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佛前燈照狀元紅 (1953)
A Scholar in a Buddhist House


Reviewed by: dleedlee
Date: 12/17/2003
Summary: Enjoyable but not satisfying...

Suet-Mui (Fung Wong Nui) is a concubine that takes on the reponsibility of raising both her son and her step-son when master and wife die.
The step-son, Kui (Keung Chung-Ping), is a spoiled brat and becomes a spendthrift when he grows up. The son, Chun (Sun Ma Sze-Tsang), is studious and filial. For some reason that I couldn't fathom, the mom puts up with and even seems to favor Kui at the expense of Chun.

As the family fortune is squandered by Kui, Chun secretly takes a night job in a bar and Suet-Mui takes a job as a taxi dancer/'mo nui'. One fateful evening, the three meet in a hotel room.
The family splits up and each separately struggles to make their way in life.


Eventually circumstances change and the family reconciles. But Kui is such as bastard that you don't want him to be salvaged. Unlike the prodigal son, you'd rather he got discarded on the trash heap he deserves.

There is an amusing scene of Kui as a lad playing mahjong with his pals while disrespecting Suet-Mui.

Leung Sing Bo plays Jung, the loyal family friend throughout.

Sai Gwa Pau has a couple of brief appearances as one of Kui's buddies. One funny scene has him dancing with Suet-Mui that is more wrestling than dancing.

There are five or six songs sung by Sun Ma Sze-Tsang and Fung Wong Nui on the video.

Reviewer Score: 6