Suen Lun

Three females from a private detective agency are hired to find out what happened to a man who went missing while scuba diving.

Shaw Brothers comedy.

A commentary on the contradictions between sex and Hong Kong's hidden attitudes about them.

TONG Pak-Fu, CHUK Chi-Sang, MAN Ching-Ming and CHOW Man-Bun were the four famous learned-men in classical Mid-China. They were on good terms. Once, they picniced and visited the monkish home in Fu-Yau Mounts. While there they encounter the Lady of WAH Prime Minister in a sedan followed by a train of servants and maids. One of the maids named CHAU Heung was very attractive. Pak-Fu was attracted by CHAU Heung and tried every opportunity to get near her, and caused a lot of laughter. HE even followed CHAU Heung to Han-Chow. The Prime Minister needs a library mate urgently. Pak-Fu takes this opportunity to apply for it and was accepted. He tried to date CHAU Heung when she brings snacks to the library one day. She rebuked him for giving up his future prospects. The three friends of Pak-Fu discover that Pak-Fu had disappeared. They soon find out his whereabout. With the help of the 2nd daughter-in-law of the Prime Minister, a cousin of Pak-Fu...... the two lovers eventually get married.

In the early days of the Chinese Republic era, dockworkers in Macau are being mistreated by their Chinese overseers. An accident reveals that the cargo is composed of guns and opium.

Hong Kong romance film.

Mona Lam, who works for a swindling syndicate under duress, scours a nightclub for her new prey and finds the rich heir Cheng Siu-chuen. Struggling to find true bliss, the lovers gain the blessing of Lam's second uncle. On the eve of Cheng's father's birthday banquet, Lam is pressured to strike again under the watchful eye of Lucy sent by the man who's pulling the strings on the marionette behind the scenes who has threatened to kill Cheng. The quick-witted woman aborts the operation, claiming to have spotted her previous victims from amongst the guests. Her confession gains Cheng's understanding, but not his father's. The ringleader brings the liaison to an end by blackmailing the father and putting Lam under house arrest. Helping the girl flee, Second Uncle is killed in the commotion. The police act on the father's tip-off and bust the gang, clearing the way for the lovers to tie the knot.

Leader of the Celestial Devil Gang Mo Fu ends an underling to infiltrate the house of code expert Cheung Yuet-ting in pursuit of the Mafia's secret intelligence. The unyielding man is killed, and the Mafia is framed for the crime. Cheung's instrumental role in the Mafia is succeeded by his daughter Oi-lan, who leads both gangs onto a deadly chase. Just then, Oi-lan's bosom friend Chan Yu-lam emerges from years of oblivion as a Mafia member and offers the wanted woman protection and assistance in retrieving the late father's cache. Mo's underling Lau Kei-fung is assigned the task of playing the confidence game in the Cheung household, preempting Oi-lan from accessing the classified information and abducting both Oi-lan and Chan before the Mafia can reach the key witness. Acting on a tip-off, the police raid the apartment and arrest both gangs. Chan, the undercover police officer, gains both Oi-lan's trust and affection. (Synopsis based on audiovisual materials)

Lui Yik-pang is reduced to his wits' end to rein the Golden Butterfly. Chong Tak-ming emerges as the suspect. The friendship and ties between former classmates Lui and Chong date back years ago. When the impoverished Chong turned to banditry, Lui abided by the law and arrested Chong. Chong repented and bore no grudges. Chong's daughter Ching-han and Lui's son Siu-man are lovers. Ching-han reinvents herself as a chivalrous bandit and robs the rich to help the poor after the imprisonment of her father and the death of her mother. Endowed with her father's gifts, Ching-han remains out of the law's reach, until she is tailed by the father enlisted in the police service. A bitter row ensues; the father's underling Sung Sing-biu snatches the stolen goods and activates the security system. Ching-han is prepared to turn herself in when Sung surrenders himself as a gesture of gratitude to his benefactor. Attending the wedding banquet, Lui brings his son and daughter-in-law a golden butterfly.

Guerrilla fighter Lam Suet-fan is in charge of the operation which succeeds in crippling the traitorous activities of Ting Chuen. An infuriated Ting strikes back, swamping the occupied territory with spies and exposes the singer disguise of Lam's comrade Laura who is made his mistress. Through the discreet help from Ting's cousin Sai-kit who goes undercover as the traitor's house guest, a series of offensives are launched, resulting in heavy casualties in the Japanese camp. With pressure mounting on both sides, guerrilla leader Lady Spy No.1 entrusts the mission of bombing Ting's signal tower to Lam who will then lead the troop in retreat. The mission fails, leading to the arrest of Lam and Sai-kit. Laura puts her life at stake in order to accomplish the mission and before she expires, reveals herself to be their leader and names Lam her successor to lead the troop to its stronghold in the north. (Synopsis based on audiovisual materials)

Dirt-poor painter But Ka-sing lives under the same roof with Tang Chan-sin and Lee Tai-hak. Smitten with Tse Mei-chen, the penniless suitor resorts to staging a suicide and makes a fortune of his paintings which are sold at sky-high prices after his feigned death. Reinventing himself as a doctor, But competes with the rich heir Fung Chak-chak to win Tse's heart with an avalanche of gifts and money. However, Tse rejects the suit of the philistine. But gives up his windfall and tells the truth at his memorial exhibition. Thrilled, Tse pledges her love and marries the painter, for better and for worse.

The Diary of a Husband serves as an illustration for the arrival of the white-collar economy, in which the extended family is replaced by the smaller nuclear family. It is a story about four pals who work at the same office, which, like other white-collar workplaces, has become the men's primary site of life, where livings are made and friendships fostered. Meanwhile, their wives have fostered something of their own—a brigade to catch cheating husbands. Much comedy is then generated by the cat-and-mouse game between the men and the women...The battle line drawn here between the sexes remains for years, to the extent that this very same story has been retold many times in Hong Kong films, including Men Suddenly in Black, the 2003 Pang Ho-cheung film with a similar Chinese title.

Yuk Yin's father dies and her mother remarries to settle the debts. Yuk Yin lives with Auntie Wong. From then on, Chi Hung, Auntie Wong's son and Yuk Yin live and play together. But the Wongs move away. Yuk Yin stays with her mother. Her stepfather is mercenary. When Yuk Yin grows up, he pushes her to get married to get money. Considering her daughter's future, Yuk Yin's mother sends her away. Yuk Yin works in a restaurant. When she learns that her mother is ill, she marries a dying rich young man to get money for her mother's treatment. After her mother's death, Yuk Yin gets married immediately, but her husband dies on the wedding night. Her mother-in-law sees this as unauspicious and expels Yuk Yin. Later, Yuk Yin chances upon Chi Hung. They are still in love. They married and have a son Kwok Wah. But Chi Hung dies. Yuk Yin works as a dance girl to support their living. Kwok Wah grows up and cannot accept his mother's job. But soon he understands that she is respectable.

The woman thief Pak Siu-yin was discharged from prison and Inspector Chan has set a trap for Bak to lure the head of the gangster Yim Fong, who used to threaten Pak to commit crime for his gang.

Hong Kong was quickly becoming industrialised in the 1960s. The market was hungry for female labourers with a grasp of crafting skills. In addition to being wives and mothers, many women entered the labour market at that time. This ‘streamlined comedy' (as it was advertised) is called Three Love Affairs, but the main action is centred on the lovers played by Ting Ying and Cheung Yee. In order to make themselves more appealing, the factory girl pretends to be the daughter of a successful businessman, while the chauffeur pretends to be from a wealthy family. Their relationship is fraught with worry and anxiety, because they are confused about their own identities, and have not yet come to terms with themselves and their lives. With the support of the Manufacturers' Association, the film was shot on location at an actual factory, evidencing a prosperous period in Hong Kong's industrial history.

Madam Kum is a well-known dance hall girl. She gave birth to her daughter Yin-fan. Kum gave her to some relatives. Nineteen years go by, and Kum accidentally runs into Fan's husband, Man-fai, in Singapore. She tells him everything. Fai is surprised but accepts the truth. They have a talk and agree not to reveal the truth to Fan. However, Fai promises Kum that he will arrange for her to see Fan. Gum starts to see Fan on public occasions. Bing-chiu, who has been chasing after Fan since college, runs into Fai and Kum. He tells Fan about it. Fan goes to Kum to ask her not to destroy her family. Kum is hurt but still does tell her the truth. She decides to returns to Singapore. She goes to Fan's house to see her once more. Fan is having her birthday party. She insults Kum and throws a glass of wine in her face. Fai cannot stand it anymore and tells his wife who Kum really is. Fan feels guilty. All the others are moved by what Kum has suffered and they start to accept her.

The Lok's family disperses when Japanese occupied China. Mrs. Lok's company prospers in Hong Kong. Her son Tin-yam looks after her business. She misses her daughter. Another daughter Chui-yin dates Kuk-tat. Mrs. Lok hopes that Tin-yam will find a good partner. Wan Yuk-yin works in Mrs. Lok's company and meets Tin-yam. They fall in love. Mrs. Lok asks Yuk-yin to leave Tin-yam. Facing his mother's objection, Tin-yam falls ill. Mrs. Lok let them marry. The wedding guests despised the bride, which makes Mrs. Lok uncomfortable. The couple lives happily, but Mrs. Lok and Chui-yin make Yuk-yin embarrassed. Kuk-tat covets the Loks' fortune. He steals their jewels. Mrs. Lok thinks Yuk-yin did it. Yuk-yin is innocent, but she is expelled. Tin-yam returns. Yuk-yin's parents seek justice at the Loks. Mrs. Lok's saw the Yuk-yin's birthmark. She realizes Yuk-yin is her lost daughter. Mrs. Lok decides to be a dutiful mother. Tin-yam is an adopted son of the Loks so the couple lives happily.

Wong Chat is jobless. He is forced to become a burglar. He breaks into Han Siu-yu and her boyfriend Cheung Wai-lim's home, but it is just the time when they return. Wong hides in the closet. He eavesdrops that Han and Cheung are a couple, but Han is forced to become the tycoon Chan Koon-kau's mistress for a living. Suddenly, Chan returns, and Cheung hides into the closet too. Wong and Cheung meet in the closet and become friends. Wong is righteous and promises to help Han to escape from Chan's control. Wong and his neighbour Yeung Oi-lin disguise themselves as a pair of Singaporean rich couple and attend a banquet at Chan's home. They want to steal back the document that Chan threatens Han with. But they also find evidence of Chan's drug trafficking. When Chan find out about the stolen document, he confines Cheung and Han and kidnaps Wong's children. But Wong refuses to surrender. During their confrontation, the cops arrive after being informed by Yeung and arrests Chan on the spot.

Poor teacher Chan Chi-hong, his wife Lee Yuk-mei and their five children survive on his meagre pay. When he is laid off by two schools in a row, the family runs into difficulties. The children resort to begging on the streets to pay the mother's medical bills. Turning to writing, Chan's novel fails to find a publisher and, worse still, he comes down with tuberculosis. Dealt a further blow by the death of the youngest daughter and the pressures from the loan sharks, Chan contemplates killing himself and his family but changes his mind when he witnesses the sacrifices made by other parents for their children. He vows to be a dutiful father and tries his best to overcome their adversities. His novel is finally published and sells well. Through thick and thin, the family at last sees the light at the end of the tunnel.

The Ten Brothers return as the Lake Devil is plagued by a monster fish. To settle the old score, Marshal asks Shrimpy and his ten sons to exterminate the fish. Excelled on land, the ten brothers find themselves quite useless in the water.

Lee Sun-fung is renowned for adapting literary classics for the silver screen. To commemorate the seventh anniversary of the Union Film Enterprise known for producing quality films and co-founded by Lee, Human Relationships is adapted from writer Ba Jin's novel into film. The Yiu family moves into a manor. Mrs Yiu, while frustrated by the way her step-son is spoiled by her husband and mother-in-law, develops a friendship with a kid (Michael Lai) who steals flowers from the mansion's garden. She later learns that he is the son of the place's former owner whose downfall at middle age is the result of being spoiled when young. Lai was only a child but gained a foothold among seasoned veterans like Cheung Wood-yau, Ng Cho-fan and Pak Yin.

After inheriting his father's estate, Cheung Ka-bo leads a life of debauchery after getting know Blackie Yuen, who profits at others' expense, and Yee-Wah, who working at a night club. As the family wealth diminishes, he always squabbles with his wife and finally separates from her. She returns a diamond bracelet, kept by Uncle Chan, to her mother-in-law. Bo's mother hides the bracelet in a chair. Later, Wah resides at Bo's home. To flatter Wah, Bo wants to get the bracelet by any means from his mother and give it to Wah. Later, Bo's mother falls ill. In the hospital, she tells Bo of the bracelet's whereabouts but the chair has already been sold to Uncle Chan by Wah. Bo, Wah and Yuen stealthily enter Chan's home to get the chair, but have a big fight when they try to take the bracelet. Knowing that Bo has huge debts, Wah intends to leave him after getting the bracelet. Wah exposes her gluttonous self in her pursuit of the treasure. Bo learns his lesson and returns to his wife.

Written by the great librettist Tong Tik-sang, and featuring Lee Tit's elegant direction and superb performances from Yam Kim-fai and Pak Suet-sin, "Butterfly and Red Pear Blossom" brings Cantonese opera to cinematic life. The film features two lovers who have never met in person but whose poetry over three years has subtly declared their unyielding love. Yam's minimalist acting style enables her to convey dynamic passion as well as step about the stage with ease and accomplish the image of a resolute, yet gentle, scholar. Pak meanwhile defies a prime minister with pride and dignity.

