Hong Kong 1941

Hong Kong 1941 (Waiting for Day Break) is a little gem that every one must find! The Cinematography is just perfect! every shot looks great... the Actors are all great! (not just Chow) This movie won a few Golden Horse awards too... for best Cinematography and best Actor... which it deserves :)

Any way... go buy the Hong Kong Legends DVD of this baby right now!!! GO! :P

Rated R for violence.

Hong Kong 1941 is an early Chow Yun Fat film.Today in north America, Chow Yun Fat is known for his action films such as Hard Boiled, The Killer,The Replacement Killers and The Corrupter.I rented this film from blockbuster expecting quite a bit of action.This is not an action film.It is a war/drama film.The film has good acting and a good storyline and people who aren't looking for action would like this film, though there are some fairly violent and bloody scenes.I saw this film about two years ago.The film is basically about the lives of three people during the Japanese occupation of hong kong in the year 1941.Hong Kong 1941 has good acting and a good story but it is a tad bit boring and not what you would expect from Chow Yun Fat.

A quiet, solid film about three young people caught up in the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong. Filmed as if it were originally a stage play, the story focuses on the relationships which develop between the three main characters as they fight to keep their dignity when faced with the physical and emotional terrors of war.

This is a good one to rent for a quiet afternoon in front of the television. There are some violent scenes (after all, it takes place in a land invaded by a foreign army) but not overly graphic. Cecilia Yip gives an understated performance; Chow Yun-Fat is seen here in his pre-superstar days but does well in a somewhat sparse role.

I must have missed something when I watched this one because despite having some excellent poetic and dramatic moments, there weren't enough to put it over the top.

Hong Kong filmmakers have thankfully put the run run shaw cookie cutter chop sockie days behind them and this was one of the 1st full breaks from that gender. the growing pains show however, just something lacking. there weren't very many Japanese either despite the title.

I've been to Hong Kong twice and there are places you can *still* see the pockmarks from where the bullets hit in the December 1941 invasion. the same month as pearl harbour bombing so the Japanese were being very aggressive. thats what I expected instead it was just a backdrop to a romance drama. I wish they would spell it out on the DVD box !!!

Fast, chaotic, full of political tension at foreign influence and creating a number of emotions all at once, "Hong Kong 1941" could perhaps represent Hong Kong in any number of years over the last century or so. Spanning a range of genres, British director Leong Po-chih's film entertains, with all the raw energy of Eighties Hong Kong cinema at its best.

As the War in Asia rolls on, the Japanese are soon to push the British out of Hong Kong, forcing a stricter regime on the lives of young Hong Kongers Fei (Chow Yun-fat), Nam (Cecilia Yip) and Keung (Alex Man). Fei is something of a wandering dreamer, roaming the streets, where he meets Keung. Keung wants to marry the troubled Nam, though her wealthy father (Shih Kien) already intends to arrange her marriage.

Getting by as best they can, they live a happy life together. But the regime change leads Fei to take up a role as a local enforcer for the Japanese, performing raids; while Keung tries to make money any way he can in a plan to flee the island. Fei's good work, Keung's scheming and Nam's looks all attract unwanted attention, and escape will involve betrayal and sacrifice along the way.

Leong keeps things varied, starting this off as a comedy-drama as Fei and Keung meet as lovable rogues, eschewing authority as they try to make their way through times of struggle and general poverty. Scripted by Sammo Hung, you can also see his influence in the fight and action sequences, combining ingenuity with Chow's handsome smile at all times.

As the Japanese arrive, however, things become both political and much more brutal. There are some strong images and moments making it very evident who the bad guy is. While before actions were to make money and get rice, now all decisions are laced with a political meaning, giving up one's beliefs to get by, more than likely having to show loyalty to the hand that feeds.

Throughout, there is also the love story between Nam and Keung and how Fei turns it into a happy triangle. On the end, however, this love is more than just romance and something worth dying for.

All this variety makes for a typically chaotic Eighties Hong Kong film, with fast action, humour and dialogue. The action sequences and tightly choreographed, though have some quite graphic and brutal violence at times. As ever, a young Chow Yun-fat and Alex Man fill the screen with charisma throughout, with Chow's trademark grin regularly on display, whether happy, laughing, angry or in agony. This film has every emotion going.

And an Eighties Hong Kong film can easily handle this chaotic fast-pacing, walking the line between action, comedy, political drama and romance well, giving a full entertainment package. Maybe not an all-time classic, but certainly a film that works at any time.

Politic1983.home.blog.