The Prodigal Son (film)
Encyclopedia
The Prodigal Son also released as "Pull No Punches," is a 1981
Hong Kong kung fu comedy film
directed by Sammo Hung
, starring Yuen Biao
and Lam Ching-ying and featuring Hung in a supporting role. The film is based on the historical figures Leung Jan
(Yuen Biao), Leung Yee-tai
(Lam Ching Ying), and Wong Wah-bo (Sammo Hung). It features the martial art Wing Chun
.
) is a young man in a wealthy family living in Foshan
in the mid-19th century. He is a martial artist trained by two instructors in his father's employ. He has fought over three hundred times in Foshan and won every fight, but unbeknownst to him, his father has arranged for his servant Yee Tong Choi (Chan Lung) to bribe Jan's opponents to lose to him in order to protect him. This has caused Jan to believe that he is a world-class fighter, but in truth he hasn't even mastered the basics of kung fu and any real fighter could easily defeat him. Everyone knows this but him, giving him the nickname "The Prodigal Son" behind his back.
One night, three of Jan's friends attend a performance by the Lok Fung Lin Chinese Opera
troupe. One of Jan's friends is attracted to the lead actress and asks her out on a date after the performance. She refuses, but he insists and even harasses her. She reveals herself to be a man, Leung Yee-tai (Lam Ching-ying), a master of Wing Chun. He beats up and humiliates Jan's friends.
Jan challenges Yee-tai to a fight to avenge the insults to his friends. As usual, Yee Tong Choi tries to bribe Yee-tai to lose, but Yee-tai refuses, easily defeats Jan, and reveals the truth about his martial arts ineptitude to him.
Jan, desiring to learn real kung fu, asks Yee-tai to teach him Wing Chun. Yee-tai refuses because he thinks Jan would probably misuse it, but Jan has his father buy the Lok Fung Lin troupe and gives himself a job as Yee-tai's personal assistant, insisting on following Yee-tai everywhere until Yee-tai agrees to teach him Wing Chun. This continues for six months.
The Lok Fung Lin troupe travels to Canton
. There, Yee-tai's Wing Chun skills are witnessed by Lord Ngai Fai (Frankie Chan
), the son of a Manchu
duke, who is also a martial arts master and is hunting for a worthy opponent. Ngai forces Yee-tai to fight him. Ngai and Yee-tai are evenly matched until Yee-tai has an asthma
attack. Ngai stops the fight and postpones it until Yee-tai is healthy and fit for it.
It is revealed that Ngai is also a "prodigal son;" unbeknownst to him, his father has ordered his bodyguards to protect him from anyone who might beat him in a fight. However, their methods are more ruthless and brutal than the bribery employed by Jan's parents; they resort to assassination.
During the night, Ngai's bodyguards and a team of assassins infiltrate the Lok Fung Lin theater, massacre the troupe, and burn down the theater. Yee-tai is having trouble sleeping because of his asthma, and he sees light reflected off an assassin's blade through his eyelids and reacts in time to escape along with Jan. The assassins think they died in the fire, as does everyone else.
Yee-tai takes Jan to the home of his martial brother Wong Wah-bo (Sammo Hung
). With Wah-bo's help, Jan finally convinces Yee-tai to teach him Wing Chun. Jan trains under both Yee-tai and Wah-bo; Yee-tai trains him in Wing Chun and Wah-bo trains him in freestyle fighting.
Over time, Jan achieves proficiency in martial arts, but Yee-tai's asthma is worsening. Jan takes Yee-tai back to Foshan to see a doctor. There, Ngai learns that Yee-tai is still alive, and he visits him. Yee-tai reveals that Ngai's bodyguards have been assassinating everyone who might beat Ngai. The bodyguards murder Yee-tai. Ngai, horrified, has his bodyguards executed.
Jan challenges Ngai to a fight. Using everything that Yee-tai and Wah-bo taught him, he manages to beat Ngai.
Hong Kong films of 1981
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1981:.-1981:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1981 at...
