My Dear Son

Last updated

My Dear Son
MyDearSon.jpg
Taiwanese film poster with alternate Chinese title
Traditional Chinese 我要富貴
Simplified Chinese 我要富贵
Hanyu Pinyin Wǒ Yào Fù Guì
Jyutping Ngo2 Jiu4 Fu4 Gwai4
Directed by David Chiang
Screenplay byHau Chi-keung
Produced by Alan Tang
Starring Jacky Cheung
Bill Tung
Maggie Cheung
Sean Lau
Kathy Chow
Paul Chun
CinematographyYee Tung-lung
Edited byMa Chung-yiu
A Chik
Jacky Leung
Music byDanny Chung
Tang Siu-lam
Production
company
Distributed byIn-Gear Film Production
Release date
25 May 1989 (1989-05-25)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryHong Kong
Language Cantonese
Box officeHK$2,995,161

My Dear Son is a 1989 Hong Kong action drama film directed by David Chiang and starring Jacky Cheung, Bill Tung, Maggie Cheung and Sean Lau.

Contents

Plot

Ho Ka-chai (Bill Tung) makes a living by singing sex songs at a public square in Yung Shue Tau. His eldest son, Peter (Jacky Cheung), gets a job at the Lok's Group's data department. Peter persuades his father to retire from singing in public, since he can earn enough to support his father and two younger siblings, but Ka-chai refuses and reminds Peter of the many living expenses he would need. The night before going to his new job, Peter celebrates by having a hotpot dinner with his friend, Maddy (Sean Lau) a triad member who smuggles goods for a living, before the latter goes to settle a dispute with his rival, Tall Sum (Ricky Wong), which breaks into a gang fight that is witnessed by Peter and their childhood friend, Fung (Maggie Cheung). Peter arrives at his new job the next day where his father visits him at lunchtime and introduces himself to his colleagues. That same night, one of his colleagues, Jenny, visits Yung Shue Tau and recognizes them, which hurts Peter's self-esteem, since his colleague knows his father's occupation.

While his boss Martin (Wong Wan-choi) stresses how to quickly manufacture cans to sell an abundant amount of green peas, Peter reminds his boss the availability of unused tinplates purchased by Lok's Group from 1985 and impresses his boss. Martin brings Peter to a nightclub where he is introduced to Martin's boss Mr. Chun (Paul Chun) and Chun's younger sister, Petty (Kathy Chow), who plays drinking games and dances with Peter until they are interrupted by a drunk Fung, who works as a server at that bar, and brings her home. Peter returns to the bar after his bosses have left, but Petty takes him for a ride in her convertible where they get robbed, but manage to flee, which Petty considers a thrilling experience. The next day, Petty lends Peter her convertible, which is noticed by Ka-chai and Fung, and he uses it to drive his younger siblings around. That night, Petty brings Peter to a high class dinner to celebrate the birthday of an old friend. When Peter sees the prices on the menu, he calls his father to bring some cash to the restaurant and Ka-chai arrives at the restaurant with his friend, Uncle Min (Cheng Gwan-min), dressed in tuxedos, and takes care of Peter's bill, lying to him that Min has won a lottery.

The next day, Peter arrives home beaten after negotiating for Lok's Group in repossessing a flat and Maddy settles the problem for Peter by intimating the tenant with his gang. Peter impresses Chun and Martin, and they bring him to dinner, but Ka-chai arrives at Lok's Group where he introduces himself to Peter's bosses and invites them to celebrate his son's birthday at a nightclub, where Ka-chai sings a song for his son. However, Peter's siblings unintentionally reveal their father's occupation, which displeases Chun. To make matters worse, Chun also sees his sister and Peter kissing in a dance. The next day, Martin warns Peter to stay away from Petty, who happens to barge into the office to bring him to a friend's birthday celebration. Stopping by Petty's house to retrieve her gift, they are confronted by Chun, who insults Peter's father in front of him and drives him away. Petty refuses to believe her brother's accusations until he brings her to see Ka-chai performing a sex song in Yung Shue Tau and she breaks up with Peter while Chun insults Ka-chai. Peter also receives a phonecall from Martin informing him of his dismissal when he arrives home and gets into a heated argument with his father for not listening to his suggestion to retire from singing sex songs, while Ka-chai argues that anyone can look down upon him except Peter because he was raised by the money that was made from singing sex songs.

