 Another Version |
Date In Production: mid 1996 Broadcast in HK: 09/1996 to 10/1996 Title: ·s ¤W ®ü Åy (Sun Sheung Hoi Nan) Literal Translation: (New) Shanghai Crisis ...in Vietnamese: (literally) Tan Thuong Hai Nan; (official) Tan Ben Thuong Hai Number of Episode: 40 Producer: Zhao Tung ©Û ´É Themesong: "Stubborness" performed by Adam Cheng MCIFC Rating: (plot) 4/5 (maggie's acting) 4/5(cast's acting) 5/5 (overall) 13/15 |
|
Note: Maggie and Gordon Lam Ka Tung become best friends through this series Synopsis: The story takes place in 1940s, the turbulent society of Shanghai, where the mob rules and laws are under their regulations. Children of the revolution, Hui Man Keung and Ding Lik, came to help mob lord Fung King Yiu to run the casinos, they end up in a love triangle with Fung's daughter, Fung Ching Ching. Meanwhile, Fung's enemy is former lover of his current mistress, Gu Ching Wah. These romances along with money embedded in the lives of Shanghai bachelors, and all resolve by the use of violence. . |
Leading Characters
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Supporting Characters
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
SCENES
|
THE STORY OF GU CHING WAH
Born in a wealthy family, Gu Ching Wah falls in love with her family's chauffeur, Yu Chun Hoi (played by Adam Cheng Siu Chow). Everyday after Ching Wah finished school, Chun Hoi take her home in his carriage. They plays on the way home and gradually falls in love. Unfortunately, their social class differences tears them apart. Ching Wah's family forbids her to see Chun Hoi and eventually fired him. Ching Wah later decided to stroll away with Chun Hoi, their agreement was thought to be successful until her family discovered the plan and secretly abandoned Chun Hoi from Shanghai. Ching Wah thought Chun Hoi has changed his heart and become unfaithful to her, thus, she grows to hate him. Several years later, Ching Wah's family declares bankruptcy, they enter the stage of the lowest class. Luckily, Ching Wah meets a powerful man in Shanghai, Fung King Yiu (played by Poon Chi Man), and couldn't be luckier, the man was in love with her. The next thing she knows, her fear of financial needs has disappeared, and to thank him, she becomes his lover. Fung King Yiu gave Ching Wah a fancy house near his mansion, but for some reasons Ching Wah has not agreed to marry him. Ching Wah remains "Miss Gu" in the Fung Mansion. She plays three roles to Fung King Yiu's beloved daughter, Fung Ching Ching (played by Nnadia Chan Chung Ling), as a mother who takes care of Ching Ching when she is ill; a sister who shares her experience and give advices; and a friend who talks with Ching Ching when she needed it (Ching Wah is only a few years older than Ching Ching). Ching Ching loves having Ching Wah around. Subsequently, Yu Chun Hoi returns to Shanghai after he successfully gambled all over China. He returns for two purposes; to find his teacher, who had been kidnapped; and to find Gu Ching Wah, now that he have money and reputation in the frenzy society. Yu Chun Hoi's teacher was dead when found, leaving behind a troublesome son, Lok Tin Yau (played by Dickson Lee Ka Seng), for Chun Hoi to look after. Chun Hoi's teacher was murdered by the Shanghai mod lord, Fung King Yiu. Fung King Yiu has taken Chun Hoi's teacher's casino through some nasty tricks. Incidentally, Yu Chun Hoi meets Hui Man Keung (played by Sunny Chan Kum Hung), a former college human rights activist, they become good friends. When Yu Chun Hoi learned that he can battle Fung King Yiu by in a card game to win back the casino for Lok Tin Yau, he quickly ask Fung King Yiu to participate. And Fung King Yiu agreed. At the time, Gu Ching Wah has just come back from her vacation in France, she reads the newspaper and finds out Yu Chun Hoi has returned, who is currently battling with her lover. Gu Ching Wah get dressed to visit the battle. During the intensive game, both Yu Chun Hoi and Fung King Yiu are very ardent, and at the moment Yu Chun Hoi is heading toward his victory, a woman walks in. A woman, whose years ago took his heart by storm and consequently he became a beggar because of her. Gu Ching Wah steps in the scene in red attiret. She has on a Frence-style hat that lies softly on her curly hair. Her lips trembles in a touch of red cosmetic. Yu Chun Hoi cannot believe his eyes and freeze for a minute. Her aesthetic appearance strikes him. Fung