06-23-2025, 09:23 AM
I knew this film as Mr. Canton and Lady Rose. But I didn't actually. There's some other Jackie Chan flick that I have always thought was this film, and it's not very good. I distinctly remember the only fight scene in the film, which involved some acrobatics in drapes. It wasn't enough for me. Now I have no idea which old Jackie flick that was.
As it turns out, I don't think I've ever seen this film, which is wild to me because I know that it was one of Jackie's personal favorites. He wrote and directed it, one of the first times he did that. And it's freaking great.
It's his ode to Frank Capra, loosely adapting Lady for a Day and Pocket Full of Miracles into this tale. It co-stars Anita Mui (who was improperly dubbed as the Asian Madonna), Wu Ma, Lo Lieh (as the villain of course), Ken Lo (as an opponent for Jackie of course), Richard Ng (as a buffoon Chief Inspector), Mars (as a henchman of course), Yuen Biao (in a wasted cameo), and Amy Yip (another cameo, not as wasted because she gets to bounce her voluptuousness). It was remade by Akki in Singh is Kinng ( http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomFor...p?tid=2103 ).
It's stylish, mimicking some of the expansive crane shots of old Hollywood. There's goofy subplots, a ruse that must be maintained, gangsters pretending to be rich gentlepeople, again an homage to those old films. It's light, funny, and heartwarming, not at all to be taken seriously.
The fights are amazing - Jackie in his prime. I slowed down the playback to unravel the complexity of Jackie's choreo. Fantastic stuff - acrobatic, witty, precise, and imaginative- the stuff that only Jackie can deliver. So good. Simply untouchable.
D00M recommended.
As it turns out, I don't think I've ever seen this film, which is wild to me because I know that it was one of Jackie's personal favorites. He wrote and directed it, one of the first times he did that. And it's freaking great.
It's his ode to Frank Capra, loosely adapting Lady for a Day and Pocket Full of Miracles into this tale. It co-stars Anita Mui (who was improperly dubbed as the Asian Madonna), Wu Ma, Lo Lieh (as the villain of course), Ken Lo (as an opponent for Jackie of course), Richard Ng (as a buffoon Chief Inspector), Mars (as a henchman of course), Yuen Biao (in a wasted cameo), and Amy Yip (another cameo, not as wasted because she gets to bounce her voluptuousness). It was remade by Akki in Singh is Kinng ( http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomFor...p?tid=2103 ).
It's stylish, mimicking some of the expansive crane shots of old Hollywood. There's goofy subplots, a ruse that must be maintained, gangsters pretending to be rich gentlepeople, again an homage to those old films. It's light, funny, and heartwarming, not at all to be taken seriously.
The fights are amazing - Jackie in his prime. I slowed down the playback to unravel the complexity of Jackie's choreo. Fantastic stuff - acrobatic, witty, precise, and imaginative- the stuff that only Jackie can deliver. So good. Simply untouchable.
D00M recommended.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse