About F.B.I.

Genre: Modern, Comedy
Released year: 1973
Length: 100 minutes
Production studio/Film company: Shaw Brothers and Hong Kong TV Broadcasts Limited
Distributer/Publisher: Shaw Studio/Shaw Scope
Producers: Run Run Shaw, and Andrew EU
Director: Chu Yuan/Chor Yuen
Scriptwriter: Chu Yuan
Filmed location: Hong Kong
Rating: Hong Kong – IIA
Number of times watched: 2+

This movie is based on a drama played by the Hong Kong TV, Movie, and Drama group. Director Chu Yuan/Chor Yuen rewrote it and it is about the 60-70s. Everyone (lots of people) living together, although poor, they are backing up and helping one another against the landlords and another major theme was the government (politicians, police and firefighters), how they don’t do work or you need to pay in order for them to do work.

Cast
Lydia Shum as Shanghai Po
Chan Mei Wah as Wo Gei Lei
Cheng Hong Yip as Shanghai Lo
Wong Ching Ho as Uncle Yeung
Karen Yip Chi Ling as Han
Wong Chung as Uncle Chan
Au Yeung Sha Fei as Mrs. Chan
Nah Hong as Fook's Wife
Cheung Si Lok as Fook Jai
Ivan Ho Sau Sun as Bat Lam Fook, Olive Vendor Peddler Fook
Cheng Li as Ah Heung
Ching Miao as Doctor Kim
Lee Sau Kei as Wo Gei
Wu Kam as 8 Go, Eighth Auntie
Tien Ching as Tai Chi Bing, Master Bing, Chow Bing Ken
Yueh Hua as Fat Chai
Lau Yat Fan as 369
Shih Szu as Student
Ko Chau Kam as Student
Lau Ng Kei as Sampan Girl
Lily Ho as Sampan Girl
Cheng Kang as Yung Fat Boss
Lee Ho as Yung Fat Boss’ Sidekick
Lok Gon as Tai Do Mun Mei
Chor Yuen as Thief
Chen Kuan Tai as Cop
Wong Kwong Yue as Thief
Danny Lee Sau Yin
Tu Ping as Firefighter
Adam Cheng as Firefighter
Yeung Chak Lam as Firefighter
Ricky Hui Koon Ying as Firefighter
Wang Chung as Dealer
Jim Sum as ‘Weather Channel’
Law Lan as ‘Tour Guide’
Got Dik Wah as ‘Girl Guide’
Kwong Ling as ‘Girl Guide’
Biu Tai as Boss
Guk Feng as Boss
Yu Ming as Chief Officer
Lau Tan as Fu Goon
Yau Chi Wan as Ah An, Dai Kam
Lam Fung as Police 147
Law Hon as Police 258
Chung Hwa as Driver

I re-watched this because there was the new version of this coming out and I wanted to watch this to see the differences and similarities, kind of refresh my memory about this movie. I have watched this before, but not sure how many times exactly. There is a bunch of the old Shaw movies at home and in way I ‘watched’ all of them before, I just don’t really remember much.

There are many actors and actresses, only a handful that are still known (Lydia Shum, Adam Cheng, Law Lan, Ivan Ho, Yueh Hua/Ngok Wah, Lau Dan…), too many to even count but I like how the ‘old way’ of telling you the actors/actresses name and characters name/role. Since there are too many and lots that I don’t know I won’t be commenting much on it…
Other than one police, police 369 Lau Yat Fan. He is not the good cop, but he is so Dai Kai (Louise Li) from Heart Of Greed, or to be exact Dai Kai seems to be taken out of this guy. He is not a good person like Dai Kai, but lots of the things he said somehow reminded me of Dai Kai. Interesting how a good role and bad role are the ‘similar’ or is it that Dai Kai isn’t a good person.

While watching, the middle/towards the end I felt like I was asleep and nothing is really happening/I didn’t watch anything, but I watched all of it, but it might be the fact that I paused in the middle for dessert.
This movie is a big change for Hong Kong and Shaw Brothers. This was the first movie to change from Mandarin to Cantonese. Got to thank this movie for doing this.

I see how it is classic, the humor is great if you can see it, but didn’t feel like ‘classic’ when I was watching it. it is enjoyable but probably because there wasn’t really a main character(s) to focus on it wasn’t the best thing I’ve seen (or was it because I am watching something I saw before). Other than the history, it makes me wonder why they decide to remake this, or is there nothing else to remake? I guess can answer this question myself because the theme was being there for one another, helping out and how there are lots of guest stars but still... but I’ll still be watching the new one just cause, and to see what Eric Tsang has done.

My Rating: 7/10, probably won’t re-watch