Fung and Maddy then join Peter for drinks at a nightclub when Chun and Martin arrive. Peter tries to plead with Chun to give his job back, but Chun ridicules him. Peter and Maddy then confront Chun in the bathroom where Peter manages to intimate Chun without saying a word, but ultimately spares Chun, who is frightened. Peter then gets drunk and is brought home by Maddy and Fung and the latter cares for him before making out in bed. Later, Peter decides to join Maddy's gang and, in a fight against Tall Sum and his gang, brutally slashes Sum's underlings, much to the shock of Maddy. Peter then enters the business trade of smuggled televisions with Maddy. While Maddy goes to deliver the goods, Peter is captured by Sum's underlings. Sum tries to persuade Peter to work for him, but Peter refuses and beats him up, hanging Sum on his car window as he drives, which causes Sum to fall off.

While splitting the profits with his gang, Maddy shows Peter a handgun he acquired from China. With his money he earned from smuggling, Peter buys a gift for his father and siblings, but Ka-chai refuses them, having been bought with ill-gotten gains, and scolds his son. Later, Tall Sum and his gang trash Ka-chai's singing booth to get back at Peter, who fights them alongside Maddy, but Sum cripples Peter's younger brother and slashes Fung's back. Fung eventually dies from her wounds at the hospital while helping Peter and Ka-chai reconcile. When Peter and Maddy proceed to seek revenge, they are ambushed by Sum and his gang which results in the death of the latter. Ka-chai then arrives at Sum's warehouse to plead with him to spare his son, but Sum forces him to swallow a live goldfish and spit it back out alive. Ka-chai successfully does it and Sum pretends to agree to his request, but instead he pushes him off the stairs and beats him. Peter then arrives and shoots Sum and a couple of his underlings with a handgun he found in Maddy's home, but Ka-chai attempts to stop him from killing Sum, who then holds Ka-chai hostage. Peter drops his gun and beats up Sum before picking his gun back up and killing him. As the police arrive, Ka-chai takes the gun from Peter and fires a final shot at Sum in front of the police in order to cover the murder for his son and is arrested shortly afterwards. While Ka-chai is serving time in prison, Peter takes up his father's occupation in singing sex songs and raises his younger siblings.

Cast

Theme song

The film's theme song is a cover of the song, Counting Balls (數波波), which was composed by Drunk Snake, with lyrics written by Leung San-yan and was originally sung by Wan Kwong. [1] Bill Tung sings the song during the opening credits while Jacky Cheung sings it during the end credits.

Reception

Critical reception

My Dear Son earned a score of 7/10 stars on the Chinese media rating site, Douban. [2]

Box office

The film grossed HK$2,995.261 at the Hong Kong box office during its theatrical run from 25 May to 2 June 1989.[ citation needed ]

Home media

My Dear Son has been released on VCD on 1 November 2001 in Hong Kong by Media Asia's Mega Star Video Distribution. [3] To date, the film has yet to see release on DVD and Blu-ray.

Related Research Articles

<i>Revolving Doors of Vengeance</i> Hong Kong TV series or program

Revolving Doors of Vengeance is a 30-episode TVB series which was released in 2005. The fictional Royal Court Hotel is based on Crown Prince Hotel, which is located in Dongguan, Guangdong province of China.

<i>The Banquet</i> (1991 film) 1991 Hong Kong film

The Banquet, also Party of a Wealthy Family, is a 1991 Hong Kong comedy film. It was quickly filmed for a Hong Kong flood relief charity, after the Yangtze River flooded in July of that year, killing over 1,700 people and displacing many more in the eastern and southern regions of mainland China.

<i>The Drive of Life</i> Hong Kong TV series or program

The Drive of Life is a 2007 grand production drama by TVB and CCTV as a joint production. It was specially filmed to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong back to China from Britain during the period of 1997-2007.

<i>Journey to the West</i> (1996 TV series) Hong Kong fantasy television series

Journey to the West is a Hong Kong television series adapted from the 16th-century novel of the same title. Starring Dicky Cheung, Kwong Wah, Wayne Lai and Evergreen Mak, the series was produced by TVB and was first broadcast on TVB Jade in Hong Kong in November 1996. A sequel, Journey to the West II, was broadcast in 1998, but the role of the Monkey King was played by Benny Chan instead, due to contract problems between Dicky Cheung and TVB. Cheung later reprised the role in another television series The Monkey King: Quest for the Sutra (2002), which was broadcast on TVB but not produced by the station.

<i>Run Papa Run</i> 2008 Hong Kong film

Run Papa Run is a 2008 Hong Kong comedy-drama film directed and co-written by Sylvia Chang, and based on a novel by Benny Li. The film stars Louis Koo as Tiger Lee, a Triad boss who struggles to hide his criminal lifestyle when he is faced with raising his daughter.

