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Prodigal Son
1983
Leung Chang (Yuen Biao) is a spoiled son who thinks he is the baddest kung fu master around--until he is pounded in a fight with an effeminate Wing Chun master (Lam Ching-Ying) who plays a girl in a traveling Peking Opera troupe. Realizing that his father has been paying his opponents to lose, Leung begs to become the Wing Chun .. Read more
| Starring | Sammo Hung, Yuen Mao, Frankie Chan, Lam Ching Ying |
|---|---|
| Director | Sammo Hung |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller, World Cinema |
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Prodigal Son
Leung Chang (Yuen Biao) is a spoiled son who thinks he is the baddest kung fu master around--until he is pounded in a fight with an effeminate Wing Chun master (Lam Ching-Ying) who plays a girl in a traveling Peking Opera troupe. Realizing that his father has been paying his opponents to lose, Leung begs to become the Wing Chun master's student. The master, however, doesn't agree to teach Leung until another spoiled son appears--a Manchu noble seeking to test his fighting skills. THE PRODIGAL SON is one of the earliest films with Yuen Biao in a lead role. The film helped Yuen, one of the most talented acrobats of his generation, attain a stardom nearly equal to that of his "brothers," Jackie Chan and director Sammo Hung. For Hung, THE PRODIGAL SON is his second film to depict the Wing Chun fighting system (the first was WARRIORS TWO); both films are considered classics in Wing Chun cinema. Hung appears in THE PRODIGAL SON as a portly master of long-form Wing Chun; in comic asides, Hung also demonstrates two new martial arts forms, calligraphy kung fu and toiletry kung fu.
| Starring | Sammo Hung, Yuen Mao, Frankie Chan, Lam Ching Ying |
|---|---|
| Director | Sammo Hung |
| Studio | E1 ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 40 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller, World Cinema |
| Language | DVD: Cantonese, Chinese |
| Released | DVD: 29 Jul 2002 Production year: 1983 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews
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Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung, one-time colleagues of Jackie Chan in the famous Seven Little Fortunes troupe, co-star in this action-packed but nevertheless stylish tale of deception and revenge. With his cheeky grin and flying fists, the irrepressible Yuen is on top form as a disappointed street fighter who joins a Chinese opera company to study under a martial arts master after he discovers that his over-protective father has been rigging all his bouts. Arch villain Frankie Chan provides a worthy opponent in a gut-wrenching massacre and stops-out finale, while the stocky Sammo brings a typical touch of good humour.
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Most helpful member's review
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12 out of 12 people found this review helpful
great fun even if you don't like kung fu!
PLOT: The boyish hero (Yuen Biao) plays the son of a wealthy business man who dreams of being a great martial artist. But fearing for his safety, his parents pay off his opponents to lose so that he is not injured. When a Chinese opera troupe comes to town, the hero is beaten by the actor who sings the female roles (Lam Ching Ying). He then begs the actor to teach him this Wing Chun (low) style of kung fu.
After the opera troupe is brutally attacked, they seek refuge with the singers brother (Sammo Hung, who also directed the film, and went on to star in the American series Martial Law). This is a cue for lots of good gags as the two brothers, with very different characters, row about the best way to train the hero. Sammo's comic, forceful style is contrasted to Lam's more delicate, restrained moves.
There is a rather grim final showdown at the end where the hero tries to revenge the attack to the opera troupe by fighting the leader.
Prodigal Son is a classic movie from the 'golden age' of kung-fu movies from the 70s and early 80s. It's my favourite kung fu movie ever. The highlights for me are definitely the scenes where Lam combines Chinese opera and kung-fu in a beautiful, effortless and very funny way. -
Most recent members' review
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Yuen Biao Gets To Shine.
This could well be Sammo Hung's greatest film. I say 'could' because so many of his films are classics. In this one he directs and takes a back seat, only providing support in a very funny role. The film is left in the capable hands of Yuen Biao, who has been a support in so many great films it is nice to see him carry a film. He plays a spoilt brat of a young man who has been protected from serious fights by an over protective father. Thinking he is a great fighter he is becoming a bully, until he realises what his father has been doing. Then he runs away to learn to fight for real.
This film really has to be watched several times to take everything in. Beautifully shot, with some cracking fight choreography, I can only praise this gem of a film. Yuen is the most athletic of all the actors in this genre. The final fight is both brutal and poetic. Miss this one at your peril. -
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Prodigal Son
Leung Chang (Yuen Biao) is a spoiled son who thinks he is the baddest kung fu master around--until he is pounded in a fight with an effeminate Wing Chun master (Lam Ching-Ying) who plays a girl in a traveling Peking Opera troupe. Realizing that his father has been paying his opponents to lose, ...
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