To Be Number One (film)
To Be Number One (Chinese: 跛豪) is a 1991 Hong Kong gangster film directed by Poon Man-kit, and produced by Stephen Shiu. The film is based on the rise and fall of a real-life gangster Ng Sik-ho, who is portrayed in the film by Ray Lui. To Be Number One was a critical and box office success, grossing HK$38,703,363 at the Hong Kong box office and winning the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film at the 11th Hong Kong Film Awards. In 2017, the film was remade as Chasing the Dragon.
| To Be Number One | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Traditional | 跛豪 |
| Simplified | 跛豪 |
| Mandarin | Bǒ háo |
| Cantonese | Bai1 Hou4 |
| Directed by | Poon Man-kit |
| Produced by | Stephen Shiu |
| Screenplay by | Stephen Shiu Johnny Mak |
| Story by | Chan Wa Lee Ying-kit |
| Starring | Ray Lui Kent Cheng Cecilia Yip Amy Yip Waise Lee Lawrence Ng Kenneth Tsang Elvis Tsui |
| Music by | Joseph Chan |
| Cinematography | Peter Pau (H.K.S.C) |
| Edited by | Poon Hung |
Production company | Golden Harvest Johnny Mak Production Co. Ltd |
| Distributed by | Golden Harvest |
Release date | 5 April 1991 |
Running time | 143 minutes |
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Language | Cantonese |
| Box office | HK$38,703,363 |
Plot
The protagonist Ho begins the story as a poor Teochew refugee from Communist China, and leads his men to become pawns of the corrupt policeman Fat Kwan to control the drug trade. After Ho establishes himself, Fat Kwan turns against him, cripples him and kills many of his men, but Ho keeps rising and eliminates all his enemies. However Ho is blinded by his growing power, and his empire ends with the establishment of ICAC.
Cast and roles
- Ray Lui as Crippled Ho
- Kent Cheng as Fat Kwan
- Cecilia Yip as Tse Yuen-yin
- Amy Yip as May
- Waise Lee as Man
- Lawrence Ng as Ming
- Kenneth Tsang as Chief Inspector Tiger Lui
- Elvis Tsui as Dummy
- Tommy Wong as Loud Hung
- Dickens Chan as Big Sha
- Frankie Chan as Little Hak
- Lo Lieh as Boss Tin
- Ng Man-tat as Gold Teeth Ping
- Lau Shun as Boss Fung
- Lau Kong as Chief Inspector Lung
- Lily Ng as Man's wife
- Elvina Kong as Lui's deranged mistress
- Chin Tsi-ang as Ming's mother
- Wong Chi-keung as Fat restaurant boss
- Koo Wai-jan as Restaurateur boss' wife
- Victor Hon as Boss Kwong
- Dion Lam as Tin's bodyguard
- Chung Fat as Fat
- Lui tat as Opium den worker
- Wai Ching as Lui's assistant
- Jameson Lam as Ping's gangster
- Lee Ying-kit
- Wong Shu-tong
- Wong Kam-tong as Policeman interrogating Ho
- Mark Houghton as OSCG officer
- Tam Wai-man as Kwan's thug
- Leung Sam as Barber
- Fong Li as Chiang
- Wong Chung-kui as Kun
- Ng Kwok-fai as Unlucky gangster
- Ho Wing-cheung as Tin's bodyguard
- Chang Sing-kwong as Fat's thug
- Choi Hin-cheung
- Chan Hon-man
Awards and nominations
| Awards and nominations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceremony | Category | Recipient | Outcome |
| 11th Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Film | To Be Number One | Won |
| Best Director | Poon Man-kit | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay | Johnny Mak, Stephen Shiu | Won | |
| Best Actor | Ray Lui | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Kent Cheng | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Cecilia Yip | Nominated | |
| Best Film Editing | Poon Hung | Nominated | |
External links
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Days of Being Wild |
Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film 1992 |
Succeeded by Cageman |