Foo gwai lit che
Tags: violence

Plot synopsis:
Ching Fong-Tin (Sammo Hung) goes to Russia to steal goods from the Russian soldiers. Unfortunately he is caught and the soldiers make him strip his clothes down to his underwear. They force him to wear a brassiere and the head of a mop as a wig, and he is made to dance for their amusement. However, he makes his escape, grabbing his grenades as he goes, and throws one into the cabin. Fook Loi (Kenny Bee) catches Ching and lectures him about his crimes. Ching tries to escape, but in the scuffle, he and Fook end up rolling into a snowball. In the final moments after they both got out of the snowball, Fook tries to look for Ching and is taken by surprise when he jumps down from a tree, grabs his clothes and rushes off back to his hometown.
Bandits dressed in police uniforms (Eric Tsang, Yuen Wah, Lam Ching Ying, Wu Ma and Mang Hoi) set fire to a large building. Tsao Cheuk Kin (Yuen Biao) and his fire team race to the scene and save a fat lady and a blind woman. While the fire rages, the bandits rob the town bank, but the manager manages to alert the townfolk before they can escape and two of the bandits are jailed. With the loss of money stolen by the bandits, Mayor Yi (Woo Fung) gives a negative speech. In contrast, Tsao encourages the townfolk and he is given the job of mayor and head of the town's security.
Ching and his assistant move from a hotel to his home town, arriving with a car full of women (Olivia Cheng, Rosumand Kwan, Emily Chu). Ching's ambition is to get money into the town, so his hotel is cleaned up and redressed. A train is due to pass, carrying numerous passengers, including some criminals and some Japanese ninja (Yasuaki Kurata, Yukari Oshima, Hwang Jang Lee). In order to bring custom to his hotel, Ching hatches a plan to force the train to stop at the town. He heads towards the railway station on his motorcycle and sidecar, but is chased away by Tsao riding on horseback. Ching swings a tree branch, which knocks Tsao from his horse. Ching takes the horse and rides the rest of the way. As he prepares the dynamite, Ching is discovered, and ends up fighting with Tsao. After winning, Ching continues to wait for the train.
As the train travels through the country, passenger Han (Richard Ng) sneaks back and forth on roof of the train between his fat wife (Lydia Shum) and his beautiful mistress. The bandits from the town try to board the train. The first bandit (Eric Tsang), with his body covered in magnets inadvertently gets stuck to the train, whilst the second bandit (Lam Ching Ying) using the rope to climb aboard. However, instead of lassooing the train, his rope catches Han, who is forced to hang on for dear life, whilst the bandit runs alongside the train. The remaining bandits struggle with a cart, but finally manage to get on board. When the train reaches the station, Ching blows the dynamite, derailing the train.
As Ching had planned, the passengers spend time in his home town awaiting the train's repair. In the hotel, the criminals devise a plan to get into the room housing Han's mistress, posing as Japanese tourists. Unfortunately they don't don't know the language, and are forced to hide when the train captain (Billy Lau) and his mistress enter the room. After the train captain goes into the bathroom, the bad guys try to sneak out quietly, but soon have to hide again. Han climbs down the hotel roof, inadvertently scaring the train captain's mistress. The commotion alerts his wife, who accuses him of cheating. To explain the situation, he claims that he is actually an agent spying on the Japanese, and the bad guys use this excuse to come out of hiding.
When Ching asks Chi (Rosamund Kwan) to distract Tsao she comes with all sorts of things most of them saying that she loves him. Tsao then tells Chi that he's busy and can't dream with her and leaves. Chi captures up with him and asks him not to go and Tsao swings his hat to the side and takes Chi into his hands and starts snogging her. Tsao then says something that makes Chi want to kiss him more.When Chi wants to kiss him more he signals his helpers to take his place and unfortunately Chi opens her eyes and runs away.
Fook Loi returns from Russia and uses Tsao to capture Ching and put him into jail. At night, Siu-Hon (Olivia Cheng) and her group of ladies free Ching and allow him to make up his mind. The rest of the bad guys arrive on horseback, storming the town and capturing the Japanese ninja.
