The Longest Summer

Chan's recklessly original film centres on Chinese soldiers from the HK Military Service Corps (two played by real ex-members) who are left penniless and jobless when the Brits disband the force three months before Hong Kong is handed back to China. Ga-Yin (dancer Tony Ho making a terrific acting debut) gets work as a driver for a triad gang because his brother Ga-Suen (Lee, from Made in Hong Kong) is a member; then he and several unemployed mates decide to rob a bank. Everything goes wrong, but they end up with the money anyway - and with both cops and robbers on their trail. Shot to look like docu-drama and integrating vivid documentary footage of the handover, the whole film has a street authenticity rare in Hong Kong movies. The only bum notes are some misogynistic asides about delinquent schoolgirls. Otherwise, impressive and gripping.