Chun gwong cha sit (1997)

Director:

Kar Wai Wong

Writer:

Kar Wai Wong (writer)

Release Date:

29 April 1997 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Yiu-Fai and Po-Wing arrive in Argentina from Hong Kong and take to the road for a holiday. Something is wrong and their relationship goes adrift...

Plot Keywords:

Title Based On Song | Homosexual | Homosexuality | Hotel | Tango

Awards:

5 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Leslie Cheung	...	Ho Po-wing
Tony Leung Chiu Wai	...	Lai Yiu-fai
Chen Chang	...	Chang
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gregory Dayton	...	Lover
Shirley Kwan	...	(scenes cut)

Also Known As:

Happy Together (Hong Kong: English title) (USA)
Buenos Aires Affair (International: English title)
Chun guang zha xie (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
Happy

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin | Cantonese | Spanish

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

France:U | Italy:VM18 | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Philippines:R-18 | New Zealand:R18 | Netherlands:12 | Iceland:12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:III | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:(Banned) (original rating) | Singapore:R(A) (re-rating on appeal) | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) (cut) | Spain:18 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company:

Block 2 Pictures

Trivia:

Tony Leung Chiu Wai agreed to do the film on the basis of a fake script and only learned of the requirement of doing a gay sex scene after arriving in Argentina for filming.

Goofs:

Continuity: Before Fai push starts the old car, the engine has already started while it is standing still.

Quotes:

Lai Yiu-fai: Turns out that lonely people are all the same.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fa yeung nin wa (2000)

Soundtrack:

Happy Together

"Imagine me and you...so Happy Together"

Well this is certainly one of my absolute favorite movies ever.When I first saw it about six years ago I loved it,and still do.This movie is just so beautiful and emotional it's incredible.The cinematography is very inventive and different.I love the different uses of black and white footage and the colours in this movie.

Two Chinese gay men travel to Buenos Aires and are planning to visit the Iguazu falls before returning to Hong Kong,but they never seem to get there...together anyway. The city of Buenos Aires seems so big,energetic and full of life but also sometimes very lonely and cold. There are feelings of joy,love,affection,loneliness,jealousy and an overall sadness in the whole thing,it makes me feel sad just thinking about it. This is really a story of two people in a typical love/hate,on/off relationship.And it really doesn't matter if you are gay or straight or whatever.These are themes anyone can relate to.But if you are very prejudiced you may not like it.

The actors are absolutely incredible in their roles as well. Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung make you really feel the affection their characters still have for each other...and of course all the negative feelings too. This is not a plot driven movie at all,but more like a series of snapshots in the life of a couple on the verge of a final breakdown.The end of their relationship is unavoidable but they still cling to their love until it's too late to go back.It's a very emotionally driven movie and the sad but sweet mood created is the most important and memorable thing in the movie for me. The music also seems to fit the film like it was specifically written for it.There is some Frank Zappa and some fantastic Argentinian tango and of course the very fitting ending theme song Happy Together.Now this is how you make a movie about a love coming to an end!Watch and learn Hollywood ; )