A delicious comedy from Union Film, Money, traces the journey of a bag of cash from a bank robbery. The humour switches between the witty and the absurd, offering a biting examination of human nature when men and women are confronted with the chance of unearned wealth.

An adaptation of Tong Tik-sang's now-legendary Cantonese Opera piece, the film features divas Yam Kim-fai and Pak Suet-sin (left with Yam), who play the story's lead lovers, and Lan Chi Pak, the sinister official who tries to break up the relationship. Leung Sing-po plays the pair's friend as well as the mysterious 'man in yellow' who exposes plans to separate the couple.

Guerrilla member Ting Siu-yuen works as a playwright and Lee, the leader of an opera troupe. They conceal their identities in the troupe in order to gather military intelligence. Yuen gradually falls in love with the lead actress Mui Law-heung. Ting is unsettled to learn that County Chief Fong covets Mui. He sneaks into Fong's residence and is astounded by the sight of his old lover Pak Kuen, now Fong's wife. Fong colludes with the military chief in conducting vicious schemes. With Kuen's help, Yuen is able to get the intelligence. But as Heung is not an insider, she reports to the Governor about the illicit relationship between Yuen and Kuen. Kuen backs Yuen to eliminate the conspirators and bring about the union of Yuen and Heung.

Chinese Opera from Hong Kong directed by Ng Wui.

Lau Mung-mui chances on To Lai-leung and their encounter transcends to a rendezvous in their dreams. They admire each other, but they do not know each other's names and addresses. They keep on thinking of each other and decide to take each other as their future husband and wife. Mui's father wants his son to get married, but he pays no attention to his father's wishes. Mui leaves home to look for Leung. Leung's father forces his daughter to marry her rich and powerful cousin. Leung becomes despondent and dies, following an arranged marriage with her cousin. Mui sought everywhere for Leung for three years, but to no avail. He locates the home of Leung, but the household has moved out. The house is guarded by an old servant. Mui, chasing Leung's spirit, has a brief romance with her. Acknowledging that their union will be hindered by their incompatibility as a mortal and a spirit, Leung reincarnates as a mortal so that their love may be rekindled.

A Chinese musical fantasy

Chinese Opera genre picture directed by Chun Kim.

Kam Fan and Wong Ching-ping have a peaceful married life, until Ping's mother is serious ill. They desperately need a large amount of money. Fan tries in vain to raise money, he thus intends to use their daughter's school fees for the medical fees. Ping is against it and works as a song girl to earn money for her mother's medical expense. Her grudging husband Kam Fan uses a bed sheet to partition the bedroom into halves and even demands a divorce. After some mediation by their lawyer and neighbours, Wong finds a teaching job at an orphanage, but Fan still opposes it. Ping is so angry that she moves to live in the dormitory of the orphanage. Fan has to look after their daughter alone, making everything a mess. Later, their daughter catches a cold and has a high fever after an outing with Fan. Ping cannot set her mind at rest and goes home to take care of her daughter. The loving couple reconciles, for the sake of their daughter.

Though her marriage with rich businessman Chan Hak-lit is crumbling, Anna Poon refuses to accept her childhood sweetheart Wong Kei-shu's courtship. Anna's younger sister Mei-na has a crush on Shu and treats Lee Man coldly. When she sees Anna being with Shu, she taunts Anna with stealing who she likes. Anna is hurt and goes back to Chan's house. Chan holds a house party and invites business celebrities. Shu attends it and when tells Anna he loves her when they dance. Anna rejects him and tells him never to see her again. Chan goes to the racecourse. When Shu falls down from a horse, Anna faints. Chan asks Anna what her relationship with Shu is. He warns her not to have any wrongdoing and ruin his reputation. Shu is fine and asks Anna to meet for the last time. Anna cannot turn down him and goes to meets him. Lit miscomprehends the situation and files a divorce. He even forbids Anna to see their daughter. A distressed Anna becomes a victim of love in a conservative society.

Chan Sai-wah abides by his late father's word and marries the wealthy Yam Suk-kuen. They have a son, Kwok-leung. Though Wah is manager of the hotel owned by his father-in-law, Kuen is not a good wife. For all the years of their marriage, Wah has never been happy. Attracted to the humble and honest Carrie Mui, Wah decides to leave his domineering wife Kuen, but is stopped by his father-in-law. The lovers set off to Macau for a new start. Their life has become increasingly miserable under the pressure from Yam's family. When Wah leaves to seek help from his son in Hong Kong, Carrie decides she should leave so that Wah can go without feeling any guilt or burden. On the other hand, Wah is too ashamed to face his son, and returns to Macau. He lives his life in misery. Years pass, the lovers meet again. Wah is reduced to begging in the streets while Carrie becomes an opera diva.

