Once a Thief

Original title: Chung hang sei hoi

19911991
RR
1h 48min

Chung hang sei hoi (1991)

Action Comedy Crime

A romantic and action packed story of three best friends, a group of high end art thieves, who come into trouble when a love-triangle forms between them.A romantic and action packed story of three best friends, a group of high end art thieves, who come into trouble when a love-triangle forms between them.A romantic and action packed story of three best friends, a group of high end art thieves, who come into trouble when a love-triangle forms between them.

Director
- John Woo
Writers
- Janet Chun
- Clifton Ko
- John Woo(screenplay)
Stars

See production, box office & company info

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Awards
- 6 nominations

Chung hang sei hoi (1991)

Chung hang sei hoi (1991)

Chung hang sei hoi (1991)

Chung hang sei hoi (1991)

Leslie Cheung and Cherie Chung in Chung hang sei hoi (1991)

Leslie Cheung in Chung hang sei hoi (1991)

Leslie Cheung in Chung hang sei hoi (1991)

Chow Yun-Fat and Leslie Cheung in Chung hang sei hoi (1991)

Chow Yun-Fat in Chung hang sei hoi (1991)

Chow Yun-Fat and Cherie Chung in Chung hang sei hoi (1991)

Chung hang sei hoi (1991)

Chow Yun-Fat in Chung hang sei hoi (1991)

James - Jimas James - Jim

Red Bean Puddin - Joeas Red Bean Puddin - Joe

Red Bean - Cherias Red Bean - Cheri

Chu - Dadas Chu - Dad

Chow - Fatheras Chow - Father

Auctioneeras Auctioneer

Mr. Cheungas Mr. Cheung
(as Wu Fung)

Pierre-Yves Burton

Mr. Le Bondas Mr. Le Bond
(as Pierre Yves Burton)

Magician Henchmanas Magician Henchman
(as Declan Michael Wong)

Hitmanas Hitman

Young Red Bean Pudding - Young Joeas Young Red Bean Pudding - Young Joe

Young James - Young Jimas Young James - Young Jim

Young Red Bean - Young Cherieas Young Red Bean - Young Cherie
(as Lina Kong)

Guardas Guard

Red Bean Pudding - Joeas Red Bean Pudding - Joe
(English version)
(voice)
(uncredited)

Chow's Henchmanas Chow's Henchman
(uncredited)

Stanley Wuas Stanley Wu
(uncredited)

Director
- John Woo
Writers
- Janet Chun
- Clifton Ko
- John Woo(screenplay) (story)
All cast & crew
See more cast details at IMDbPro

A Better Tomorrow II

7.3

A Better Tomorrow II

A Better Tomorrow

7.5

A Better Tomorrow

Bullet in the Head

7.6

Bullet in the Head

A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon

5.9

A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon

God of Gamblers

7.3

God of Gamblers

Just Heroes

6.4

The Killer

7.8

Prison on Fire

7.3

All's Well, Ends Well

7.2

All's Well, Ends Well

Once a Thief

5.4

The Eagle Shooting Heroes

7.1

The Eagle Shooting Heroes

Rouge

7.4

Once a Thief is an action/comedy/romance movie involving the plight of three master thieves (in the mode of Pink Panther). All three were raised by the same father and in fact were most certainly street orphans. The story begins with a successful art heist followed by a pledge to make this the last crime ever for the trio. The plot revolves around the theft of a mysterious "cursed" painting and how its obsession affects the family. —<sysop@hal9k.com>

Taglines
- They only stop to reload.
Genres
Certificate
- R
Parents guide

Trivia
The time elapsed between the first day of shooting and the first public screening of the finished film was ten weeks.

Goofs
When Joe and Cherie are driving behind the truck, that is transporting the paintings (including their marked one), you can clearly see the rope holding the car of Joe and Cherie close to the truck during the stunt scene.

Quotes
Red Bean Pudding: I've told you so many times. Don't just use D gear. Sometimes use 1st gear, or 2nd gear. I say brake, you don't. I say step on it, you don't. I say ease off the pedal, you don't. You're so stupid!

Alternate versions
All German versions, including the TV-Version, are cut.

Connections
Edited from Red Scorpion (1988)

Top review

7/10

A strange John Woo film

I liked this film a lot, but I was constantly having to remind myself it was a John Woo film. Yeah, there are explosions, gunfights, violence, etc. etc. but it's all kept reasonably tame (for Woo at least). The movie was funny and charming--nothing like you'd expect from one of his films. Worth watching, but Yun-Fat (sp?) should stick to drama - he was overacting WAY too much in this one when he tried to be funny.

helpful•5

3

preppy-3
Feb 4, 2000

Gross US & Canada
- HK$33,397,149

See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

Runtime
- 1h 48min
Color
- Color
Sound mix
- Mono
Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1

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