Flirting Scholar
Encyclopedia
Flirting Scholar is a 1993 Hong Kong comedy film
directed by Lee Lik-Chi
and starring Stephen Chow
.
A second installment, Flirting Scholar 2
, was released in 2010. It is a prequel
of the 1993 Hong Kong film with Lik-Chi returning as director.
, there exists a legendary group of four scholars, whose literary and artistic skills are unmatched in China. Out of the four scholars, Tong Pak Fu (Stephen Chow
) is most famous, for having eight wives in addition to his expertise as an artist, poet, and calligrapher
. However, Tong's eight wives are actually complete gambling addicts, and in general, unappreciative of Tong's artistic skills. This leads to Tong's quest for a woman who truly understands him and appreciates his strengths.
There is also a familial secret within the Tong Family: they have been generations of martial arts masters. The Tong Family has two major enemies: the Evil Scholar, a notorious swordsman known for The Deadly Scholastic Sword (書生奪命劍), who killed Tong Pak Fu's father during a melee, and a love rival of Tong Pak Fu's mother, Chissy. Due to these rivalries, Tong Pak Fu is forbidden by his mother to use any form of martial arts.
During an outing with the other scholars, Tong stumbles upon the convoy of the House of Wah, an aristocratic family with much political power in the Ming Dynasty government. Tong also meets Chow Heung (Gong Li
), one of the four maids in the House of Wah, who is renowned for her legendary beauty. This chance encounter convinces Tong that he has finally found his true love, and he decides to actively woo Chow Heung. On the advice of a boat driver, Tong pretends to be a lowly servant in order to gain employment in the House of Wah.
Tong finds life as a servant very difficult, until he is caught helping a friend who sells Tong's paintings as a living. This results in Madame Wah (Cheng Pei-pei
) discovering that Tong is actually educated, through an impromptu rap
Tong made up on the spot claiming that his life was ruined by Tong Pak Fu. After some persuasion by Chow Heung, Tong is hired as an assistant tutor for Madame Wah's two young sons, both of whom are presumed mentally challenged.
After the sudden (and quite comical) death of the main tutor of the House of Wah, Tong is hired as the main tutor, and as a result, Tong manages to get closer to Chow Heung. The good times do not last, however, as the House of Wah is suddenly visited by Chancellor Wah's political rival, Prince Ning, who has hired the Evil Scholar (Gordon Liu
) as his bodyguard and general counsel. Prince Ning, who is planning a coup
, brings a painting by Tong Pak Fu for Chancellor Wah to enjoy, but this is a ruse, as the Prince wants the Evil Scholar to injure and kill members of the Wah Family, especially Chancellor Wah and Madame Wah, an accomplished martial artist.
In the subsequent "viewing" of the painting (in actuality, a fierce martial arts melee), Madame Wah is injured, and Tong steps in to finish the battle in the House of Wah's favor. He succeeds, but the painting is destroyed in the process. Prince Ning seizes the opportunity to blame the House of Wah for insulting him by destroying the painting. To save the House of Wah from being possibly executed by the Emperor
, Tong claims that the destroyed painting is actually a counterfeit
, and that there is a copy of the genuine painting inside the Wah compounds.
Tong leaves with Chow Heung to fetch the painting. However, Chow Heung is fearful of repercussions, as the House of Wah is not allowed to have any of Tong Pak Fu's works. While Chow Heung frets, Tong reproduces the painting in record time, and presents the painting to Prince Ning. Embarrassed at being utterly defeated at the hands of a tutor, Prince Ning leaves hastily, vowing revenge. In reproducing the painting, Tong unintentionally reveals his real identity to Madame Wah, who, as the former love rival of Tong's mother, is one of the enemies of the Tong Family. In a seemingly polite exchange, Madame Wah and Tong poison each other.
Several days after Prince Ning's embarrassment, the Evil Scholar returns to annihilate the entire House of Wah. Once again, Madame Wah attempts to defend the family, but is almost killed in the process. Tong appears seconds before Madame Wah and Chow Heung (who was protecting the injured Madame Wah) would be killed by the Evil Scholar. After a fierce battle, Tong kills the Evil Scholar and earns Chow Heung's hand in marriage as a reward. Madame Wah puts on a game to test Tong's love for Chow Heung, which Tong passes. Tong and Chow Heung eventually marry each other in a ceremony where he discovers, to his dismay, that Chow Heung is just as much a gambling addict as his previous eight wives.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Lee Lik-Chi
Lee Lik-Chi
Lee Lik-chi is a Hong Kong-based actor, film director and screenplay writer.-Filmography:*The King of Comedy *Gorgeous *The Lucky Guy *Troublesome Night 3 *Killing Me Tenderly...
and starring Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow Sing-Chi is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, screenwriter, film director and producer.- Professional career :Stephen Chow began as a temporary actor for TVB. He entered TVB in early 1980s, and was trained there, although he had few opportunities to appear in films. Chow graduated from...
.
A second installment, Flirting Scholar 2
Flirting Scholar 2
Flirting Scholar 2 is a 2010 Chinese comedy film directed by Hong Kong director Lee Lik-Chi and starring Huang Xiaoming, Zhang Jingchu, Natalis Chan and Richie Ren. It is a prequel to the 1993 Hong Kong film Flirting Scholar which starred Stephen Chow and also directed by Lee.-Cast:-External...
, was released in 2010. It is a prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
of the 1993 Hong Kong film with Lik-Chi returning as director.
Plot
In the Ming DynastyMing Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
, there exists a legendary group of four scholars, whose literary and artistic skills are unmatched in China. Out of the four scholars, Tong Pak Fu (Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow Sing-Chi is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, screenwriter, film director and producer.- Professional career :Stephen Chow began as a temporary actor for TVB. He entered TVB in early 1980s, and was trained there, although he had few opportunities to appear in films. Chow graduated from...
) is most famous, for having eight wives in addition to his expertise as an artist, poet, and calligrapher
East Asian calligraphy
East Asian calligraphy is a form of calligraphy widely practised and revered in the Sinosphere. This most often includes China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. The East Asian calligraphic tradition originated and developed from China. There is a general standardization of the various styles of...
. However, Tong's eight wives are actually complete gambling addicts, and in general, unappreciative of Tong's artistic skills. This leads to Tong's quest for a woman who truly understands him and appreciates his strengths.
There is also a familial secret within the Tong Family: they have been generations of martial arts masters. The Tong Family has two major enemies: the Evil Scholar, a notorious swordsman known for The Deadly Scholastic Sword (書生奪命劍), who killed Tong Pak Fu's father during a melee, and a love rival of Tong Pak Fu's mother, Chissy. Due to these rivalries, Tong Pak Fu is forbidden by his mother to use any form of martial arts.
During an outing with the other scholars, Tong stumbles upon the convoy of the House of Wah, an aristocratic family with much political power in the Ming Dynasty government. Tong also meets Chow Heung (Gong Li
Gong Li
Gong Li is a Chinese film actress. Gong first came into international prominence through close collaboration with Chinese director Zhang Yimou and is credited with helping to bring Chinese cinema to Europe and the United States....
), one of the four maids in the House of Wah, who is renowned for her legendary beauty. This chance encounter convinces Tong that he has finally found his true love, and he decides to actively woo Chow Heung. On the advice of a boat driver, Tong pretends to be a lowly servant in order to gain employment in the House of Wah.
Tong finds life as a servant very difficult, until he is caught helping a friend who sells Tong's paintings as a living. This results in Madame Wah (Cheng Pei-pei
Cheng Pei-pei
Cheng Pei-pei is an actress best known for her performance in the seminal 1966 King Hu wuxia film Come Drink with Me. She continued to play expert swordswomen in a number of films throughout the 1960s...
) discovering that Tong is actually educated, through an impromptu rap
Rap
Rap may refer to:*Rapping, performance in which rhyming lyrics are used, with or without musical accompaniment ; while an MC performs spoken verses in time to a beat/ melody**Hip hop subculture**Hip hop music...
Tong made up on the spot claiming that his life was ruined by Tong Pak Fu. After some persuasion by Chow Heung, Tong is hired as an assistant tutor for Madame Wah's two young sons, both of whom are presumed mentally challenged.
After the sudden (and quite comical) death of the main tutor of the House of Wah, Tong is hired as the main tutor, and as a result, Tong manages to get closer to Chow Heung. The good times do not last, however, as the House of Wah is suddenly visited by Chancellor Wah's political rival, Prince Ning, who has hired the Evil Scholar (Gordon Liu
Gordon Liu
Gordon Liu is a Chinese martial arts film actor. He became famous for playing the lead in The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and its sequels...
) as his bodyguard and general counsel. Prince Ning, who is planning a coup
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
, brings a painting by Tong Pak Fu for Chancellor Wah to enjoy, but this is a ruse, as the Prince wants the Evil Scholar to injure and kill members of the Wah Family, especially Chancellor Wah and Madame Wah, an accomplished martial artist.
