chan as Wah - Middle Outfielder
Jackie Chow as Jackie - Third Baseman
Julian Chiu as Julian - First Baseman
Kenneth Chiu as Kenneth - Pitcher
Yuan Lin as Meizi (billed as Gia Lin)
Monie Tung as Kim
Wei-Sha Yan as Ping (billed as Wei Sha Yan)
Sean Au as Sir Au
Allan Mak as Sir Mak
David Wong as Sir Wong
Ryan Williams as Kevin
Calina Chan as Ron's mother
Winky Wong as Ron's sister
Belinda Reed as Chung's blonde girlfriend
Anjo Leung as Bartender / Violinist
Sean Li as Bartender
Thomas Price as Daniel / Cable guy (billed as Tom Price)
Thomas Lee as Ron's new room-mate (billed as Chi Wai Thomas Lee)
Stanley Kong as Jose's boss
Heman Peng as Record producer
Debbie Li as Producer's assistant
Sammy Andres Jr. as Lead singer
Ka Wai Chan as Double Bass Player
Ying Leung Lau as Doctor
Eva Lo as Ron's ex-girlfriend (billed as Hiu Pui Eva Lo)
Jimmie Poon as Librarian man
Shuk Kwan Chen as Ping's Double
Scud as Teammate
Awards
2008 Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards Winners for Top 7 Suggested Films
2008 Taiwan Film Critics Society Awards Winners for Top 10 Best Chinese Films
Home media
A Panorama Distributions Co.:
VCD first became available on 2008-10-03 (3 October 2008)
DVD (DVD Region 3) first became available on 2008-10-10 (10 October 2008)
Blu-ray Disc first became available on 2011-06-03 (3 June 2011)
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