After Ching makes up his mind, he comes back to his hometown and free the bandits, plus Fook, Tsao and Siu-Hon. He decides to turf the bad guys out of town, beginning by using a chaingun, and later using martial arts. A huge fight breaks out, until the bad guys are dealt with and Ching and Tsao finally take back the map from the Japanese.

Review: Silly, campy, amazing stunts, just bizarre.
This film would sit comfortably next to A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum, The Great Train Robbery, every other Jackie Chan/Sammo flick, and then some.
It's not as funny as it could be (the dubbed version, that is), but aside from that I have no complaints.There is no time to develop character traits (aside from a few cliches), but this is a slapstick so that shouldn't really be expected.
If you are familiar with the slapstick-martial arts genre, or if you simply love bizarre, zany movies, then I recommend it.
If you're looking for a substantial plot with lots of characterization, find something else to curl up on the couch to.It is exactly what it proclaims to be, a madcap Kung Fu western.
But I doubt if you'll ever see a man jump without safety mats from a 4-story building (on fire, I might add) in any other film.
Wow..
Crazy Brilliant!.
It's a crazy movie, but awesome all the same.
It's an incredibly visual story.
The first time I saw it was a Cantonese version with no subtitles, but I still followed the whole story.
The humour is also very visual and very funny!
However, the stand out moment, ignoring the awesome battles running through the film, has to be Yuen Biao's flip from the top of a burning building.
If you watch this film for no other reason, you have to see one of the greatest stunts ever committed to celluloid.
Simple yet MAD!
For fight fans there's the added bonus of seeing some of the all time greats of Far East Cinema battle it out on screen!
SEE THIS MOVIE NOW!.
One of the funnies films!.
The "Wealthy train" aka "Millionaire's express" looks like an action film.
But strangely each and every moment that in a normal action film would have been dramatic here turns into a farce.
It has all necessary elements of a classical western, only things happen in China.
The fighting stuff is really well done, only instead of tension it brings another occasion to smile.
It is extremely rich in characters and situations.
One could say overcharged.
But most of these situations are illogical: I mean, if it were true, it would never happen, at least it would not happen this way...
But it doesn't matter.
Do not look for any logical explanations, the film is not about that.
In fact it is a parody.
And a good one.
People who created this film gave a free course to imagination, and the audience is invited to do the same thing.
It's like a game: recognize all moments which usually are presented so seriously in many action films (and are supposed to thrill us!) and see how ridiculous they often are.
"Wealthy train" is one of those films that never becomes outdated.
It will be appreciated by everyone who is able not to take himself too seriously.
Watch it when you want to relax, cheer yourself up and just have fun!.
Funny Eastern.
From start till end you will be entertained!
Everything what is happening concerning the Millionaire's Express is a setup for the grand finale in the last twenty minutes!
Somehow Sammo Hung managed to create a western in Chinese setting!
Even one character seems to be a parody of Clint Eastwood!
A lot is going on in the movie,but the real action picks up at the final!
This movie is more a comedy!
There a lot of jokes that are easy to understand because they are very visual!
One example is a man who seems to be cheating on his wife!
While on the train he visits his mistress by climbing on top of the train and without any problems he walks to the wagon where his mistress is!
In the meanwhile a hoodlum has a lot of difficulties maintaining his balance while he is on top of the train!
When the two encounter the adulterer greets him like he is taking a stroll while the hoodlum almost falls off the train!
This is just so hilarious!
And this just one of the very funny scenes this movie contains!
Also I recognized a parody on Wong Fei Hung (A famous Chinese hero)!
All the different characters have their objectives and will be put in very funny scenes which will come to a climax in the last twenty minutes!
The action is more than wonderful!
Yuen Baio and Jang Lee Hwang (korean martial artist famous for being the villain in "Drunken Master") steal the show!
Not to say that all the others weren't great,but Yuen Baio and Jang Lee Hwang (one of the samurai) simply stand out!
As they show some excellent moves and skill!
There are some small sequences with Cynthia Rothrock and Richard Norton but they were too short for my taste!
"Millionaire's express" delivers on humor and action!
One of the best movies made by Sammo Hung!.
