The Contract (Chinese: 賣身契) is a 1978 Hong Kong comedy film written, directed by and starring Michael Hui. The film also co-stars Hui's brothers, Samuel Hui and Ricky Hui. It was very successful at the Hong Kong box office being the highest-grossing film there at the time.
Contents
Plot
Sit Chi-man works as a television presenter in MTV, but he is usually gets neglected by employees, including his new manager, Miss Wang. Frustrated by his eight-year contract with the company, he and his brother, Sit Chi-ying, sneak into MTV headuarters to steal his contract. However, Miss Wang's parrot alerts the assistants and Sit Chi-ying hides inside the safe box. Once the assistants leave, Sit Chi-man tries to open the safe box but is caught by King Kong, Miss Wang's henchman. After narrowly escape, Sit Chi-man seeks help from Chiu Sai-kit, a magician and his sister, Chiu Ling-ling, who is Sit Chi-ying's crush, to save Sit Chi-ying.
Once they arrived at MTV headquarters, Miss Wang helds Sit Chi-ying hostage and threatens Sit Chi-man to return the contract. Sit Chi-man and Chiu Sai-kit manage to defeat the henchmen and Miss Wang is forced to jump off the roof after her revenue plummets.
Sit Chi-man and Chiu Sai-kit are appointed as the new managers of MTV after Chiu Sai-kit's abusive manager is taken away by the two reformed henchmen.
Cast
Michael Hui as Sit Chi-man
Samuel Hui as Chiu Sai-kit
Ricky Hui as Sit Chi-ying
Tiffany Bao as Ms. Wang
Ellen Lau as Chu Ling-ling
Yeung Wai as Ms. Wang's eye-path assistant
Cheng Fu-hing as King Kong (voiced by Tang Wing Hung)
Russell Cawthorne as Guru
Chan King-cheung as MTV chairman
Cheng Siu-ping as Mrs. Li
Kwong Kwan-ning as Mr. Kwong
Lee Pang-fei as Cat TV manager
Chiu Chun as MTV board of director
Fong Yue as Woman coming out of elevator
Huang Pa-ching as Mrs. Li
Man Sau as Man's mother
Pan Yung-sheng as Audience for alien show
Kwan Yan as Audience at magic show
Cheung Sek-Au as Audience at magic show
Johnny Koo as one of three bank robbers
Kam Tin-chue as MTV board of director
Si Lau-wa
Reception
The Contract was a commercial success, earning HK$7,820,019 at the box office
In The Hong Kong Filmography, 1977-1997, John Charles described The Contract as "totally disarming and one of The Hui's Brothers most consistently amusing efforts" while Stephen Teo in his book Hong Kong Cinema: the Extra Dimensions wrote "Michael Hui ended the decade with arguably his best film".
The film was nominated for three Golden Horse Awards in 1978, and was Michael Hui's first and last nomination for a Golden Horse Award, until his nomination for Best Actor for his work in the 2016 film Godspeed at the 53rd Golden Horse Awards.
Album
The Contract is Sam Hui's fifth Cantopop album with the title track being the film's theme song. In Asia soundtrack has shifted 500,000 units.
Track listing
"賣身契"
"舞伴"
"男兒漢"
"世事如棋"
"應該要自愛"
"人生的道路"
"學生哥"
"杯酒當歌"
"拜拜"
"相思萬千重"
"飲勝"
"父母恩"
"太空舞"（音樂）