Cinema
Days of Being Wild
阿飛正傳
Wong Kar-wai · 1990
Synopsis
Hong Kong, 1960. Yuddy, an idle young man, seduces Su Li-zhen, who comes from Macao and works the till at a stadium: he suggests they be friends for one minute, that of 16 April 1960. He soon leaves her for Mimi, a cabaret dancer, whom his friend Zeb loves without return. Yuddy searches for the mother who abandoned him, whose identity his adoptive mother keeps secret. Distraught, Su finds comfort with Tide, a policeman who walks his beat near Yuddy's building.
Context
The film brings together Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau, Carina Lau, Jacky Cheung and Tony Leung; it is the first of Wong Kar-wai's films to be photographed by Christopher Doyle. Released in Hong Kong on 15 December 1990, it earned less than ten million Hong Kong dollars, a disappointment given its cast, and the director had to give up the planned second part. It nonetheless received five Hong Kong Film Awards in 1991, including best film and best director. It was released in France on 6 March 1996 and re-released there on 11 March 2026.
Who it is for
A film in Cantonese with a loose narrative, divided among six characters; reissued in France in 2026.
Prizes and reception
A commercial failure on its release, it often tops the rankings of Hong Kong critics.
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