King Yiu questions himself "why is this man looking at my lover so strange?" Gu Ching Wah keeps a plain facial expression even though so many things are happening inside in head. When the game is over, Yu Chun Hoi still manages to win the casino back. And later, Fung King Yiu learn that Chun Hoi is the man in Gu Ching Wah's past after she tearfully explains to him. Thence, Yu Chun Hoi often appears in front of Gu Ching Wah's house in the snow. He seeks for Ching Wah's sympathy by standing there every night looking up to Ching Wah's bedroom window, but the result is always fruitless. Once Ching Wah actually come down to talk to him, but then Fung King Yiu's inspectors reported the situation, which upset Fung King Yiu. He becomes extremely jealous. Time goes by, Gu Ching Wah still remains Miss Gu. Now, Fung King Yiu is beginning to suspect that Ching Wah was waiting for Yu Chun Hoi all these years, thus, did not accept his proposals. Suspicion turns to extreme jealous, he repeatedly uses Ching Wah to make Chun Hoi envious of him--by kissing her passionately in public or introduce her as his beloved lady to all businessmen in Shanghai. Another bet is made to see who would be able to purchase the water company in Shanghai. Once again with Yu Chun Hoi and Fung King Yiu. The first round Fung King Yiu wins, the second round, Yu Chun Hoi wins. In the last round, Fung King Yiu announces that he is not feeling well and need to have a substitute, he ask Ching Wah to play the last round for him. Ching Wah agreed but she is also afraid of playing against her former lover. When Ching Wah enter the game room without Fung King Yiu, she announces that she would take Fung King Yiu's place, Hui Man Keung and everyone on Yu Chun Hoi's side knows Fung King Yiu faked his illness to let Ching Wah play... knowing that Yu Chun Hoi would not be able to concentrate if he have to play against Ching Wah. Ching Wah sits on the chair facing Yu Chun Hoi in such a cold expression, as if they had no past. Of course, when Ching Wah sits the opposite of Yu Chun Hoi, everyone knows Chun Hoi won't win. Before Ching Wah lift her card up, she bet Chun Hoi all the money, with the piece of jade he gave her when she was young, and her life--as she pull out a gun and put it on the table. Yu Chun Hoi didn't know what to say, he rise from his chair and declared that he has lost to Gu Ching Wah, when he didn't even lift his card. The whole room is quiet even though both parties has left, Hui Man Keung and Ding Lik (played by Gordon Lam Ka Tung) stays, Man Keung lift up Ching Wah's card and Chun Hoi's card, he smiles at Ding Lik. As time goes by, Gu Ching Wah turns to drug to release her pain and boredom. She begins to smoke pot, and never get out of the house. Her beautiful room turns into a dimmed cubicle fills with unattractive smokes. Her crystallized eyes becomes darkened. Her voice grows deeper. Her smile is invisible. She is no longer a pearl, she is a gaunt. When Yu Chun Hoi discovered this, his heart shattered. He wants to visit her so bad but it is impossible because he knows Fung King Yiu would never let him pass. Fung King Yiu, on the other hand, never visit her until Gu Ching Wah's servant, Chin Lok Hei (played by Emily Kwan Po Wai) begs him to. As much as he loves Ching Wah, his tears drop when he sees what kind of creature Ching Wah has turned into. He urge Ching to become a human being again. But that do not work until Yu Chun Hoi risk his life to see her, and help her cure the addiction. (Very dramatic scene, Maggie gave an excellent performance!) One day, Yu Chun Hoi takes Gu Ching Wah to the place where they fell in love years ago, he reminds her of those happy days and why he strolled away without her. After the long explanation, Ching Wah feels a breeze passing by, making her wanting to grab Chun Hoi and hugs him like she did when she was still a teenager. They secretly plan to run away, and this time, it has to be successful. But their ill-fated relationship wouldn't let them go. Yu Chun Hoi's friend, So Jut Hou (played by Dodo Cheng Yu Ling) wounded badly that day and Chun Hoi run to rescue her, he couldn't make it to the train station. Gu Ching Wah waited for Chun Hoi at the train station for hours, Fung Kiu Yiu was also there, but sitting in a car. He knows why Ching Wah was there, but he want to wait and see if she would run away, and even if she does, he would not stop her because Fung