He's a Woman, She's a Man
Encyclopedia
He's a Woman, She's a Man (金枝玉葉 or Jīn Zhī Yù Yè) is a 1994 film directed by Peter Chan Ho Sun
and written by James Yuen and Lee Chi Ngai. It stars Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing
, Anita Yuen Wing Yee
, Carina Lau Kar Ling
, Jordan Chan Siu Chun
and Eric Tsang Chi Wai
. Its many awards garnered include Best Actress at the 14th Annual HK Film Awards for Anita Yuen
and Best Original Song for 'Chase' by Leslie Cheung
. It was followed by a sequel: Who's the Woman, Who's the Man?
in 1996.
) is a sassy girl who deeply idolizes Rose (Carina Lau
), a pop singer, and Rose's boyfriend, top record producer and song-writer Sam (Leslie Cheung
). Rose has been groomed by Sam, achieving stardom and international acclaim. With her success, Sam decides to try his hand at bringing up a male singer. He decides to announce a country-wide, males-only talent search, much to his former protegée's chagrin.
Wing, desperate to meet her idols, seizes this opportunity and enters the contest disguised as a male. Her doting brother (Jordan Chan
) trains her to perfect this whimsical idea.
As fate would have it, Wing succeeds in the audition thanks to the poor quality of those auditioning and in part to Rose's taunts. Rose challenges Sam to see to the idea of him bringing up a (relatively) talentless Wing.
Wing is later invited to stay at Sam and Rose's home for her/"his" musical education. Wing tries unsuccessfully to reconcile the two lovers' difference. Trouble and comedy ensue as she finds herself falling for Sam and vice versa, despite him thinking she is a he.
elements were hinted at but never fully developed, such as those portrayed by Eric Tsang (whose character has a somewhat similar appearance to Elton John
) which pokes fun at the imminent love that was developing between Wing and Sam as they worked together and had fun as well as the scene where Wing sports an unwanted 'erection
' in her male disguise while discussing with Sam about her singing duties.
The theme song is 'Chase' (追) sung by Leslie Cheung
(Most Beloved
album, 1995).
Peter Chan
Peter Chan Ho-sun , is a film director and producer.-Life and career:Chan was born in Bangkok to Chinese parents. He spent his teens in and studied in Hong Kong and United States, and he attended film school at UCLA. He returned to Hong Kong in 1983 for a summer internship in the film industry....
and written by James Yuen and Lee Chi Ngai. It stars Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing
Leslie Cheung
Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing , nicknamed elder brother , was a film actor and musician from Hong Kong. Cheung was considered as "one of the founding fathers of Cantopop", and "combining a hugely successful film and music career".In 2000, Cheung was named Asian Biggest Superstar by China Central...
, Anita Yuen Wing Yee
Anita Yuen
Anita Yuen Wing-yi is a Hong Kong film and television actress. She was the winner of the 1990 Miss Hong Kong Pageant.-Pageant career:At the age of 18, Yuen entered the Miss Hong Kong 1990 pageant. She was a heavy favorite to win the crown from the semifinal to final. During the semifinals on August...
, Carina Lau Kar Ling
Carina Lau
Carina Lau Kar-ling is a Hong Kong actress. She was especially notable in the 1980s for her girl-next-door type roles in films....
, Jordan Chan Siu Chun
Jordan Chan
Jordan Chan Siu-Chun is a Chinese actor and musician from Hong Kong.Chan got his start by enrolling in the TVB Dancers' Training Class in 1985. Soon after graduation, he joined a few of the studio's troupes that would accompany popular singers during their live performances...
and Eric Tsang Chi Wai
Eric Tsang
Eric Tsang Chi-wai , MH is a prolific Hong Kong actor, film director, film producer and television host best known for hosting the Super Trio series on TVB over the course of 10 years.-Biography:Due to his popularity, he is often the MC in events organized by TVB, and is nicknamed "the Prize Master"...
