Product Details

• Actors: Yun-Fat Chow, Cecilia Yip, Alex Man (II), Kien Shih, Ma Wu
• Directors: Po-Chih Leong
• Format: Color, Letterboxed, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Tai Seng Entertainme
• VHS Release Date: August 17, 1999
• Run Time: 118 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305047367
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #534,456 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The effortlessly charismatic Chow Yun-Fat stars in this excellent historical drama about the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during World War II. Yip Fai (Chow), a young man living with his aunt and hostile uncle, befriends a local tough named Kong (Alex Man). Fai wants to flee the city for Australia or America, but Kong is too attached to his home, as well as to the daughter of a local rice importer, Anna (Cecelia Yip). Passions shift among the three as the Japanese invade, creating a tortured world of collaborators, rebels, and black market thugs. Half Jules & Jim, half The Deer Hunter, Hong Kong 1941 successful juxtaposes the conflicted emotions of the three friends with the larger social chaos of the occupation; the personal and the political intertwine powerfully. Chow Yun-Fat, young and handsome, radiates a compelling mix of intelligence, integrity, and doubt. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A superb film., December 8, 1999

By 

Andrew Saroch (wellingborough, england) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hong Kong 1941 (DVD)

As has been said, Hong Kong 1941 deals with friendship against the backdrop of the Japanese invasion of that year. The way this film examines the strength of the friendship between Chow, Man and Yip is excellent and the tension created by the impending danger of the Japanese is well realised. This would have to rank as one of Chow Yun-Fat's strongest performances and Alex Man has never been better. With Ceilia Yip also putting in a quality performance, this is an all-round classic. It reminded me of some of Chang Cheh's best films and for anyone who appreciates Hong Kong cinema, that should be praise enough.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the REAL STUFF of which great movies are made!, October 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Hong Kong 1941 [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is one of my favorite Chow Yun Fat and Hong Kong movies. I just loved this movie. It's kind of a Chinese Casablanca.

The Story: Hong Kong is captured by the Japanese early in World War II. Three young people try to survive the occupation. And yet, it's the fear before the invasion, the reactions and changes that the people go through to cope with the horror and the strength and heart of the resistance. And to top it off an intense love triangle. Excellent!

Best of all, you really can identify with the characters. There is real suffering and sacrifice here that leads to growth of character. This is the REAL STUFF that great films are made of. I highly recommend it. And the whole time you will keep asking yourself, "What would I do in if I was put in that same situation?"

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a story of friendship and love in wartime., May 29, 1999

By 

Patricia ([e-mail]) (Indianapolis, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hong Kong 1941 [VHS] (VHS Tape)

As the title indicates, this movie begins in Hong Kong in 1941--not a great place to be at that time, because the Japanese Army is about to invade the city. Chow Yun Fat plays an out-of-work actor who befriends a coolie (played by Yip Man,) and the coolie's girlfriend. The three of them struggle to survive and to maintain their dignity as Chinese under the Japanese occupation. Chow Yun Fat and Yip Man give great performances as two men who become fast friends, but whose friendship is complicated by the fact that both are falling in love with the same woman--who also dearly loves both of them. Everyone in this film is good, but Chow Yun Fat is great in his range of expression. There is an excellent fight scene between the protagonists and the Japanese occupying general. The movie is fast-paced and realistic, patriotic without being sentimental. The movie never drags and has great characterization and plot. It will appeal not only to fans of Chow Yun Fat, but anyone who likes war movies, adventure movies, or movies about romance or friendship. A must-see!