King Yiu really loves Ching Wah. Gu Ching Wah thought Yu Chun Hoi broke the promise, again. She comes home with a cold face. Ching Wah hates Chun Hoi even worse, now that he has broken her heart twice. But she still loves him, no matter what happened. It puts Fung King Yiu in such bad shape. He loves her and hates her. Love her for being so faithful to love, hate her because she doesn't love him as much as she loves Yu Chun Hoi. One day, Ching Wah accidentally suggested King Yiu to kill Yu Chun Hoi. She was in a bad mood but she didn't realized Fung King Yiu take her words so seriously. As a result, Yu Chun Hoi's disappearance is later thought to be murdered by Fung King Yiu. It hurts Ching Wah so much because she thought she had killed him. Luckily Yu Chun Hoi was found alive. Gu Ching Wah figures that if she married Fung King Yiu, he would stop hurting Chun Hoi. Consequently, she decides to marry Fung King Yiu as he had proposed to her a few days before. Before the wedding, Fung King Yiu accidentally eavesdrop Ching Wah admitting that she willing to married King Yiu because she wants to save Chun Hoi's from King Yiu's harm. Fung King Yiu becomes angry while listening his soon-to-be wife saying things like that before their wedding. After the wedding, Ching Wah moves in and finally she is living in the Fung Mansion as Mrs. Fung. However, Fung King Yiu become cold to her, Fung Ching Ching often advises Ching Wah to be happy because, "Daddy is under a lot of pressure from work, maybe… try to encourage him, I know he loves you." Ching Wah takes it seriously and do what a wife should do--understandable. She thought the reason why he might be cold to her because she is still thinking about Yu Chun Hoi, so she practice to forget Yu Chun Hoi, and worship the one and only man, her husband. Sadly, whenever she tries to do something nice, Fung King Yiu always rejects it. He takes her to parties and always ends up yelling at her when they get home. Once he pulls her out of a party and slaps her in the face. Yu Chun Hoi run toward to stop them, but Fung King Yiu said it's none of his business. With so much abuses from her husband, Ching Wah decides to move back to her house, and there, she killed the younger brother of the French ambassador as he tries to rape her. Ching Wah quickly contacts Chun Hoi to help her bury the body. King Yiu finds out and even more in rage, he thought Ching Wah and Yu Chun Hoi kills the man together. But Fung King Yiu is a clever man, he hides Ching Wah in a secret house and spread the words that Yu Chun Hoi has killed the French ambassador's younger brother. Chun Hoi is later arrested and thrown in jail while Ching Wah was locked in secret hide out. Ching Wah find out that King Yiu used her murdering case to harm Chun Hoi; she risks her life to escape the house to tell Yu Chun Hoi's friends and handed them the evidence that she is the killer. After visiting So Jut Hou, they both rush to see the French ambassador, but it was bad timing because Fung King Yiu was there all along converting with the French ambassador. Fung King Yiu's men arrested Gu Ching Wah. Fung King Yiu's men drive them (Ching Wah and King Yiu) to a wilderness place outside of downtown, when suddenly Ching Wah start laughing like a lunatic. Fung King Yiu ask his men to stop the car and leave then some privacy. He turns to Ching Wah and ask why she laughs, expecting her to answer as if she is a prisoner giving testimony in court. Suddenly, Gu Ching Wah become so brave, unlike the vulnerable Gu Ching Wah he lived with all these years who would shut her mouth and apologize for everything. Now, Ching Wah begins to insult his principle. She tells him that she is disgusted with his actions, she criticizes everything he has done to others and to her. She said no matter what happened she still loves Yu Chun Hoi much more because he is a "nam chi han tai cheung fu," unlike Fung King Yiu. Fung King Yiu persistently ask her to stop talking but she didn't, and so he squeezes her long thin neck to death. Fung King Yiu's men standing outside of the car, facing away from the car, glancing their eyes with a touch of sympathy because they respected Gu Ching Wah for her kindness to everyone in the Fung Mansion. But there is nothing they could do; she is in the car fighting for her life...and too late. Fung King Yiu steps out of the car, sweats all over his face, pains all over his body. He orders his