Hong Kong kung fu comedy film
Hong Kong action cinema
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
directed by Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
, starring Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
and Lam Ching-ying and featuring Hung in a supporting role. The film is based on the historical figures Leung Jan
Leung Jan
Leung Jan was a Wing Chun practitioner. Leung was a Chinese herbal doctor in Foshan. His name became well-known due to his wins in competitive bouts. He was called Mr...
(Yuen Biao), Leung Yee-tai
Leung Yee-tai
Leung Yee-tai was a Wing Chun master.He was a strong boatman who steered riverboat by pushing a long pole against the river bottom.A Shaolin monk Chi Sin saw that he was a natural successor to the Shaolin pole fighting skill called six and a half point long pole.He taught Wong Wah-bo his pole...
(Lam Ching Ying), and Wong Wah-bo (Sammo Hung). It features the martial art Wing Chun
Wing Chun
Wing Chun , also romanised as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun, ; ; is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat.The alternative characters 永春 "eternal spring" are also...
.
Plot
Leung Jan (Yuen BiaoYuen Biao
Yuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
) is a young man in a wealthy family living in Foshan
Foshan
Foshan is a city in central Guangdong province in southern China. The prefectural area under the city's jurisdiction over an area of about 3,840 km² and a population of 5.4 million of which 1.1 million reside in the city proper ....
in the mid-19th century. He is a martial artist trained by two instructors in his father's employ. He has fought over three hundred times in Foshan and won every fight, but unbeknownst to him, his father has arranged for his servant Yee Tong Choi (Chan Lung) to bribe Jan's opponents to lose to him in order to protect him. This has caused Jan to believe that he is a world-class fighter, but in truth he hasn't even mastered the basics of kung fu and any real fighter could easily defeat him. Everyone knows this but him, giving him the nickname "The Prodigal Son" behind his back.
One night, three of Jan's friends attend a performance by the Lok Fung Lin Chinese Opera
Chinese opera
Chinese opera is a popular form of drama and musical theatre in China with roots going back as far as the third century CE...
troupe. One of Jan's friends is attracted to the lead actress and asks her out on a date after the performance. She refuses, but he insists and even harasses her. She reveals herself to be a man, Leung Yee-tai (Lam Ching-ying), a master of Wing Chun. He beats up and humiliates Jan's friends.
Jan challenges Yee-tai to a fight to avenge the insults to his friends. As usual, Yee Tong Choi tries to bribe Yee-tai to lose, but Yee-tai refuses, easily defeats Jan, and reveals the truth about his martial arts ineptitude to him.
Jan, desiring to learn real kung fu, asks Yee-tai to teach him Wing Chun. Yee-tai refuses because he thinks Jan would probably misuse it, but Jan has his father buy the Lok Fung Lin troupe and gives himself a job as Yee-tai's personal assistant, insisting on following Yee-tai everywhere until Yee-tai agrees to teach him Wing Chun. This continues for six months.
The Lok Fung Lin troupe travels to Canton
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
. There, Yee-tai's Wing Chun skills are witnessed by Lord Ngai Fai (Frankie Chan
Frankie Chan
Frankie Chan Fan-kei is a Chinese actor, film director, producer, action director, and composer.Chan is best known to Hong Kong action cinema fans as the main antagonist in Sammo Hung's The Prodigal Son where he faces Yuen Biao in the final reel...
), the son of a Manchu
Manchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
duke, who is also a martial arts master and is hunting for a worthy opponent. Ngai forces Yee-tai to fight him. Ngai and Yee-tai are evenly matched until Yee-tai has an asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
attack. Ngai stops the fight and postpones it until Yee-tai is healthy and fit for it.
It is revealed that Ngai is also a "prodigal son;" unbeknownst to him, his father has ordered his bodyguards to protect him from anyone who might beat him in a fight. However, their methods are more ruthless and brutal than the bribery employed by Jan's parents; they resort to assassination.