. Its many awards garnered include Best Actress at the 14th Annual HK Film Awards for Anita Yuen
Anita Yuen
Anita Yuen Wing-yi is a Hong Kong film and television actress. She was the winner of the 1990 Miss Hong Kong Pageant.-Pageant career:At the age of 18, Yuen entered the Miss Hong Kong 1990 pageant. She was a heavy favorite to win the crown from the semifinal to final. During the semifinals on August...
and Best Original Song for 'Chase' by Leslie Cheung
Leslie Cheung
Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing , nicknamed elder brother , was a film actor and musician from Hong Kong. Cheung was considered as "one of the founding fathers of Cantopop", and "combining a hugely successful film and music career".In 2000, Cheung was named Asian Biggest Superstar by China Central...
. It was followed by a sequel: Who's the Woman, Who's the Man?
Who's the Woman, Who's the Man?
Who's the Woman, Who's the Man? is a 1996 Hong Kong film directed by Peter Chan. It is a sequel to the 1994 film He's a Woman, She's a Man.-Cast and roles:* Jordan Chan - Yu Lo / 'Fish'* Moses Chan - Auditioning gay man...
in 1996.
Plot
Wing (Anita YuenAnita Yuen
Anita Yuen Wing-yi is a Hong Kong film and television actress. She was the winner of the 1990 Miss Hong Kong Pageant.-Pageant career:At the age of 18, Yuen entered the Miss Hong Kong 1990 pageant. She was a heavy favorite to win the crown from the semifinal to final. During the semifinals on August...
) is a sassy girl who deeply idolizes Rose (Carina Lau
Carina Lau
Carina Lau Kar-ling is a Hong Kong actress. She was especially notable in the 1980s for her girl-next-door type roles in films....
), a pop singer, and Rose's boyfriend, top record producer and song-writer Sam (Leslie Cheung
Leslie Cheung
Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing , nicknamed elder brother , was a film actor and musician from Hong Kong. Cheung was considered as "one of the founding fathers of Cantopop", and "combining a hugely successful film and music career".In 2000, Cheung was named Asian Biggest Superstar by China Central...
). Rose has been groomed by Sam, achieving stardom and international acclaim. With her success, Sam decides to try his hand at bringing up a male singer. He decides to announce a country-wide, males-only talent search, much to his former protegée's chagrin.
Wing, desperate to meet her idols, seizes this opportunity and enters the contest disguised as a male. Her doting brother (Jordan Chan
Jordan Chan
Jordan Chan Siu-Chun is a Chinese actor and musician from Hong Kong.Chan got his start by enrolling in the TVB Dancers' Training Class in 1985. Soon after graduation, he joined a few of the studio's troupes that would accompany popular singers during their live performances...
) trains her to perfect this whimsical idea.
As fate would have it, Wing succeeds in the audition thanks to the poor quality of those auditioning and in part to Rose's taunts. Rose challenges Sam to see to the idea of him bringing up a (relatively) talentless Wing.
Wing is later invited to stay at Sam and Rose's home for her/"his" musical education. Wing tries unsuccessfully to reconcile the two lovers' difference. Trouble and comedy ensue as she finds herself falling for Sam and vice versa, despite him thinking she is a he.
Miscellaneous
Throughout the movie, certain gayGay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
elements were hinted at but never fully developed, such as those portrayed by Eric Tsang (whose character has a somewhat similar appearance to Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
) which pokes fun at the imminent love that was developing between Wing and Sam as they worked together and had fun as well as the scene where Wing sports an unwanted 'erection
Erection
Penile erection is a physiological phenomenon where the penis becomes enlarged and firm. Penile erection is the result of a complex interaction of psychological, neural, vascular and endocrine factors, and is usually, though not exclusively, associated with sexual arousal...
' in her male disguise while discussing with Sam about her singing duties.
The theme song is 'Chase' (追) sung by Leslie Cheung
Leslie Cheung
Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing , nicknamed elder brother , was a film actor and musician from Hong Kong. Cheung was considered as "one of the founding fathers of Cantopop", and "combining a hugely successful film and music career".In 2000, Cheung was named Asian Biggest Superstar by China Central...
(Most Beloved
Most Beloved
Most Beloved or Beloved is a Cantopop album by Leslie Cheung released in 1995 after a long personal struggle between deciding to make a comeback or to make good his retirement vow...
album, 1995).