men to ride them home. They two men come back to the car, glance at the soulless Mrs. Fung, her eyes is still open. They almost sheds their tears for her as they approach the car and glance at the back seat. When Ching Wah's body is taken home, Fung King Yiu announces that Yu Chun Hoi's party has murdered her. Fung Ching Ching is deeply hurt, Yu Chun Hoi lost half of his heart. The Fung's servants mourns for her death, but even worse Fung King Yiu have to suffer the most. He has killed the woman he loves. Yu Chun Hoi is later released from prison, but nobody dares to tell him that Gu Ching Wah has died. He eventually finds out and becomes paralyze for days. |
MAGGIE CHEUNG HO YEE AS GU CHING WAH
| There is no one else, no one can do this role better than Maggie Cheung Ho Yee. This role is tailor-made for Maggie. She has the charisma to portray this role, and I personally think this is one of her best roles ever. She behaves appropriate with her character's situation. When Gu Ching Wah was young, Maggie portrays exactly like a teenager, the smiles, the postures, the voice… then when Gu Ching Wah grows older, her postures is stiffer, her voice becomes sophisticated, she walks with a different feel. Maggie vividly made her role sincere. She concentrate not only acting-wise but also little details like always looking at a certain direction or respond to others by looking at their eyes. She did not show and tell her character, but she live in that character and reveals that feeling to the audience. It is a rich quality Maggie has contributed to her role in this series. |
WHAT HAPPENED DURING FILMING PROCESS - In Shanghai
|
This major remake was filmed right after 1995-1996 TVB biggest production, Cold Blood Warm Heart. After finishing the filming parts in Hong Kong, the cast packed themselves to the airport, heading toward Shanghai to film outside scenes. The cast was waiting for their plane in HK airport when a group of reporters came to interview them. While Nnadia Chan keeps herself busy with her new laptop, and Sunny Chan takes his little nap… Gordon Lam and Maggie gets together for a little conversation and thereafter became best friends. The rest of the cast was pretty much tired so they did not accept any interview, it was 11PM. Arriving in Shanghai. Filming starts. Maggie and Adam Cheng woke up early in the morning that day to film their parts. Maggie was wearing a green suit dress that she has stuffed about three layers under, still, she was so cold she couldn't even lift herself up from the bench, so Adam ran to the TVB props van and grab a thick jacket for Maggie. But then the director told her to take off the jacket because it's not appropriate. The next day when Nnadia and Sunny Chan has to film their parts, Maggie woke up early to help Nnadia get ready. She said, "Chung Chung, good luck, it was terribly cold yesterday I came out there." Maggie offers Nnadia some under clothings to keep her warm. During the filming when almost the whole cast were on location, Maggie, Dodo, and several other cast members took a break and went out to play mahjong. After losing several games, Dodo taught Maggie a few tricks to get some benefits. She thanks Dodo heartily. Poon Chi Man said that was the third time he has worked with Maggie. The first two times he played her father (The Unexpected and Cold Blood Warm Heart), in the series, he plays her lover, and very soon he'd play her lover again in an upcoming series (One Good Turn Deserves Another). Reporters asked him what he thinks of Maggie, Poon Chi Man replied, "Oh she is a bright girl... very um... affable. A very talented actress, it's a pleasure to work with her. Sometime when I see Ho Yee make mistakes I'd correct her and she'd always replied, 'thank you big brother!' She has a good strength in her that she always accept advises and criticisms--so I don't worry if I hurt her feeling when I correct her. Even though our age differences aren't that close, we're very congenial." As for Maggie, she felt completely happy because she is a newcomer (at that time she was new) and already gets to pair with big brother/sister like Chow Kwun (Adam Cheng Siu Chow's nickname), Dodo (Cheng Yu Ling), and Poon Yung (Poon Chi Man's nickname). She said working with them has taught her so much about acting. All three of them teamed up to fix and correct her acting. She felt very special to have the golden opportunity. |
Back to TV Series