"Three Hills" & Gambler's Delight

[kenichiku]

You guys may wish to reconsider & combine these 2 entries:

http://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=6253&display_set=eng

http://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=9045&display_set=eng

Whatever '3 Hills' is, it's a direct translation & probably been IDed from a previous Chinese title in the old Southern Screens. I'd say it's a old Chinese working title OR an alternate title for what is now 'Gambler's Delight'. I read this film had a troublesome production schedule.

[calros]

mmm the problem is some of the actors do not coincide.

[kenichiku]

It doesn't does it? Well, I wouldn't change it just on my memory either. More perplexing now that I look carefully, this entry lists it as a Taiwanese romance (w/Shaw regulars Danny Li, Ngai Fei, Wang Ching Ho, Shirley Yu & Chen Ping?) & not a HK action/drama/comedy.

I'll look up & post a magazine scan for all to compare first then.

[kenichiku]

Okay, hope this helps you guys to render your decision to revise. "The Gambler's World" or "Three Hills..." is a working title for a Cheng Kang Shaw film. I've seen the film decades ago but if anyone's recently caught the R3 remaster (because I've yet to) can verify the images :

from Southern Screen Jan 1978 pg 40-41. Later that year, SS crafted a non 'official' poster spread that may be one source where the current entry originated from:

Front back cover, Southern Screen Sept 1978 and finally we have...

as shown in Southern Screen June 1981 pg 38-39.

So I remember tracking this less successful follow-up to the landmark 'King Gambler' back in the 70s waiting for it to arrive in local theatres after seeing these spreads but it wasn't until 3 years later that it finally wrapped & released as "Gambler's Delight". Personal hunch is that the talented pioneer of the Gambling genre Ching Gong who's known to be Shaw's infant terrible at the time with the process i.e. burning scripts, time & budgets to perfect his craft, did a number on this one too OR it could of been truncated appearances/roles by staff who left teh studio i.e. like leading actor Tsung Hua to prompt re-shoots. His leaving could have been attributed to his contract expiry during the 3 years & can be noticed by watching the final cut whether he had a diminished presence or absence altogether. However outside the studio, the gambling craze has prompted Cheng Kang, Tsung Hua & other Shaw regulars to shoot another Indie gambling "sequel":

http://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=6239&display_set=eng

where I see we have some more problematic overlapping credits & titles that are suspect with the aforementioned as well so...Go to town, editors (especially those w/a good command of Chinese).

[calros]

I think you are right. I was amazed that "Three Hills" is not in the HKFA, being a SB film directed by Cheng Kang and with that cast. Also I see that Tien Niu ("Three Hills") has the chinese alias of Nau Nau ("Gambler's Delight"). so I think Tien's entry is not correct.

BTW, May we use your promo poster as alternate poster of this movie?

So, if nobody stops me in 15 days I will merge:

Three Hills (1979)
三山五嶽人馬
Word by Word: Three Mountain Five (unknown) Person Horse
Country: Taiwan
Genre: Romance

Cast
Danny Lee Sau-Yin
Chung Wa
Ngaai Fei
Wong Chung (1)
Tien Niu
Shirley Yu Sha-Li
Chong Lee
Chan Ping (2)
Ng Hong-Sang
Keung Hon
Wong Ching-Ho
Shum Lo
Chan Shen
Yeung Chi-Hing
Yau Chui-Ling

and

Gambler's Delight (1981)
流氓千王
Alias: Anxious to Return

Country: Hong Kong
Genres: Crime Comedy

Director
Ching Gong


Script
Lee Wing-Cheung
Ching Gong
Sze-To On

Action Director
Tony Ching Siu-Tung


Producer
Sir Run Run Shaw



Cast
Chan Ping (2) ... Madam Jin, Goldfinger
Chung Wa ... Sha Tung
Danny Lee Sau-Yin ... Dragon
Ngaai Fei ... one of Sha Tung's friends
Shirley Yu Sha-Li ... prostitute
Nau Nau ... Niu Niu
Wong Chung (1) ... 3rd brother
Shum Lo ... Dragon's cheating expert
Chan Shen ... Madam Jin's thug
Yeung Hung (1) ... killer
Chow Kin-Ping (1) ... Zhou
Lam Yeung-Yeung
Yau Chui-Ling
Wong Ching-Ho ... one of Sha Tung's friends
Lun Ga-Chun ... one of Sha Tung's friends
Ka Wa ... ruffian at acrobatic show
Keung Hon ... ruffian/Madam Jin's thug
Ng Hong-Sang ... ruffian/Madam Jin's thug
Alan Chan Gwok-Kuen ... ruffian
Yeung Chi-Hing ... bank clerk
Wang Han-Chen ... casino manager
Wan Leng-Gwong ... Shing, casino manager
Wan Seung-Lam ... Madam Jin's thug
Fung Ging-Man ... Madam Jin's casino manager
Lui Hung ... extra
Mama Hung ... extra
Lui Daat ... extra
Cheung Hei ... extra
To Wing-Leung ... extra
Fong Yuen ... extra
Ting Tung ... extra

Production Company
Shaw Brothers

Assistant Director
Lee Wing-Cheung

[kenichiku]

Also I see that Tien Niu ("Three Hills") has the chinese alias of Nau Nau ("Gambler's Delight"). Confused so I think Tien's entry is not correct.

Child/teen actors Esther Niu Niu (Susanna, Swift Swordsman) & Tien Niu (Thirteen, Tanny Tien Ni's baby sister) are two different actresses. Taiwan native Tien Niu is not known to be in 'Gambler's Delight'.

BTW, May we use your promo poster as alternate poster of this movie?

Sure, be my guest.