The Banquet (1991 film)
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| The Banquet | |
|---|---|
 The Banquet VHS cover |
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| Directed by | Alfred Cheung Joe Cheung Clifton Ko Tsui Hark |
| Starring | Eric Tsang George Lam Richard Ng Carol Cheng Sammo Hung |
| Music by | Lowell Lo |
| Cinematography | Li Jianqiang Wing-Hang Andrew Lau Zhong Zhiwen |
| Editing by | Shao Feng Jin Ma David Wu Marco Mak |
| Release date(s) |  1991 |
| Country |  Hong Kong |
| Language | Cantonese |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
The Banquet (Chinese: 豪門夜宴; Haomen yeyan; literally "Rich and Powerful Family Evening Banquet"), also known as Party of a Wealthy Family, is a 1991 Hong Kong comedy film. It was quickly filmed for a Hong Kong flood relief charity, after the Yangtze River flooded in July of that year, killing over 1,700 people and displacing many more in the eastern and southern regions of mainland China.[1]
A large ensemble of actors and crew (including multiple directors and cinematographers) worked on the film, many in supporting roles and cameos. The principal star is Eric Tsang.
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[edit] Plot
Developer Tsang Siu-Chi (Eric Tsang) and his agent (Jacky Cheung) have bought two of a group of four properties. Rival devloper, Boss Hung (Sammo Hung) has secured the other two properties. Both aim to buy all four so they can knock them down and build a hotel.
The agent learns that billionaire Kuwaiti Prince Allabarba (George Lam) is due to arrive in Hong Kong and advises Tsang that they could dupe him in order to gain a billion dollar contract. The prince's father has recently died and the prince bitterly regrets that he wasn't a good son.
The agent tells Tsang that he should make a show of the positive relationship he has with his father, to impress the prince. Unfortunately, Tsang has not seen his father (Richard Ng) for 10 years. Along with his wife (Carol Cheng) and his sycophantic assistant (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), Tsang heads off to bring his father back. When they meet up, Tsang pretends to have cancer to convince his father to come home, along with his sister (Rosamund Kwan) and her husband (Tony Leung Ka Fai).
Tsang throws a banquet to impress the prince, pretending that it is also a birthday party for his father. However, it has all been a ploy by the agent, who has secretly been working for Boss Hung.
[edit] Cast
Almost 100 well-known Hong Kong actors appeared in the film, many of them in cameo roles. The core cast consists of:
- Eric Tsang - Tsang Siu-Chu
- Jacky Cheung - Jacky, Tsang's agent
- Joey Wong - Honey, Jacky's wife
- Sammo Hung - Boss Hung Tai-Po
- John Shum - Curly, Boss Hung's assistant
- George Lam - Prince Alibaba of Kuwait ("Allabarba" in subtitles)
- Richard Ng - Father Tsang
- Carol Cheng (Cheng Yu-Ling, aka Do Do Cheng) - Mimi, Tsang's wife
- Tony Leung Chiu Wai - Wai, Tsang's assistant
- Rosamund Kwan - Gigi, Tsang's sister
- Tony Leung Ka Fai - Leung, Gigi's husband
- Kwan Hoi Shan - Uncle Chicken Roll
- Lau Siu-Ming - Wong
- Jamie Luk - Vassal
- Pau Hon Lam - Uncle Lotus Seed Bun
- Michelle Reis - Kar-Yan Li
- Lydia Sum - Aunt Bill (as Lydia Sham)
- Bill Tung - Uncle Bill
- Raymond Wong - Forty
- Gabriel Wong - Vassal
The character of Father Tsang has a number of staff, including a sword expert, Master Lau / Uncle Nine (Lau Kar-leung), a servant (Kara Hui), two English teachers (Eric Kot and Jan Lamb), a make-up artist Mak (Karl Maka) and a body language expert / gigolo (Simon Yam).
Tsang Siu-Chu has a daydream about the banquet, in which his imagined self is played by Leslie Cheung, with Aaron Kwok as his brother, and the imagined Prince Allabarba is played by Alan Tam. He also fantasises that a stream of attractive actresses including Anita Mui, Sally Yeh, Sylvia Chang, Teresa Mo, Angie Chiu and Gong Li attend the meal. These are followed by leading Hong Kong actors including Chan Yau, Stephen Chow and Michael Hui (accompanied by Maria Cordero). All of these actors play themselves in the dream sequence, and some return in additional roles at the actual banquet.
At the actual banquet, Tsang's staff include cooks Leon Lai and Ng Man Tat, servants Meg Lam and Wong Wan-Si, and waiting staff May Lo Mei-Mei, Sandra Ng, Fennie Yuen, Ti Lung and Kenneth Tsang.
Guests at the banquet include David Chiang, Ching Siu-tung, Ku Feng, Carina Lau, Lee Hoi San, Loletta Lee, Waise Lee, Maggie Cheung, Leung Ka-Yan, Mars, Lawrence Ng, Barry Wong, Melvin Wong, John Woo, Pauline Yeung, Gloria Yip, Chor Yuen, Yuen Woo-ping and Mimi Zhu.
The band playing at the banquet are played by Paul Wong, Wong Ka Kui, Wong Ka Keung and Yip Sai Wing.
Further roles include Andy Lau as a TV presenter, with Teddy Robin Kwan and Billy Lau as a pair of soccer players. Philip Chan and Anglie Leung play a pair of cops, chasing a thief played by Tommy Wong. Additional cameos include Josephine Koo as a photographer, James Wong as a food vendor, David Wu as a Jogger, and Lowell Lo as a cab driver.
[edit] Box office
The film grossed HK $21.92 million in Hong Kong.[2]
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ The Banquet. Review. www.HKCuk.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
- ^ The Banquet. Databse entry. Hong Kong Cinemagic. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
