Wong Fei Hung (1991)

Director:

Hark Tsui

Writers:

Yiu Ming Leung (writer)
Pik-yin Tang (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

15 August 1991 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History

Tagline:

Never was a Hero needed more...

Plot:

Set in late 19th century Canton this martial arts film depicts the stance taken by the legendary martial...

Plot Keywords:

Martial Arts | Kung Fu | Hero | Warrior Culture | Doctor

Awards:

4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Jet Li	...	Wong Fei-hung
Biao Yuen	...	Leung Fu
Rosamund Kwan	...	Aunt Yee
Jacky Cheung	...	Buck Teeth Soh
Steve Tartalia	...	Tiger
Kent Cheng	...	Porky Lang
Jonathan Isgar	...	Jackson
Shi-Kwan Yen	...	Iron Robe Yim (as Yee Kwan Yan)
Mark King	...	British general
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bruce Fontaine	...	Policeman
Shun Lau	...	Naval Commander
Tsim Po Sham
Kien Shih	...	Old man who gives advise (Cameo)
Chi Yeung Wong	...	Commander Man
Ma Wu	...	Old Man
Simon Yam
Cheung-Yan Yuen
Kam-Fai Yuen	...	Kai
Shun-Yee Yuen	...	Honorable Manchu Soldier
Tony Yuen		(as Yuen Kam Fai)

Directed by
Hark Tsui

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Yiu Ming Leung		writer
Pik-yin Tang		writer
Hark Tsui		writer
Gai Chi Yuen		writer (as Kai-Chi Yun)

Produced by
Hark Tsui	....	producer

Original Music by
Romeo Díaz
James Wong

Cinematography by
Tung-Chuen Chan
Wilson Chan
David Chung
Ardy Lam		(as Kwok Wah Lam)
Arthur Wong
Bill Wong		(as Chung Biu Wong)

Film Editing by
Marco Mak

Production Management
Lloyd Chao	....	post-production supervisor (international version)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Polly Kam	....	assistant director
Hoi-wah Kong	....	assistant director
Kai Keung Lai	....	assistant director
Bo Shan Lo	....	assistant director

Stunts
Marcus Fox	....	stunt performer
Chia Yung Liu	....	action coordinator
Xin Xin Xiong	....	stunt double: Jet Li
Cheung-Yan Yuen	....	action coordinator
Woo-ping Yuen	....	action coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Perry Ho	....	focus puller

Other crew
Chia Yung Liu	....	martial arts choreographer
Wah Yeung	....	production planner
Woo-ping Yuen	....	martial arts choreographer

Production Companies

• Golden Harvest Company
• Film Workshop

Distributors

• Towa Video (1994) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar (video)
• Crival Films (Brazil) (VHS)
• Des Films (France) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Golden Harvest Company (1991) (Hong Kong) (all media)
• Hong Kong Legends (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• Media Asia Distribution (1991) (Hong Kong) (all media)
• Paragon Films Ltd.
• Rim (1993) (USA) (subtitled)
• Studio Canal (France) (DVD)
• TriStar Pictures (2001) (USA) (re-release) (subtitled)

Also Known As:

Once Upon a Time in China (Hong Kong: English title) (UK) (USA)
Huang Fei-hong (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence.

Runtime:

134 min | Germany:95 min (cut version) | USA:99 min (cut version)

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIB | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:12 (DVD/VHS release) (2001) | Australia:MA (cable rating) | Australia:M (original rating) | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 (re-rating) | Germany:18 (original rating) | Ireland:15 | Singapore:PG | UK:15 | USA:R | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Company:

Golden Harvest Company

Trivia:

Wong Fei-hung was a famous practitioner of hung gar kung fu, although the techniques Jet Li uses are mostly of the long fist method and tai chi.

Goofs:

Factual errors: A 31-star US flag is seen shortly after an adult Wong Fei Hung attempts to defend the Po Chi Lam clinic from a fiery attack. The 31-star flag was used from July 4, 1851 to July 3, 1858. Wong Fei Hung was born on July 9, 1847, and so could not have been older than a few days shy of his eleventh birthday when this flag was still in use. Also, the rows of stars shown on the 31-star flag are inverted. The flag shown has rows of 7, 6, 6, 5, and 7 stars respectively (from top to bottom). The actual flag has rows of 7, 5, 6, 6, and 7 stars top to bottom.

Quotes:

Yim: No matter how good our kung-fu is, it will never defeat guns.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Art of Action: Martial Arts in Motion Picture (2002) (TV)

Great martial film, too ambitious with all its intended messages

This movie, directed by Tsui Hark, embodied some of the best Kong-fu fight sequences to be found anywhere in the entire genre. Not only were the fights choreographed with amazing skill and dexterity, there was also supreme creativity and use of forces at work here. The angle placement of the camera was always effective and the fight scenes between the hero and his enemies are set up with admirable presence and dignity. Furthermore, the editing was bold and crisp; for the most part everything flowed very well from one scene to the next. Jet Li was unparalleled in his martial arts glamour. His stern demeanor accentuated his role as a leader and a man of principle.

Jet Li played Wong Feihong, a doctor who also happened to be renowned for his skill in martial arts. Against his will, he became involved in combating the local gang, whose rivalry and antagonism was set up by a flimsy pretext. (Apparently gang violence usually are created over the most trifle of instances) On the one hand, Feihong, had to deal with the local thugs, on the other, he had to deal with government officials and foreign mercenaries.

Along for the ride were some touching characters playing Wong Feihong's students, the stuttering Western-educated nerd and the formidably huge pork merchant. The addition of Aunt 13 to the cast added shy romance, providing a nice contrast to all the fighting and constant strife and chaos.

The movie featured a convincing historical backdrop and captured the national Chinese character well, at least, the 19th century, pre-Communist era. The music score was very nicely done and complemented the film well. At times, the movie evoked as much emotion as the characters themselves.

The only problem with this film may be its overly ambitious goals of trying to tackle everything at once. There was the sentiment of saving China from "foreign devils" as well as the sentiment that China was rotting and corrupt at its core, with the Chinese betraying the Chinese. There was also the strong sense of there being too few good men like Wong Feihong, with a strong desire to do right by his country. Over all, the movie's message was multi-layered and complex and can be confusing to the unschooled audience.

Still, this movie, made in 1991, showed off Jet Li's lyrical martial arts grace in full glory and in its best moments, takes fighting to a transcendent level.