The Story of a Discharged Prisoner (; also called Upright Repenter) is a 1967 Hong Kong crime drama film directed by Patrick Lung and starring Patrick Tse, Shih Kien and Patsy Kar.
The film partially inspired the 1986 John Woo film A Better Tomorrow, which has the same Chinese name. A Better Tomorrow combined plot elements of this film with the 1979 movie The Brothers, which in turn was a remake of 1975 Indian movie Deewaar.
Plot Lee Cheuk-hong (Patrick Tse) was a safecracker who was caught and spent more than 10 years behind bars. When One-Eyed Dragon (Sek Kin), leader of an organized crime syndicate, learns Lee Cheuk-hong will be released, he sends his men to ask Lee to join his gang.
Cast Patrick Tse – Lee Cheuk-hong Patsy Kar – Mok Si-Yan Wong Wai – Lee Chi-sum Sek Kin – Boss Lung, One-eyed Dragon Mak Kei – Lung's thug Patrick Lung – Inspector Lui Chan Tsai-Chung – Anna/Siu Yee-Tai Sai Gwa-Pau – Ah Hon Mang Lee – Betty/Boss' girl Chow Gat – Lung's crony Do Ping – Kit Szema Wah Lung – Chi-Sum's boss Ma Siu-Ying – Mother Yeung Yip-Wang – Anna's father Wong Hak – Cripple Hui Ying-Ying – Ah Hon's wife Lee Sau-Kei – Anna's uncle Lam Yuk Chan Chung-Kin – DPAS chief Lee Keng-Ching – Shelter resident Chan Kau Fai Chan Lap-Ban – Squatter's village resident Go Chiu – Shelter resident Tang Cheung – Night watchman Chow Wai-Fong Fung Ming – Policeman Cheung Chok-Chow – Gang lawyer
Awards In 2005, Story of a Discharged Prisoner was ranked 39th on the Hong Kong Film Awards list of the Top 100 Chinese Films. In 2012, it was ranked number 21 on TimeOut Hong Kong Greatest 100 Hong Kong Films.
References
External links
HK cinemagic entry The Story of a Discharged Prisoner at filmaffinity.com film at letterboxd.com film at hkmdb.com film at movingimage.us The Story of a Discharged Prisoner at senscritique.com