For many Western Hong Kong film fans, a trip to one of Dante's Nine Circles of Hell would be preferable to spending 95-minutes with Wong Jing and Ng Man-tat as the leads in a comedy so juvenile that a ten year old would pluck out his eyes in embarrassment. To many when you talk about Hong Kong cinema a few names will be brought up - Tsui Hark, John Woo, Ringo Lam, Wong Kar-wai - but in truth the director who may best represent the unorthodoxy and anything goes attitude of Hong Kong films is Wong Jing. He had an easy entry into the film industry because his father was a legendary director in the 1950s and 60s, but Wong Jing didn't allow his father's sterling reputation stop him from making some of the most idiotic films imaginable. Nothing is off the plate, no joke too crude or silly to find its way into his comedies. Penis and breast jokes ahoy. He latched on to any fad or genre that was in style faster than a speeding bullet and had a film in the theaters within a few weeks.


But in his over 100 directed or produced films, he has also made some really good ones that have become part of the fabric of Hong Kong cinema - God of Gamblers, City Hunter, Kung Fu Cult Master, High Risk. His aim is always to entertain rather than high art. And to his credit, Wong continued churning out films when the Hong Kong film industry hit the depths in the early 2000's -  though his films feel like they lost some  of their bite after the Handover. Not that I have come close to seeing most of his post-Handover films but none seem to be must see films. Anyway, I thought I would throw in a few kind words about Wong Jing. He gets banged around by critics like a rusty tin can and some of it may be justified, but he has left his mark or maybe skid mark on Hong Kong films for 45 years now and that can't be done on hot air.


Money Maker was made during a very productive period in Wong's career. He was working with Stephen Chow on a few films, Jackie Chan, Andy Lau and Jet Li. This is a throwback to his idiot comedies of the 1980s - the Romancing Star series, How to Pick Girls Up and Crazy Company films. He brings along a few of his good luck pieces - Natalis Chan, Charlie Cho and of course the beautiful Chingmy Yau. Wong and Chingmy were an item (lucky bastard) and she was in a lot of his films. This film had only been available without subs for years, but finally has a release with them. I came for a slice of Chingmy, but this is actually not as painful as I feared. In fact, pretty good once you get into the swing of things.


If you can. It is as dumb as a raccoon down your pants or a guy trying to aim straight with his pee after his head was turned backwards. I have seen enough Wong Jing comedies to adjust to it. He tosses it all in here - tasteless comedy, action, the supernatural, gambling, romance and much more tasteless comedy. It is for those with attention deficit syndrome. Something happens every few seconds. The screen never rests. Whether someone finds it funny depends. For me is was mainly harmless with a few laughs. But there are other benefits. Lam Ching-wing plays a . . . Taoist priest, Chingmy is a kung fu doll and Mark Houghton has a cameo. That was enough for me.


Wong Jing and his buddy Ng Man-tat think they are gambling masters. Mainly through conning and cheating. Lam Ching-wan is their master who scolds them constantly. No hopping vampires in this one. Just a singing ghost. The two of them go to Macao to gamble. The Lisboa Casino! Back when it was the only casino in Macao. The hot and cold walking girls on the bottom floor were legendary. I got asked to leave once. No, nothing to do with gambling, girls or the triads but clay teapots. The twosome run into the Queen of Gamble, Sandra Ng dressed up like a fancy bellboy in red. She challenges James Tien to a match, but he uses the services of a Thai witch doctor to win. Tien asks her to return his briefcase which has evidence of his crimes. She refuses and one of his men kills her.


But that isn't the last of Sandra Ng. She returns as a ghost who loves to sing badly. Only Wong and Ng can see see her but she can help with their gambling. In return, for her help, they have to protect her sister in Hong Kong who unknowingly has the briefcase. The adorable Chingmy. Big family resemblance. They don't protect her as much as she does them with some well-placed kicks when the bad guys show up. And having a Taoist priest master comes in handy. It feels like a Stephen Chow nonsense comedy (mo lei tau) has rubbed off on Wong Jing here but at hyper speed. Only for the experienced.

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