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Origin: Hong Kong
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Language:
Cantonese
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Genre:
Comedy
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Release Date (HK): 12/04/1963
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| Summary |
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Director Wang Weiyi: [The stage play 'The House of 72 Tenants'] revolved around a police officer named '369' who kept thinking up ways to rip off the 72 tenants. Its implications were narrower. In our version...the theme centred on eviction and the struggle against it.... The Cultural Revolution began shortly after the film's release...'Those 72 Tenants' became a target of repudiation during the subsequent mass criticism. Every brick in the studio, even the makeup room, was covered with big-character posters and slogans. The masses outside were asked to come in to view the films and the criticism exercise was to take place the following day.... They would break down with laughter every time someone mentioned a detail from the film. They could no longer carry on with the criticism exercise. In reality, the film did not contain any reactionary content. That was the story of my narrow escape. (Hong Kong Film Archive Oral History Project interview, 22 March 2002).(HKFA)A destitute building in Guangzhou is home to 72 tenants hailing from all walks of life. The landlord Bing-ken (Man Kok-fei) and his wife Eighth Aunt hatch a scheme to turn the house into a lair of debauchery, perversion and drugs by first evicting its tenants. Upon Police Constable 369's instigation, the couple bride the lewd police chief Chan by offering their adopted daughter Ah Heung in marriage. Chan throws a lavish dinner to celebrate the betrothal while Ah Heung flees while the host and guests are indulging in a drinking spree, and hides out with the help of Tenant Fat. Failing to retrieve their daughter, the couple abscond with the bribe money with 369 closely on their trail. Chan abandons his pursuit of Ah Heung and locks up the couple and 369, seizing the opportunity to misappropriate the money in Bing-ken's possession. The tenants rejoice as the couple are put behind bars. (Quoted from DVD cover)(HKFA) |
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