Christmas gift or holiday curse? The December 1989 release of God of Gamblers was a popular sensation that caused consternation among critics. Well, for this critic, anyway.
My review for the Post 22 years ago proclaimed it a 'flimsy comedy [that] not only helps redefine the term 'cheap' but will probably out-earn any other Christmas film at the box office.'
The latter part of the statement was borne out by a phenomenal HK$36 million in ticket sales, a total rarely attained by recent Cantonese features despite two decades of inflation. God of Gamblers was the No1 hit of 1989 and spawned a 1990s mini-trend in gambling farces, demonstrating yet again director Wong Jing's grasp of pre-handover mainstream taste.
Revisiting the fantastic scams of gambling god/idiot savant Chocolate (Chow Yun-fat) and wily schemer Knife (Andy Lau Tak-wah), one grudgingly concedes the passage of nearly a quarter-century has afforded the blockbuster an unexpected extra dimension. The film still comes across as cheesy but it now has an all-enveloping nostalgic patina that permeates every frame.
After all, the picture debuted just six months after June 4, 1989. During this period, Hongkongers were acutely aware of their unique identity and increasingly anxious about a certain fateful day seven-and-a-half years down the line. Works such as God of Gamblers presented and represented a way of life, point of view, and sense of humour quite dissimilar to anything being shot across the border.
Even the scenario's 'borrowing' from Rain Man, Indiana Jones, and The Untouchables reflected the cosmopolitan nature of the colony's film culture back then. No one needed explanations of these international references.