Qi mou miao ji: Wu fu xing (1983)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Sammo Hung Kam-Bo

Writers:

Sammo Hung Kam-Bo (writer)
Pin Yiu Wong (writer)

Release Date:

7 July 1983 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime

Plot:

Five friends are released from prison and do their best to stay out trouble. Trying to mind their own...

Plot Keywords:

Gang | Cleaning | Mafia | Forgery | Farce

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Sammo Hung Kam-Bo	...	Teapot
John Sham	...	Curly (as John Shum)
Richard Ng	...	Exhaust Pipe
Charlie Chin	...	Vaseline
Shui-Fan Fung	...	Rookie
Cherie Chung	...	Shirley
Jackie Chan	...	CID 07
Philip Chan	...	Inspector
James Tien	...	Jack Tar
Paul Chang	...	Mr. Hope (as Cheung Chung)
Pat Ha	...	Tar's Daughter
Ching-Ying Lam	...	Tar's Butler
Po Tai	...	Chai
Cecilia Yip	...	Ceci
Hark-On Fung	...	Pat

Also Known As:

5 Lucky Stars
Kei mau miu gai: Ng fok sing (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
Winners & Sinners (UK) (video title)
Winners & Sinners: Five Lucky Stars (Europe: English title) (DVD box title)
Winners and Sinners (Hong Kong: English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for martial arts violence and some nudity.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 | Australia:M | Spain:18 | Norway:15 | South Korea:15 | USA:PG-13

Company:

Golden Harvest Company

Quotes:

Curly: Then let him give us a ticket! All you cops are only good at handing out traffic tickets. How come you're not good at catching thugs?
CID 07: I was good at catching thugs! Otherwise I wouldn't be here now!

Movie Connections:

Followed by Fu xing chuang jiang hu (1989)

The first of the Lucky Stars films is more winner than sinner.

More comedy than kung fu, Winners and Sinners is a crazy Hong Kong caper that follows the antics of a bunch of likable ex-convicts as they become unknowing recipients of a briefcase of missing counterfeit money and some printing plates—items much sought after by two gangs of criminals.

The first in the 'Lucky Stars' movies, this good-natured and silly comedy succeeds in being very entertaining (despite not really being THAT funny) largely thanks to its charismatic cast. Sammo Hung, Richard Ng, Charlie Chin, Jackie Chan, Shui-Fan Fung, John Sham and (token beauty) Cherie Chung all have starring roles, and even Yuen Baio and Lam Ching Ying pop up in cameos.

Of course, how funny you find this film will depend entirely on your sense of humour (let's say that the laughs are not that sophisticated); the quality of the action, however, cannot be disputed.

Jackie has only a couple of brief fight scenes, but truly shines during a roller skating sequence in which he performs some amazing stunts—first partaking in a competition, and then pursuing a couple of thieves. And if you're not gob-smacked when he skates under a moving lorry and then causes a multiple pile-up, then you should give up watching films altogether.

This being a Sammo Hung film, however, it is the portly one that takes centre stage when the real fighting begins, and fans of his work will not be disappointed. I always find Sammo incredible when he lets feet and fists fly, and in the warehouse-set finale, he delivers some amazing moves. Even if Hong Kong humour is not your cup of tea, Winners and Sinners is worth watching for the end battle alone.