A very funny martial arts action movie..
This movie was not only action packed but very funny.
It has most of the famous Hong Kong action stars in it.
If your familiar with this genre then you will recognize most of the stars like Samo Hung and more.
The plot was kinda silly but the comedy and action sequences makes up for it and more.
It is highly entertaining movie..
Spectacular Chinese Western-style film with an all-star cast!.
This is a one-of-a-kind Hong Kong movie filmed in the Western style and directed my martial arts great Sammo Hung, where he brought in an all-star cast including Hung himself, Yuen Biao, Eric Tsang, Richard Ng, Lydia Sum, Kenny Bee, Lam Ching Ying, Wah Yuen, Corey Yuen and Rosamund Kwan.
It's a story where Ching Fong-Tin (Sammo Hung) tries to makes amends for his past by attempting to return wealth and prosperity to his hometown.
In doing so, he plans to stall an express train full of wealthy passengers in hopes they will lodge at his town and spend money on its amenities.
Meanwhile, a group of mountain bandits wants to rob the train, where three samurais in possession of a treasure scroll are on board.
It is an action-packed film from start to finish that will give you pure fun and excitement - a film that has just about everything in it: comedy, adventure, martial arts, romance and drama.
Each of the characters has his/her own unique charm, development and relevance in the movie that makes him/her stand out in the story.
Hung took great care in directing that made every one of the many characters important, inserting humor and drama where appropriate and creating fun and interesting subplots (like the town's renegade security officers attempting to rob the train; Richard Ng's character's silly love affair; the rival between legendary martial artists Master Wong and Master Shek) while not swaying away from the main point of the story.
He keeps the plot going at a fast pace and makes every scene captivating, leaving no room for boring fillers.The special and visual effects are realistic and believable and the script is an awesome piece of work - it makes you feel you are along the wild adventure and just having fun with the ride.
The music score by Anders Nelsson, Alastair Monteith-Hodge and Chin Yung Shing is very catchy and dynamic, filming location is breath-taking and the acting was spot-on.
There are some silly and goofy moments from some of the cast members, but it is not done overboard.With such a large cast and an exciting story, I just wished that the movie was made a little longer to have more time to accommodate the actors and action sequences.
But overall, it is one of the best movies I have seen come out of Hong Kong and certainly one that is highly recommended if you are a fan of wild Hong Kong Cinema.
If you are not, it is still a great movie to watch for the casual viewers!
Grade A.
I'm confused.
Maybe I don't know enough about HK cinema to get all the in jokes and references, or maybe I just didn't pay close enough attention, but I was thoroughly confused by this bizarre action comedy that seems to be set in an Old West town located in China.
The cinematography is fine (particularly the train sequences) and the martial arts are predictably excellent.
But the dubbing is atrocious (not too mention insulting) and the cast of character so vast I couldn't keep track of everyone.
Sammo Hung is good, but he's used his comedic talent to much greater effect in other stuff like Wheels on Meals.
Only for the HK hardcore..
Genre bender....
Long before movies like SUKYAKI WESTERN DJANGO or THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE WEIRD, there was Sammo Hung's SHANGHAI EXPRESS.
While both of the aforementioned movies definitely have their fair share of memorable moments, SHANGHAI EXPRESS tops them both (in my own, ever humble opinion) by virtue of its sheer diversity.
There are, first and foremost, the unbelievable stunts (some of which would make Jackie Chan himself green with envy, I'd wager): at one point, Yuen Biao does a roundoff off the top of a two story building (falling about THREE stories in the process), jumps up when he lands, then runs out of frame- all in a single take.
Another player does a similar jump from the top of a building later in the movie- again, in a single take and, again, jumping up to run out of the shot as did Biao.
Sammo himself, sporting a kind of mullet haircut, engages Biao in a spectacular if brief slugfest at a train station.
Cynthia Rothrock, in a very small but memorable part, also goes toe to toe with Sammo in a particularly brutal fight scene.
My favorite moment, by far, has to be Kurata's fight with Richard Norton: when Norton nails him at one point, Kurata begins a Chaplinesque, leaning-tower-of-Piza stagger around Norton, circling stubbornly and refusing to fall.
