Wong Fei Hung (1991)

Director:

Hark Tsui

Writers:

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

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)

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:

Jet Li's voice is dubbed in post-production because he is not a Cantonese speaker. In fact, he spoke in Mandarin entirely during filming.

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)

"A Beautifully Told Ballad About One Of The Greatest Heroes Of All Time."

"Wong Fei Hong" may be dismissed as "yet another Hong Kong Kung Fu Film" at first glance. But when one looks at it deeper, it is one of the most triumphant films of all time. Rarely is the histoical splendour of the Late Qing Dynasty decipted as tragically beautiful as in this movie. The acting and the characters are achingly humane, as are the interaction between the characters. To say that the action in this movie is awesome is to commit the gross crime of severe understatement. The final confrontation between Wong Fei Hong and Yen Zhe Don in the forrest of ladders within the American Fort is arguably most electrifying and intense action narrative in cinema history. Painstakingly detailed and tightly paced, it is Martial Arts Action at its finest, thanks to the incredible talents of Choreographer Yuen Woo Ping.

Most of all, "Wong Fei Hong" is one of the rare films these made these days that is truly about honour and caring about people. Master Wong represents the courage, nobility, honour, compssion and the sorely lacking justice that our world desperately needs. Wong Fei Hong is possibly the best role model for our children, whose souls are constantly rotted by selfish, nasty, so-called heroes like Blade and Spawn. The theme music of this film, "Be a hero", truly brings out the spirit of this nobility, and is one of the most moving tunes ever composed. The HERO of this film makes me proud that I am an Asian like him.

Tsui hark is truly a great man for making this film, and deserves better than to have his talent wasted on Van Damme.