The Story of a Discharged Prisoner (Chinese: 英雄本色; also called Upright Repenter) is a 1967 Hong Kong crime drama film directed by Patrick Lung and starring Patrick Tse, Shih Kien and Patsy Kar.
The film partially inspired the 1986 John Woo film A Better Tomorrow, which has the same Chinese name. A Better Tomorrow combined plot elements of this film with the 1979 movie The Brothers, which in turn was a remake of 1975 Indian movie Deewaar.
Contents
Plot
Lee Cheuk-hong (Patrick Tse) was a safecracker who was caught and spent more than 10 years behind bars. When One-Eyed Dragon (Sek Kin), leader of an organized crime syndicate, learns Lee Cheuk-hong will be released, he sends his men to ask Lee to join his gang.
Cast
Patrick Tse – Lee Cheuk-hong
Patsy Kar – Mok Si-Yan
Wong Wai – Lee Chi-sum
Sek Kin – Boss Lung, One-eyed Dragon
Mak Kei – Lung's thug
Patrick Lung – Inspector Lui
Chan Tsai-Chung – Anna/Siu Yee-Tai
Sai Gwa-Pau – Ah Hon
Mang Lee – Betty/Boss' girl
Chow Gat – Lung's crony
Do Ping – Kit
Szema Wah Lung – Chi-Sum's boss
Ma Siu-Ying – Mother
Yeung Yip-Wang – Anna's father
Wong Hak – Cripple
Hui Ying-Ying – Ah Hon's wife
Lee Sau-Kei – Anna's uncle
Lam Yuk
Chan Chung-Kin – DPAS chief
Lee Keng-Ching – Shelter resident
Chan Kau Fai
Chan Lap-Ban – Squatter's village resident
Go Chiu – Shelter resident
Tang Cheung – Night watchman
Chow Wai-Fong
Fung Ming – Policeman
Cheung Chok-Chow – Gang lawyer
Awards
In 2005, Story of a Discharged Prisoner was ranked 39th on the Hong Kong Film Awards list of the Top 100 Chinese Films. In 2012, it was ranked number 21 on TimeOut Hong Kong Greatest 100 Hong Kong Films.