An opera troupe has to dissolve in view of the poor economy. Comedian star Sang Kwai-lei loses his job and he has no alternative but to play the lion character in the opera troupe of his former junior apprentice Chan Hau and pawn his stage costume. He aims at earning enough money to support the final year's secondary school studies of his elder son Chi-kuen. Kuen however refuses to continue his studies, seeing that his father has to put aside his dignity to earn money and his mother is worried. Lei is enraged and uses the money to support his younger son Chi-wai's studies. Again, Lei loses his job and he resorts to giving street performances, his wife takes up sowing work in her spare time and she dies after a long illness. Kuen works to support himself through school, but Wai is less fortunate, he is forced to enrol in an opera troupe as an apprentice. Years later, the dying father joyfully embraces Chi-kuen's return from his studies.

Cold Nights features great performances by both Pak Yin as a tough minded “new woman”, Shusheng, and Ng Cho-fan as her weak husband, Wang Wenxuan, whose spirits have been crushed by the Sino-Japanese war.

An orphan meets and befriends an escaped convict that he will cross paths with again and bring about a series of fateful events that reveals a secret about the boy's past.

Hak-ming heads the Ko Family, but he and his brothers, Hak-ting and Hak-on, and the second wife of the late Master Ko quarrel. Young Cousin Mui, who has tuberculosis, is forced by to marry an older woman. Kok-sun is guilty of being unable to stop the marriage. Sun and maid Chui-wan are wary of their feelings for each other due to class difference. Cousin Mui dies of illness. Hak-ting has his eyes on Wan. His wife, Wong, complains to their daughter, Shuk-ching, who cannot take it and commits suicide. Wong blames herself for her death. Undergone these tragedies, Cousin Kam's mother let Kam have a modern wedding with Kok-man. When Ming is ill, Ting and On want to sell the ancestral home. Hak-ming dies of angst. When the fifth uncle of Sun forces Wan to be his concubine, Wan tries to kill herself but is intercepted by Sun. Pressurised by people of the house over the issue of inheritance, Sun protests by declaring his love for Wan and leaves the family, with his mother, brother Man and Wan.

After seeing a friend of his boss' son adopted over his promised promotion with connections, Shrimp's father, a minor white-collar worker Ng Kwun-sing, vows to get Shrimp a place in a prestigious school and a chance to make friends with the rich. However, Shrimpy is constantly bullied and discriminated against by his classmates. Ng has not the means to be a social climber and finally realises his mistake. He sends his son to a voluntary school so that he may grow up happily. This poignant father-son drama shows a parents' willingness to carve out a good future for their children by any means necessary.

Ko Suk-ying is saddened over her arranged marriage as manipulated by her father Hak-ming. Ko Kok-sun's Cousin Chow Wai's spends the Mid-Autumn Festival before her marriage with the Kos. She has been in love with Sun. Sun finds out about her love for him when she is about to be married off, he is too weak to oppose to Wai's betrothal to another man. Sun's son, Hoi-sun, falls ill. Fearing the displeasure of his elders, Sun dares not consult a western doctor. Meanwhile, another dispute arises among members of the family over the ancestral land. When accused of being incompetent in his management, Sun takes the blame silently. Wai dies of grief while Hoi-sun becomes a victim of mistreatment. Sun is devastated at this double blow. Hak-ming instructs Sun to arrange for Ying's wedding. Knowing the kind of man Ying's fiancee is, Sun is reluctant. Not wanting to follow in Wai's footsteps, Ying fights for her own rights, and backed by an enlightened Sun, she leaves for a new start.

This early leftist social drama from Hong Kong offers a panoramic portrait of a crumbling apartment complex and its down-and-out denizens, including a taxi driver, an unemployed teacher, a professional reduced to selling his blood and, of course, a venal landlord. In addition to establishing an omnipresent theme in Hong Kong cinema – the plight of the urban poor – the film is also a prime example of the popular melodramas of the time, which featured displaced Mainland film stars.

A prodigal son is married to a woman his mother dislikes. The wife is then expelled from the family circle and forced to become independent.

Drama from Hong Kong directed by Lee Tit.

Comedy from Hong Kong directed by Cho Kei.

Describes how a Chinese village is invaded by the Japanese and how the villagers organise a guerrilla group to resist the enemy. With the aid of anti-war Japanese soldiers, the guerillas defeat a whole regiment of Japanese troops.