The Drunkard
This film is based on the celebrated novel The Drunkard, written by Liu Yichang. The story is set in 1960s Hong Kong, a time when the then British colony was in the beginning stage of rapid economic development, and everyone is in a mad rush to get rich quick. This is the world in which the protagonist, Mr. Lau ( John Chang ), a writer with some artistic aspirations, finds himself like a fish out of water. Immigrated from Shanghai and now living in a city with no need for serious literature, Lau is forced to make a living writing popular martial-arts stories and pulp fiction, and seeks the only escape he can find through alcohol. Often lost in drunken stupor, Lau can temporarily forget, but can never alter, the harsh reality of life in Hong Kong.
Lau meets and falls for the young and beautiful Lulu ( Joman Chiang ), who works at a night club as a dancing partner to put her younger brothers through school, and sometimes prostitutes herself to earn extra money. Ironically her own family sees her as a fallen woman and looks down on her. LauÂ’s one night-stand affair with landlady Mrs. Wong ( Irene Wan ) made him extremely frustrated and depressed whilst his relationship with his mature but highly realistic girl friend Lily ( Elena Kong ) also comes to a bitter end.
Circumstances force Lau to move from apartment to apartment, and he finally rents a room with the Lei family. He meets the kindly Old Mrs. Lei ( Wei Wei ), who treats him like her son. But is her kindness and generosity a blessing or a curse for Lau, and will it lead to his salvation or downfall?