| A defining and important work of Hong Kong cinema, this Chor Yuen helmed (the director being hot property after the classic and classy exploitation vehicle Intimate Confessions Of A Chinese Courtesan) star-filled Shaw Brother's comedy was an immediate success at the time of release (even beating the then recently diseased Bruce Lee's Enter The Dragon at the box-office). Much having to do with its introduction of the local Cantonese dialect into a pre-dominantly Mandarin language movie scene. That choice struck a chord with the local moviegoing audience in combination with the portrayal of the working men and women they knew, a theme later to be taken to new comedic heights at Golden Harvest by a then Shaw Brother's contract player called Michael Hui. Suffice to say, without The House Of 72 Tenants, the development that Cantonese comedy went in might've been delayed or gone very different routes.
Based on a stage play and having been shot before in China during the 60s, this adaptation seemed like a fit for Chor Yuen due to the fact that he had not only shot Mandarin language movies but several Cantonese ones prior as well. The success of The House Of 72 Tenants is also much due to Chu's audience friendly material that he'd rewritten for the screen. Taking a bunch of social issues that the everyday man and woman could relate to such as the need for the Hong Kong people to unite, the shortage of money during the undisclosed depression time period of the film where even the firemen demand cash on site (their very funny chant goes: "you pay, we spray"). The main focus of the very episodic narrative remains the tenants vs. the landlords fight though (a plot device echoed recently in Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle) and Chu presents very much noisy Hong Kong comedy, something that can take a few movies to get used to as a newcomer. However, locals eat this noisy dialogue exchanges up and despite the visual style of the film being very stagy for periods of time, there's ample colourful characteristics of the tenants to be engaged in. At times, Chu also showcases terrific depth to the set design as well as some visual trickery (including the very opening shot where, true to the stage roots, the lights go up.
But obviously all the attention of the filmmakers are directed towards the local audiences so how does the film fare in Westerner's eyes today? Knowing the history and its place in the Hong Kong cinema timeline is more than enough for one to venture into the film and the end result is not side splittingly funny no but very entertaining, pleasant and amusing. While characters are excessively broad, the film can easily be looked upon as a product of its time, for the people it was close to and outside eyes looking in should have no problems relating. Eventually Shaw Brother's faded out in favour of comedy/kung fu staples set in stone by such filmmakers as Lau Kar Leung, Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan but there's no doubt Shaw Brother's sow a very important seed in 1973, one that blossomed into what is now a worldwide phenomenon; Cantonese comedy.
Featuring Shaw Brother's established and up and coming talent pool in large to walk on roles, the cast is headlined by Yueh Hua, Ching Li, Hu Chin, Tin Ching, Lau Yat Fan and Hoh Sau San. Finally, I thoroughly recommend Yves Gendron's, of Hong Kong Cinema - View From The Brooklyn Bridge, breakdown of the film. An extensive piece that also includes a helpful cast gallery. |
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