In the subsequent "viewing" of the painting (in actuality, a fierce martial arts melee), Madame Wah is injured, and Tong steps in to finish the battle in the House of Wah's favor. He succeeds, but the painting is destroyed in the process. Prince Ning seizes the opportunity to blame the House of Wah for insulting him by destroying the painting. To save the House of Wah from being possibly executed by the Emperor
Emperor of China
The Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning between the founding of Qin Dynasty of China, united by the King of Qin in 221 BCE, and the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title that predates the Qin unification, the...
, Tong claims that the destroyed painting is actually a counterfeit
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
, and that there is a copy of the genuine painting inside the Wah compounds.
Tong leaves with Chow Heung to fetch the painting. However, Chow Heung is fearful of repercussions, as the House of Wah is not allowed to have any of Tong Pak Fu's works. While Chow Heung frets, Tong reproduces the painting in record time, and presents the painting to Prince Ning. Embarrassed at being utterly defeated at the hands of a tutor, Prince Ning leaves hastily, vowing revenge. In reproducing the painting, Tong unintentionally reveals his real identity to Madame Wah, who, as the former love rival of Tong's mother, is one of the enemies of the Tong Family. In a seemingly polite exchange, Madame Wah and Tong poison each other.
Several days after Prince Ning's embarrassment, the Evil Scholar returns to annihilate the entire House of Wah. Once again, Madame Wah attempts to defend the family, but is almost killed in the process. Tong appears seconds before Madame Wah and Chow Heung (who was protecting the injured Madame Wah) would be killed by the Evil Scholar. After a fierce battle, Tong kills the Evil Scholar and earns Chow Heung's hand in marriage as a reward. Madame Wah puts on a game to test Tong's love for Chow Heung, which Tong passes. Tong and Chow Heung eventually marry each other in a ceremony where he discovers, to his dismay, that Chow Heung is just as much a gambling addict as his previous eight wives.
Cast
- Stephen ChowStephen ChowStephen Chow Sing-Chi is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, screenwriter, film director and producer.- Professional career :Stephen Chow began as a temporary actor for TVB. He entered TVB in early 1980s, and was trained there, although he had few opportunities to appear in films. Chow graduated from...
- Tong Pak-FuTang YinTang Yin , better known by his courtesy name Tang Bohu , was a Chinese scholar, painter, calligrapher, and poet of the Ming Dynasty period whose life story has become a part of popular lore... - Gong LiGong LiGong Li is a Chinese film actress. Gong first came into international prominence through close collaboration with Chinese director Zhang Yimou and is credited with helping to bring Chinese cinema to Europe and the United States....
- Chow Heung - Natalis ChanNatalis ChanNatalis Chan Pak-Cheung, born 3 December 1950 in Hong Kong, is a Hong Kong television host, film actor and producer.Besides his duties as a variety show host, he has also been a horse racing commentator and horse trainer...
- Chuck Chi-Shan - Bryan Leung - Mo Chong-Yuen
- Cheng Pei-peiCheng Pei-peiCheng Pei-pei is an actress best known for her performance in the seminal 1966 King Hu wuxia film Come Drink with Me. She continued to play expert swordswomen in a number of films throughout the 1960s...
- Madame Wah - Gordon LiuGordon LiuGordon Liu is a Chinese martial arts film actor. He became famous for playing the lead in The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and its sequels...
- Evil Scholar - Francis NgFrancis Ng-Career:Like so many of Hong Kong's actors, Ng has his roots in television. He graduated from TVB's training classes in 1985. He acted in minor roles working gradually upwards in the television hierarchy, but his looks did not fit in the conventional leading man role...
- Member of The Four Scholars - Vincent KokVincent KokVincent Kok Tak-Chiu is a Hong Kong actor, scriptwriter and film director.Kok is best known for his frequent collaborations with Stephen Chow, acting and co-writing with him the films Forbidden City Cop, From Beijing with Love and The God of Cookery in addition to producing and co-writing Chow's...
- Tu Chuen-Chang - Chan Fai-hung
- Chu Tiet-Wo
- Peter Lai - Teacher
- Lam Wai - King Ning
- Lee Kin-yan
- Leung Wing-Chung
- Carol Wan - Tung Heung
- Gabriel Wong - Wah-Man
- Wong JimWong JimJames Wong Jim was a Cantopop lyricist and writer based primarily in Hong Kong. He was also a well known in Asia as a columnist, actor, film director, screenwriter and talk show hosts. He took part in creative directing positions within the entertainment industry in Hong Kong...
- Chancellor Wah - Yuen King-Tan - Shek-Lau
- Mimi Zhu - Chissy
- Jessica HsuanJessica HsuanJessica Hester Hsuan, or Suen Huen is a Hong Kong actress. Jessica holds a degree from Imperial College London.She is currently one of the most popular television actresses of Hong Kong. She started her career in late 1992 and early 1993...
- Lam Kit-Ying