The Story of a Discharged Prisoner


The Story of a Discharged Prisoner 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.

Plot

Lee Cheuk-hong was a safecracker who was caught and spent more than 10 years behind bars. When One-Eyed Dragon, 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 [Time Out (magazine)|TimeOut Cinema of Hong Kong|Hong Kong] Greatest 100 Hong Kong Films.