To mark the start of the Year of the Dog, the Hong Kong Film Archive of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present the programme "It's a Material World" from February 2 to 11, screening six comedies themed on money and wealth to wish the audiences good fortune and prosperity in the new year.

     In "Best Fortune" (1957), Leung Sing-po is a penniless conman who puts up a big front as a business magnate to squeeze into the upper class. Leung also tries his best to please a wealthy textile factory owner and win the heart of the owner's daughter (Fong Yim-fun). But Fong is attracted by a rich heir (Yam Kim-fai) who poses as a bankrupt, leading to a complicated love triangle.

     Leung stars in "Much Ado About Nothing" (1960) as Silly Wong, who returns home after making a fortune overseas. His godsons Tang Kei-chen and Cheng Kwan-min go all out to curry favour with the returnee. Leung's remittance is delayed, however, upsetting the money-grubbers who can't wait to slam the door on Leung. Luckily, Leung's girlfriend Law Yim-hing doesn't leave the shelterless Leung alone.  

     "The Chair" (1959) follows a prodigal son (Cheung Ying) who looks for a long-lost piece of inherited treasure, a diamond bracelet, in order to repay his debt. His seedy friends Keung Chung-ping, Mui Yee and Lui Ming join the hunt to take the bracelet for themselves. The hunt is filled with ridiculous twists and turns in which the performance of the cast is hilarious with finely scripted dialogue.

     "Money" (1959) pokes ironic fun at greediness and injustice in reality by depicting the dream of becoming rich by pocketing a bagful of banknotes. The characters in the film even attempt to monkey around with a dog to get the banknotes, suggesting the absurdity of humans.
 
     "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1987) touches and entertains audiences with the story of Uncle Bill and his family. Uncle Bill (Bill Tung) is a TV anchor who faces trouble with his wife (Lydia Sum) and three daughters, snobbish relatives and gossipy neighbours all the time. One day Bill wins the Mark Six lottery and he thinks he can improve his situation, but life only turns out to be uneasy afterwards.

     Directed and scripted by Michael Hui, "The Private Eyes" (1976) features a stingy and mean boss of a detective agency, played by Hui himself, who doesn't give up any opportunity to make money. While Hui messes up every case he works on, his employee Sam Hui is capable of saving the situation for him. The Hui brothers' work vividly reflects the real life of the grass roots and the satire of the harsh employer can really strike a chord with employees.

     All of the films are in Cantonese. "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World" and "The Private Eyes" have Chinese and English subtitles, while the other films are without subtitles. 

     Tickets priced at $45 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For credit card telephone bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme details, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/HKFA/en_US/web/hkfa/programmesandexhibitions/2018cny/index.html or call 2739 2139.

Ends/Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Issued at HKT 11:40

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