Sugar Daddies
Directed: Sun Chung
Year: 1973
Rating: 5.0
One might certainly expect more from director
Sun Chung who was behind classics like “Big Bad Sis”, “Human Lanterns” and
“Avenging Eagles”, but I would assume this was an assignment that he was
stuck having to do. Perhaps the same is true of the leading man, Chung Wa,
who was a kung fu fool in “The Bastard” in the same year. Of course he also
starred in “Sexy Playgirls” as well in 1973 so maybe the Shaws were trying
to figure out what to do with him – but he certainly looked more comfortable
fighting off bad guys in “The Bastard” than he does in his fumbling love
scenes. This film is also graced with the sleek cool presence of Betty Pei
Ti (“Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan”) as well as small roles
for future star Ricky Hui and one for Ha Ping. Though spiced up with some
female nudity it never raises its head much above mediocrity.
Siao Wu (Chung Wa) is basically a small time conman who isn’t very successful
in his job or in his attempts to wangle money out of people. His girlfriend
Ming Li (Lau Ng-kei) is losing patience with his promises to marry her when
he gets rich. He hits upon a capital idea though to make money. He knows
a girl Sally (Lam Yi-wa) who needs to make money and isn’t too particular
about the how of doing so – so he organizes an office lottery in which his
male co-workers buy tickets for a mere $5 and the winner gets to sleep with
Sally. Ah, it makes you yearn for the good old days when men ruled the office
and you could be a pimp without getting called in by HR. Siao gets his cut
of the earnings and is on the way up in the world especially when his boss
wins the lottery. This is only the beginning for this self-made pimp – he
runs into his immoral equal when Irene (Betty) tries to swindle him – and
instead he sets her up with four wealthy businessmen as their mistress –
all not knowing they are sharing the same goods. The film sort of wanders
back and forth between comedy and drama without successfully doing either.
