Du xia II: Shang Hai tan du sheng (1991)

Director:

Jing Wong

Writers:

Jing Wong (written by)
Jeffrey Lau (characters) ...

Release Date:

21 August 1991 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy

Plot:

Following up on the previous "God Of Gamblers" spin-off, "Dou-Hap" (Known as "God Of Gamblers" II in English)...

Plot Keywords:

Shanghai | Extrasensory Perception | Prison | Sister | Sequel

Cast

Stephen Chow	...	Chow Sing Cho / 'The Saint of Gamblers' (as Sing-chi Chow)
Li Gong	...	Yu-San / Yu-Mong (as Lei Gung)
Ray Lui	...	Ding Lik (as Leung-wai Lui)
Man Tat Ng	...	Uncle 'Blackie' Tat / Chow Tai-Fook (as Ng Man Tat)
Charles Heung	...	Ng Loong / 'God of Guns' (as Wa-keung Leung)
Sandra Ng Kwan Yue	...	Spring (as Kwan-yue Ng)
Wan-Si Wong	...	Japanese Officer
Sharla Cheung	...	Yee Mong (as Man Cheung)
Barry Wong	...	H.K. Police Chief Wong (as Ping-yiu Wong)
Fong Lung	...	Wong Kam-Kwai
John Ching	...	Tai-Kun / Devil of Gamblers
Feng Tien	...	Mayor of Shanghai
Shun Lau	...	Eunuch Wei
Lung Chan	...	Tiger Lui
Indra Leech	...	The Prince of Gamblers

Also Known As:

Back to Shanghai
Do hap II: Seung Hoi taam do sing (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
God of Gamblers III
God of Gamblers III: Back to Shanghai (International: English title)
God of Gamblers Part III: Back to Shanghai (Hong Kong: English title)
Knight of Gamblers II: Shanghai Beach's Saint of Gamblers (Hong Kong: English title) (literal title)

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese | English | Mandarin | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Company:

Samico Films Production Company Ltd.

Trivia:

The Ding Lik character first appeared as one of the main characters of the 1980 TVB mobster drama The Bund. It was in that series that Ray Lui originated the role of Ding Lik, which he reprised in this film. Notably, Yun-Fat Chow, the star of Du shen (1989), was also one of the primary stars of The Bund, and his Bund character Hui Man Keung is mentioned in this film, although the character does not appear in the film because he is dead.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in XX Ray II (1995)

Laugh-out Loud Funny Movie

The plot is pretty standard fare: guy with power (our hero) and his uncle gets sent back in time to 1937 Shanghai (from 1991 Hong Kong) when a group of super-powered "gamblers" (I guess), decides to whack him for him beating one of them in a gambling boat (or something). I don't speak Chinese, so I had to rely on the subtitles, and most of the times the titles (being in white font) clashes with the video background, hence making reading it impossible, so I'm just summing up as best as possible.

But the real treat of GOG3 isn't the plot -- like all HK action fare, the plot is secondary to the stunts. Needless to say, our hero must find a way home, but along the way, gets in the middle of history. Standard Back to the Future stuff, except with Chinese gamblers with psychic powers instead of a sports car.

What's really good about GOG3 is the comedy. Unlike a lot of its HK supposed "comedy" flicks, this one is actually funny! I've seen a lot of HK movies, and they are usually two things -- too over the top or just too childish. The Chineses, it seems, have a weird sense of humor -- and most of the time I find their "comedies" to be forced and low-brow. Certainly GOG3 is pretty low brow at times, but it's darn funny and campy as heck. Even if you can't understand what they're saying (as I couldn't), the pratfalls and "mistaken identity" that is so prevalent (and unfunny) in many HK movies is actually FUNNY here!

Check this movie out for a good time. Too bad most HK movies aren't nearly this funny.