During the night, Ngai's bodyguards and a team of assassins infiltrate the Lok Fung Lin theater, massacre the troupe, and burn down the theater. Yee-tai is having trouble sleeping because of his asthma, and he sees light reflected off an assassin's blade through his eyelids and reacts in time to escape along with Jan. The assassins think they died in the fire, as does everyone else.
Yee-tai takes Jan to the home of his martial brother Wong Wah-bo (Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
). With Wah-bo's help, Jan finally convinces Yee-tai to teach him Wing Chun. Jan trains under both Yee-tai and Wah-bo; Yee-tai trains him in Wing Chun and Wah-bo trains him in freestyle fighting.
Over time, Jan achieves proficiency in martial arts, but Yee-tai's asthma is worsening. Jan takes Yee-tai back to Foshan to see a doctor. There, Ngai learns that Yee-tai is still alive, and he visits him. Yee-tai reveals that Ngai's bodyguards have been assassinating everyone who might beat Ngai. The bodyguards murder Yee-tai. Ngai, horrified, has his bodyguards executed.
Jan challenges Ngai to a fight. Using everything that Yee-tai and Wah-bo taught him, he manages to beat Ngai.
Cast
- Yuen BiaoYuen BiaoYuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
- Leung Jan Chang - Lam Ching-ying - Leung Yee-tai
- Sammo HungSammo HungSammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
- Wong Wah-bo - Cheung Ging Boh - Opera troupe manager
- Frankie ChanFrankie ChanFrankie Chan Fan-kei is a Chinese actor, film director, producer, action director, and composer.Chan is best known to Hong Kong action cinema fans as the main antagonist in Sammo Hung's The Prodigal Son where he faces Yuen Biao in the final reel...
- Lord Ngai Fai - Chung Fat - Mr. Law (Ngai's bodyguard)
- Dick WeiDick WeiDick Wei is a Taiwanese actor, director and writer who specializes in martial arts and action films.-Early life & career:...
- Mr. Suen (Ngai's bodyguard) - James TienJames Tien (actor)James Tien Chun is a Hong Kong actor from Guangdong, China. He appeared in almost 70 films, primarily in Hong Kong action cinema, including roles in the films of martial arts stars including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. He often played villains or supporting roles...
- Ngai's challenger - Chan Lung - Yee Tong-Choi
- Ho Wai-Lan - Chan Yan-hau
- Lee Hoi San - Kung Fu Teacher
- Wei Pai - Au Ru-Kwai
- Wellson Chin - Master Mun
- Wu MaWu MaWu Ma is a Chinese actor, director, producer and writer. Wu Ma made his screen debut in 1963, and with over 180 appearances to his name , Wu Ma is one of the most familiar faces in the history of Hong Kong Cinema...
- Iron Palm / Brick Man - Lau Chau Sang - opera troupe member
- Yuen Miu - opera troupe member
- Kam Kong Chow - Master Mun's man
- Pang Yun-Cheung - Fighter defeated by Wah-bo
- Tony Tam (extra)
- Chan Hei
- Frankie Chin
- Chin Yuet Sang
- Lam Jing
- Lee Fung
- Lee Man Tai
- Ting Yue
- Wang Hsieh
- Johnny Cheung
- Yuen Fai
- Lai Siu-Git
- Ng Yam-Chuen
Awards and nominations
- 1983 Hong Kong Film AwardsHong Kong Film AwardsThe Hong Kong Film Awards , founded in 1982, are the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong and among the most respected in mainland China and Taiwan. Award ceremonies are held annually, typically in April. The Awards recognize achievement in all aspects of filmmaking, such as directing,...
- Won: Best Action Choreography (Sammo HungSammo HungSammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
, Yuen BiaoYuen BiaoYuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
, Lam Ching-ying, Billy Chan) - Nominated: Best Director (Sammo Hung)
- Nominated: Best Picture
- Won: Best Action Choreography (Sammo Hung
External links
- The Prodigal Son at Hong Kong Cinemagic