The Heroic Trio
The Heroic Trio | |
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File:TheHeroicTrio.jpg
Film poster
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Directed by | Johnnie To |
Produced by | Ching Siu-tung Johnnie To Yeung Kwok-fai |
Written by | Susanne Chan |
Starring | Michelle Yeoh Anita Mui Maggie Cheung Damian Lau |
Music by | William Wu |
Cinematography | Tom Lau Poon Hang-Sang |
Edited by | Ng Kam Wah |
Distributed by | China Entertainment Films Production |
Release dates
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Running time
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88 minutes |
Country | Hong Kong |
Language | Cantonese |
The Heroic Trio (Dung fong saam hap, TC: 東方三俠, pinyin: dōng fāng sān xiá) is a 1992 Hong Kong action film directed by Johnnie To, starring Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung, and Anita Mui as the titular trio. Other cast include Damian Lau, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Paul Chun, James Pak and Yan Yee Kwan. The main characters of the film are reunited in a sequel, another 1993 film, Executioners.
Contents
Cast and roles
- Michelle Yeoh - Ching/San/Invisible Girl
- Anita Mui - Tung/Wonder Woman
- Maggie Cheung - Chat/Thief Catcher
- Damian Lau - Inspector Lau
- Anthony Wong Chau-sang - Kau
- James Pak - Professor/Inventor
- Paul Chun - Chief of Police
- Yen Shi-Kwan - Evil Master
- Chen Zhuoxin
- Jiang Haowen
- Lee Siu-kei - Leader of robbers at chemical factory
- Pamela Franklin - Chief of Police's Wife
Synopsis
An invisible woman is kidnapping newborn babies who are destined to be emperors and delivering them to the mysterious subterranean supernatural Evil Master. The police are powerless, and the city must be saved by three very different women who share a terrible past. Anita Mui plays the mild-mannered wife of a police inspector who's also the mask-wearing, sword-slinging and knife-throwing crime fighter, Wonder Woman. Maggie Cheung plays the shotgun-toting, hard-boiled bounty hunter, Thief Catcher. Michelle Yeoh is Invisible Girl, the troubled but determined strong right arm of the Evil Master.
Characters
Female Heroes
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a crime fighting vigilante, trained from childhood by her strict martial arts master father. Her secret identity is Tung, wife of Police Inspector Lau, who eventually finds out who she is. Aside from her fighting prowess, she uses a collapsible sword and throwing knives in the shape of butterfly wings. She is played by Anita Mui. She is referred to as Shadow Fox in the English dub.
Ching
Ching aka Ching Ching is the martial sister of Tung, and left their disciplinarian father as a child. She was then taken in by Evil Master, and serves as his main servant. Though the Thief Catcher is her childhood friend, the two are only reunited as adults. Ching is responsible for the kidnapping of the babies using an invisible robe, which is given to her by the Professor. She is ordered to kill the Professor for the robe, but is conflicted because she has fallen in love with him, eventually deciding to fight in his memory after he dies. Ching is known to the Evil Master as "Number 3". She is the most skilled fighter of the trio, and uses a chain whip. She is portrayed by actress Michelle Yeoh in the film.
Thief Catcher
Thief Catcher is an irresponsible and greedy bounty hunter. She is initially hired by the Police Chief to rescue his own kidnapped son, and she steals a baby from the hospital as bait for the kidnapper. In the ensuing struggle with Wonder Woman, the baby is accidentally killed, causing her to reevaluate her life. She grew up and underwent similar training with Ching as a child, though she escaped after 3 years (taking another 10 to regain her humanity); her designation was originally "Number 7". She is referred to as Mercy (short for Mercenary) in the English dub. Often, she prefers to use her rifle and explosives in a fight, though she also has a boomerang-like sword. She is also an expert motorcycle ride. She is played by Maggie Cheung.
Villains
The Evil Master
He is the main villain of the film. He compels Ching to steal newborn babies as part of his supernatural scheme to provide China with a new emperor. Ching has worked for him for many years. The Thief Catcher likes to refer to him as "Damned Old Monster!" as she strongly dislikes him. Played by Shi-Kwan Yen.