''Hong Kong 1941'' () is a 1984 Hong Kong

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Po-Chih Leong Leong Po-Chih (born 31 December 1939) is a British-born Chinese film director from Hong Kong and United States. Early life On December 31, 1939, Leong was born in England. He has two siblings. Leong attended the London Film School, before em ...

, produced by

John Shum John Sham Kin-Fun (born 1952) is a Hong Kong actor and film producer. His English name is sometimes written as John Shum. Whilst known primarily for his comedic acting roles in Hong Kong cinema, he also spent time as a political activist. Biogra ...

and written by

Sammo Hung Sammo Hung Kam-bo ( zh, t=洪金寶, j=Hung4 Gam1-bou2; born 7 January 1952) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and Film director, director, known for his work in martial arts films, Hong Kong action cinema, and as a fight choreog ...

. The film stars

Chow Yun-fat Chow Yun-fat (born 18 May 1955), previously known as Donald Chow, is a Hong Kong actor. He is perhaps best known for his collaborations with filmmaker John Woo in the five Hong Kong action heroic bloodshed films: ''A Better Tomorrow'', ''A Be ...

Cecilia Yip Cecilia Yip Tung (; born 8 March 1963) is a Hong Kong actress whose work is known throughout Asia, especially in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Career She began her acting career in 1982 with ''Nomad'' for which she was nominated for t ...

and

Alex Man Alex Man Chi-leung () is a Golden Horse Award-winning Hong Kong actor. Born in Hong Kong to Hakka parents, Alex Man became a television actor for ATV in the 1970s. He joined TVB Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) is a television bro ...

. For his performance in this film, Chow was awarded his first

Golden Horse Award for Best Leading Actor The Golden Horse Award for Best Leading Actor () is given at the Golden Horse Film Awards. Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai has won the most Best Leading Actor awards with 3 times. He won the award in the 31st, 40th and 41st awards ceremony wi ...

Synopsis

The film takes places shortly before and during the

Japanese occupation of Hong Kong The Imperial Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began when the Governor of Hong Kong, Mark Aitchison Young, Sir Mark Young, surrendered the British Crown colony of British Hong Kong, Hong Kong to the Empire of Japan on 25 December 1941. The surr ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. The story of three young friends focuses on their sufferings as Hong Kong falls under oppressive occupation. Years later, a woman narrates her personal story of the Japanese takeover of Hong Kong in 1941. She's Nam, young, attractive, daughter of a wealthy rice merchant, and prey to painful, disabling seizures. Her boyhood friend is Coolie Keung, whose family used to have wealth; he's now impoverished, a tough kid, a leader, in love with her. Into the mix steps Fei, cool and resourceful, an actor from the north, intent on getting to Gold Mountain in the US or Australia. They form a trio, but the day they are to leave Hong Kong, the invasion stops them. Fei must rescue Keung from collaborators, Nam falls in love with Fei, and danger awaits their next attempt to escape

Filming locations

Yu Yuen () a large residential building built in 1927 in

Tung Tau Wai Tung Tau Wai () or Wang Chau Tung Tau Wai (), is a village in Wang Chau, Yuen Long District, Hong Kong. Administration Tung Tau Wai (referred to as 'Tung Tau Tsuen' in this context) is a recognized village under the New Territories Small House ...

, Wang Chau, is featured in the film.

Antiquities Advisory Board The Antiquities Advisory Board (AAB) is a statutory body of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with the responsibility of advising the Antiquities Authority on any matters relating to antiquities and monuments. The AAB was establish ...

. Historic Building Appraisal
Yu Yuen, Tung Tau Wai

Cast and roles

as Yip Kim-fei *

as Han Yuk-nam *

as Wong Hak-keung *

Shih Kien Shek Wing-cheung (1 January 1913 – 3 June 2009), better known by his stage name Shih Kien, Sek Kin, or Sek Gin or Shek Kin(), was a Hong Kong–based Chinese actor. Shih is best known for playing antagonists and villains in several early Hong ...

as Ha Chung-sun, Nam's father *

Wu Ma Fung Wang-yuen (22 September 1942 – 4 February 2014), better known by his stage name Wu Ma, was a Hong Kong actor, director, producer and writer. Wu Ma made his screen debut in 1963, and with over 240 appearances to his name (plus 49 directoria ...

as Chairman Liu Yan-mau *

Paul Chun Paul Chun (; born 26 June 1945) is a Hong Kong actor. He has appeared in more than 130 films and television series since 1949. In 1966, he appeared in ''The Sand Pebbles'', an American film produced and directed by Robert Wise. Early life He wa ...

as Fa Wing *

Ku Feng Chan Sze-man (born 3 July 1930), better known by his stage name Ku Feng, is a Hong Kong actor. Background He studied in Beijing, and has appeared in hundreds of films, many of which were produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio Shaw Brothers ( ...

as Shui / Shiu * Stuart Ong as General Kanezawa *

Billy Lau Billy Lau Nam Kwong (born 3 April 1954) is a Hong Kong film actor, director and writer. He is best known for playing the Police Captain in '' Mr. Vampire'' (1985) and went on to be cast in similar roles. He has appeared in many comedy and horr ...

as Factory Foreman *

Angela Yu Chien Angela Yu Chien (Chinese: 于倩) (1942-2004) Hong Kong CinemagicAngela Yu Chien/ref> was a China-born Hong Kong actress. Biography Angela Yu Chien was born in Beijing. She moved to Taiwan with her family at the age of five. In 1960, she moved t ...

as Fei's Aunt * Chu Tau as Liu's men * Chow Kam-kong Liu's man *

as Emperor *

Chin Ka-lok Chin Ka-lok, sometimes credited as Chin Kar-lok (Chinese: 錢嘉樂, Pinyin: Qián Jiālè, born 6 August 1965), is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, and television presenter. Chin was born in Hong Kong, the younger brother of actor an ...

(extra) * Pang Yun-cheung (extra) * Lee Chi-kit (extra)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* *
Hong Kong Cinemagic entry
{{Sammo Hung 1984 films 1984 drama films 1980s war drama films 1980s Cantonese-language films Films about rape Films set in Hong Kong Hong Kong war drama films Pacific War films Second Sino-Japanese War films 1980s Hong Kong films