<i>The Emissary</i> (TV series) Hong Kong TV series or program

The Emissary (獵鷹) is a 1982 Hong Kong crime drama television series produced by TVB and starring Andy Lau in his first television leading role, shooting him to instant fame. Since then, Lau's acting career began to take on a broad road. The series' theme song, titled Being at a High Game (胸懷大志), was composed and arranged by Joseph Koo, with lyrics written by Wong Jim, and was sung by Willie Fung.

<i>The Duke of Mount Deer</i> (1998 TV series) Hong Kong television series

The Duke of Mount Deer is a Hong Kong television series adapted from Louis Cha's novel The Deer and the Cauldron. It was first aired on TVB in Hong Kong in 1998.

<i>Law Enforcers</i> 2001 Hong Kong action crime thriller television series

Law Enforcers is a 2001 Hong Kong action crime thriller television series produced by TVB and starring Roger Kwok, Fennie Yuen and Nick Cheung. It was released overseas in June 2001 and premiered on TVB Jade on 24 December 2001.

<i>Buddy Cops</i> 2016 Hong Kong film

Buddy Cops, also known as Holy Beast Cops, is a 2016 Hong Kong-Chinese action crime comedy film directed by Peter Chik and starring Bosco Wong, King Kong Li, Kate Tsui and Charmaine Fong. Filming officially began on 2 April 2012 and wrapped up on 25 May 2012. The film was released on 21 April 2016 in Hong Kong and in China by Huace Pictures (Tianjing) on 22 April 2016.

<i>To Live and Die in Tsimshatsui</i> 1994 Hong Kong film

To Live and Die in Tsimshatsui is a 1994 Hong Kong crime film directed by Andrew Lau and starring Jacky Cheung, Tony Leung, Jacklyn Wu and Power Chan.

<i>The Incredible Kung Fu Master</i> 1979 film by Joe Cheung

The Incredible Kung Fu Master, also known as The Kung Fu Master is a 1979 martial arts action comedy film directed by Joe Cheung in his directorial debut and starring Sammo Hung and Stephen Tung, the latter in his first leading role. This film features an action direction from a number of famous action directors including Sammo Hung Stunt Team, Lam Ching-ying, Billy Chan, Bryan Leung and Yuen Biao.

<i>Wheres Officer Tuba?</i> 1986 Hong Kong film

Where's Officer Tuba? is a 1986 Hong Kong action comedy film directed by Philip Chan and Ricky Lau and starring Sammo Hung, Jacky Cheung, David Chiang and Joey Wong. The film was later remade as Look Out, Officer! in 1990 which starred Stephen Chow.

<i>A New Life</i> (Hong Kong TV series) 1991 Hong Kong action crime drama television series

A New Life is a 1991 Hong Kong action crime drama television series produced by TVB and starring Margie Tsang, Savio Tsang, Donnie Yen and Kitty Lai. Originally released overseas on September 23, 1991, the series is currently rerunning on TVB's Network Vision channel starting from 16 January 2016 on weekends as a part of the special, Our... Donnie Yen (我們的...甄子丹), that began running on 11 January 2016.

<i>Mystery Files</i> (Hong Kong TV series) Hong Kong TV series or program

Mystery Files is a 1997 Hong Kong science fiction thriller television series produced by TVB and stars Gallen Lo as a biochemist who advocates scientific methods to refute superstitious theories, utilizing scientific theories to uncover the answers to a series of strange events.

<i>Come Home Love: Lo and Behold</i> Hong Kong TV series or program

Come Home Love: Lo and Behold, alternately known as Come Home Love: Happy Courrier, is a 2017 daily half-hour Hong Kong sitcom created by TVB, starring Lau Dan, Angela Tong, Koni Lui, Stanley Cheung, Pal Sinn, Mandy Lam, Andrea So, Joyce Tang and Kalok Chow. It is produced by Law Chun-ngok who also produced the three previous Come Home Love.

Al Cappuccino is a Hong Kong television crime comedy series produced by TVB. With Lam Chi-wah serving as executive producer, the series stars Vincent Wong as a struggling actor who gets hired by the OCTB of the Hong Kong Police Force to be a fake triad boss in order to solve a murder that is related to a gang.

<i>Flying Tiger 3</i> Hong Kong crime action drama series

Flying Tiger 3 is a crime action drama web television series produced by Shaw Brothers Studio. It is the third installment of the Flying Tiger franchise. Produced by Viriginia Lok, the series stars Michael Miu, Bosco Wong, Ron Ng, Cheung Siu-fai, Joe Ma, Moses Chan, Roger Kwok, Oscar Leung and Edwin Siu as the main cast.

References

  1. "尹光 尹光-數波波 LYRICS".
  2. "我要富贵 (1989)".
  3. "My Dear Son VCD".