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It is well known that 'Miracles' is one of Jackie Chan's favourite

movies, mainly due to the artistic freedom he got to make it.

We're all accustomed to Jackie Chan movies in the style of the

high octane martial arts action thriller, but up until this production

Jackie had little chance to show off his cinematographic skills,

often criticised for being very one-dimensional in his movie

making. 'Miracles' was the answer to all that.

Having secured the largest budget in HK movie history for this film

(which was yet still extremely modest by Hollywood standards),

Miracles was produced slightly differently from HK films we're

used to. The result was a lavish set with excellent costumes, and

most of all, flowing, extravagant shots throughout the film.

Unfortunately though, the storyline is a bit weak.

This is certainly not the traditional Jackie Chan movie we're used

to, but it is nice to see Jackie show off some of his other skills in

movie making, and that he's not just an all-action hero.

The first thing I noticed about this film is that it seems to star everyone who ever made a movie in Hong Kong; I seemed to spend the entire movie going 'oooh, it's Yuen Biao!' (or whoever). Plotwise, it's typical early Jackie Chan; frenetic action sequences punctuated by high farce. As in a lot of his early stuff, the farce can be a bit excruciating, but not so much that you'll feel obliged to hit fast-forward. The action sequences, while interesting, aren't as spectacular as in his later movies; the movie seems to try to be more of a plot-driven movie (and much as I love Jackie Chan, these aren't really his strong points). If for some bizarre reason you aren't yet a Jackie Chan fan, you'll probably want to check out Armor of God or Project A first. If I'm preaching to the converted, you'll find Oiji merrily passes an hour and a half, but it's by no means a masterpiece. It's got Anita Mui, though. She always makes a movie watchable.

It is the 1930's, and naïve country boy Kuo Cheng-Wah has just arrived in Hong Kong. A violent gang war has broken out over the city, which he finds himself in the middle of. After a gang boss bequeaths him his empire, Cheng-Wah opens a nightclub, featuring the sultry singer Yang Luming as star attraction. Meanwhile, Madame Kao, an impoverished street seller, needs Cheng-Wah's help if she is to convince her daughter she is a lady of means. So begins a madcap tale full of action, comedy and romance sure to leave audiences spellbound.

Directed by Jackie Chan and based on Damon Runyon's short story 'Madame La Gimp,' 'Miracles' is a heartwarming, exciting comedy both fun and fast-paced. Runyon's source material had been adapted for the screen twice before by Frank Capra, in 1933 with 'Lady For A Day' and 1961 with 'Pocketful of Miracles,' but Chan's version is by far the most memorable. Combining clever dialogue with strong characterisation and witty set-pieces, the screenplay brims with comedic inventiveness. The narrative is consistently engaging, full of humorous misunderstandings, idiosyncratic characters and hilarious action that would have made Buster Keaton proud.

As is the case with most Chan fare, the film features stunt work and fight choreography that is awe-inspiring. The martial arts world's answer to Fred Astaire, Chan's incredible physicality is on full display, and the rapid-fire action will leave you breathless- when you're not laughing, that is. A sequence in a rope factory has to be seen to be believed; so incredible are Chan and his Stunt Team. Furthermore, the aspects of the narrative involving Madame Kao are handled brilliantly, bringing additional humour and drama to proceedings, while the musical numbers interspersed throughout harken back to the glory days of Hollywood musicals.

Moreover, Arthur Wong's lush cinematography gives the film a richness and fluidity largely missing from Chan's previous pictures. Making expert use of tracking shots and long, single takes, Wong fosters a sense of realism and immersion. A one take shot at the night club is most impressive, swooping over the heads of the audience from the stage, up into Cheng-Wah's office; plunging the viewer deep into the glamourous world of the film.

Eddie Ma's grand production design drips with textural richness. From the bustling streets of Hong Kong, to the velvet and gold rimmed nightclub, to the dusty rope factory, all the locations are detailed and visually interesting. A stunning feast for the eyes, Ma, art director Sai Kan Lam and set decorator Yiu-Kwong But have faithfully recreated 1930's Hong Kong, with a wry, Runyonesque slant. In addition, Lai-Fang Chan and Sun-Yiu Cheung's costume design is intricate and evocative; adding to the personalities of the characters and their world.