Cast
- Leslie CheungLeslie CheungLeslie Cheung Kwok-Wing , nicknamed elder brother , was a film actor and musician from Hong Kong. Cheung was considered as "one of the founding fathers of Cantopop", and "combining a hugely successful film and music career".In 2000, Cheung was named Asian Biggest Superstar by China Central...
- Sam Koo Gai Ming - Carina LauCarina LauCarina Lau Kar-ling is a Hong Kong actress. She was especially notable in the 1980s for her girl-next-door type roles in films....
- Rose - Anita YuenAnita YuenAnita Yuen Wing-yi is a Hong Kong film and television actress. She was the winner of the 1990 Miss Hong Kong Pageant.-Pageant career:At the age of 18, Yuen entered the Miss Hong Kong 1990 pageant. She was a heavy favorite to win the crown from the semifinal to final. During the semifinals on August...
- Lam Chi Wing - Eric TsangEric TsangEric Tsang Chi-wai , MH is a prolific Hong Kong actor, film director, film producer and television host best known for hosting the Super Trio series on TVB over the course of 10 years.-Biography:Due to his popularity, he is often the MC in events organized by TVB, and is nicknamed "the Prize Master"...
- Auntie - Jordan ChanJordan ChanJordan Chan Siu-Chun is a Chinese actor and musician from Hong Kong.Chan got his start by enrolling in the TVB Dancers' Training Class in 1985. Soon after graduation, he joined a few of the studio's troupes that would accompany popular singers during their live performances...
- Yu Lo - Lawrence ChengLawrence ChengLawrence Cheng Tan Shui is a Hong Kong film actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. He was a Hong Kong DJ and radio channel executive....
- Charles Chow Chu - Law Kar-yingLaw Kar-YingLaw Kar-ying is a Hong Kong-based actor. He was originally a Cantonese Opera artiste. In 1990 he turned to acting in movies. He became popular after being cast in From Beijing with Love, which also starred Stephen Chow, as Da Vinci, an inventor whose list of gadgets include a solar-powered...
- Joseph (as Ka-ying Lo) - Jerry LambJerry LambJerry Lamb Hiu Fong is a Hong Kong actor. He is also known as Lamb Hiu Fung.He was born in Hong Kong. He is the younger brother of popular DJ, pop singer, and actor, Jan and radio personality-turned-singer Sandy. Jerry is best known to hardcore movie fans as the young lackey Pou-pan in the Young...
- Sam's Assistant - Pete Spurrier - Wine bar patron (uncredited)
Awards and nominations
- Won: Hong Kong Film Award for Best ActressHong Kong Film Award for Best ActressThe Hong Kong Film Award for Best actress is an annual Hong Kong industry award presented to an actress for the best performance by an actress in a leading role.-Records:-1980s:*1982 Kara Hui - My Young Auntie as Cheng Tai-Nan...
(Anita Yuen) - Won: Hong Kong Film Award for Best Original Film Song (Lesile Cheung)
- Nominated: Hong Kong Film Award for Best ActorHong Kong Film Award for Best ActorThe Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor is an annual Hong Kong industry award presented to an actor for the best performance by an actor in a leading role.-History:...
(Lesile Cheung) - Nominated: Hong Kong Film Award for Best Art Direction (Chung Man-kei)
- Nominated: Hong Kong Film Award for Best Costume & Make Up Design (Dora Ng)
- Nominated: Hong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorThe Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director is an annual Hong Kong industry award presented to a director for the best achievement in cinematic direction.-History:...
(Peter Chan) - Nominated: Hong Kong Film Award for Best FilmHong Kong Film Award for Best FilmThe Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film is an annual Hong Kong industry award presented to the films which is considered the best of the year.-History:...
(Eric Tsang) - Nominated: Hong Kong Film Award for Best Screenplay (Lee Chi-ngai, James Yuen)
- Nominated: Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting ActorHong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting ActorThe Hong Kong Film Award for Best Supporting Actor is an annual Hong Kong industry award presented to an actor for the best performance by an actor in a supporting role.-History:...
(Jordan Chan) - Nominated: Hong Kong Film Award for Best New PerformerHong Kong Film Award for Best New PerformerThe Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Performer is an annual Hong Kong industry award presented to an actor or actress for the best performance by a new artist...
(Jordan Chan)