If you're a Charlie Chaplin fan (and who isn't?), you'll appreciate both the homage and the sheer craziness of the scene.
In fact, there are several sequences (in particular a laugh-out-loud train sequence, with one guy roped and tied running alongside the train) that are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.
Hung mines comedy gold with SHANGHAI EXPRESS..
Millionaire's Express is filled with positives and essentially no negatives..
Hijinks ensue when a colorful cast of characters converge upon a newly-built train, and each has their own motives to use the train to potentially get money for themselves or their respective towns.We've always been Sammo Hung fans, and here he turns in a high-energy, upbeat and lovable movie filled with humor, stunts, action, and overall wackiness.
It truly is an "Eastern Western" as Hung crafted an homage to Sergio Leone and his Spaghetti Western ilk.
But he interjected his own flavor and style to it all, and the Buster Keaton influence is clearly evident as well.
The whole outing is very well-shot and has a professional sheen.
Everything from the costumes to the sets were done lovingly, and audiences can't help but respond positively to everything they're seeing.While fans of Hong Kong filmmaking are bound to see familiar faces in the cast, interestingly, this movie is the first team-up of Cynthia Rothrock and Richard Norton.
So there's some trivia for you.
While they also starred together in The Magic Crystal (1986) the same year as Millionaire's Express, this is credited as their first outing together.
Both of their names in the movie are simply "Bandit".
We would have liked more screen time from both of them, but that's how it is in these ensemble pieces.
There's not enough time for everyone - though Sammo clearly recognized Rothrock's potential.
Even though this is only her third-ever movie, she gets a really cool fight scene with Sammo himself.
Their fight together is a movie highlight in an already enjoyable romp.While it may seem that there are certain stretches in the film where Martial Arts isn't the main focus (unless you count two brawling, pint-sized kids who use a technique called "Stealing Peaches") - just you wait until the final brawl.
Sammo pulls out all the stops and it's extremely entertaining.
Yet another memorable Golden Harvest production, Millionaire's Express is filled with positives and essentially no negatives.
If you get a chance to see it, see it..
Solid Hong Kong comedy antics topped by an incredible fight action climax.
This kung fu epic has a simple enough storyline – it's one of those old East-meets-West stories again, as myriad characters including Japanese, bandits, bank robbers, police, prostitutes, and fugitives meet up in a border town in the early 20th century.
Its strength lies in the cast, which manages to round up just about every Hong Kong star of the 1980s (with the notable exception of Jackie Chan) and throws them into a fast-moving plot that'll quickly have you head scratching.
After Hung battles various villains against a snowy backdrop in the film's bravura opening sequences, the action winds down for an hour while we take in some typical Chinese comedy, in a small run-down town and on board a steam train.
The laughs come thick and fast and many are of the bizarre type that we know and love from the films made by Hung, Chan, and Biao during this decade.
My favourite is the "everyone hides in a room" joke that seemingly turns up in every film in this genre, most notably in PROJECT A PART II as well.The film's best bit is undoubtedly the twenty-minute finale, in which all of the fighters finally come together in a massive brawl between town folk and bandits.
There's stunt work aplenty, tons of smashing scenery, and Biao performing some of his best high-flying manoeuvres.
His jump from a burning building is undoubtedly impressive, but for me this is topped by his spin off the balcony at the film's climax.
The cast is evenly matched with comedians like Eric Tsang (as a convict) and Richard Ng (as a Lothario) on one side and top-notch fighters like Cynthia Rothrock and Richard Norton (complete with "Painful?" catchphrase) on the other.
Biao goes hand to hand with super villain Dick Wei in one bone-smashing encounter while top kicker Hwang Jang Lee pops up to create some samurai carnage.
The rest of the cast is packed with familiar faces including Yuen Wah, Lam Ching Ying, Wang Lung Wei, Yukari Oshima, and Bolo Yeung who all do their bit.
One standout is Sammo's run-in with Cynthia Rothrock which is brief but brutal.
All in all the finale livens an otherwise good film, turning it into a minor masterpiece with one of the best martial arts endings of all time!