Jackie Chan stars as Kuo Cheng-Wah, opposite Anita Mui as Yang Luming and Ah-Lei Gua as Madame Kao. Charismatic and charming, Chan is brilliant in the role, clearly relishing the chance to play an old timey 'Guys and Dolls' style gangster. His terrific comedic timing- combined with his martial arts prowess- is incredible to behold, while he imbues the character with interesting little quirks- like flipping a hat before putting it on- that make him all the more compelling. As director, stunt coordinator and actor; Chan impresses greatly.

As does Anita Mui, demonstrating her considerable comedic, and vocal, talents. She and Chan share a great chemistry that makes watching them together a joy, while her classy performance of the song 'Rose, Rose I Love You' is close to unforgettable. Ah-Lei Gua brings a touching vulnerability to her role, making her compelling and sympathetic. Additionally, Bill Tung is hilarious as a conman Cheng-Wah brings into the fold, while Chun-Hsiung Ko and Lo Lieh make for excellent villains. Also worth mentioning are Wu Ma, as Cheng-Wah's mentor Uncle Hoi, and Richard Ng, as bumbling Chief Inspector Ho, who both give memorable, humorous performances.

In conclusion, Jackie Chan's 'Miracles' is a funny, heartwarming comedy that does justice to its source material, Damon Runyon's 'Madame La Gimp,' while also paying tribute to the work of Frank Capra and the Golden Age of Hollywood. Showcasing Chan's innumerable talents and vision, it is exciting and entertaining, featuring many pulse-pounding action sequences, striking cinematography and a fine score. Well-acted and fun for all the family, it really is a miracle of moviemaking.

Miracles is Jackie Chan's favourite amongst his movies ,and the one in which he invested the most time and care. The result is, technically, a triumph. The convincing sets, lavish costumes and graceful camera work really hold by western film standards, while the fight scenes boast choreography that is just incredible to watch. They are more like musical numbers than martial arts fights, but the level of invention is just staggering, particularly in the scene where Jackie has to make his way down some stairs, fighting heavies as he does so, and the end battle in a rope factory.

However, elsewhere the film has problems. It attempts to juggle several plot lines with mixed success. The 'gangster'part, with Jackie as a crime boss, generally works well, but Jackie's relationship with singer Anita Mui almost disappears from the film and the Frank Capra 'A Pocketful Of Miracles'copied story is dwelt on at such length and so slowly that the middle of the film drags terribly, with endless dialogue scenes that could have sometimes been shortened or cut without harm to the film {or course, there is a shorter version of this film, but with some of the wrong bits cut}. At least there are some great laughs, such as gangsters and their 'molls' trying to be respectable rich folk, and the Clouseau-like Richard Ng's police captain.

Miracles is certainly not one of Chan's classics like Project A, Police Story or Drunken Master 1 and 2, but there is still a lot to like.

I recently picked up a full, subtitled copy of 'Miracles', and I must say that the original is better than the dubbed version I had previously seen, and that version was also around half an hour shorter than the original version. The dubbed version cut out some not-so-important scenes, but things still got confusing at times, and some very funny scenes which did not make into the dubbed version, and at least one of the fight scenes was significantly edited in the dubbed version.

'Miracles' a very different movie to most of Jackie's work. There is the trademark Jackie Chan action and slapstick, but fights and action sequences are not as frequent as they are in his other movies, as 'Miracles' is more about Jackie proving to critics that he can make a movie with extravagant sets and costumes, and complicated camera shots (Who can blame him? James Cameron did the same thing, but 'Miracles' is a both an enjoyable and a good movie, while 'Titanic' is neither).

The movie is funny, and the action (what action there is) is excellent, and even the acting is great.

9/10 A great movie. Check it out if you're a Jackie Chan fan, but make sure you get the full, subtitled movie (should be about two-hours).