Once Upon a Time in China

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Once Upon a Time in China 1 Name Once Upon a Time in China 1 Director Tsui Hark Producer Tsui Hark Starring Jet Li Yuen Biao Jackie Cheung Rosamund Kwan Kent Cheng Yuen Gam-fai Jimmy Wang Yu Distributor Golden Harvest, Film Workshop, Paragon Films Release 1991 Run Time 134 mins. Country Hong Kong Language Mandarin Preceded by Once Upon a Time in China 2 Followed by na Website IMdB Profile

Once Upon a Time in China 1 is the story of Wong Fei Hong - a martial arts hero of virtue and skill. This is the story of his defending the Chinese people of the predations of the imperial westerners that forced a great country into humiliating treaties and turned the local populace into secondary citizens.

Summary

Foreigners are threatening the sovereignty of China and exploiting the people through the trade of opium and slave labor. The legendary Wong Fei Hung is instructed by the local magistrate to defend the region. When corrupt officials and a rival kung fu expert side with the foreigners, Fei Hung finds himself in prison and his love interest, Aunt Yee sold into prostitution. With help from his students, Fei Hung must save Aunt Yee, defeat his nemesis and teach the "foreign devils" a lesson.

Martial Arts in the Film

From two combatants exchanging blows while both dodging a large wooden beam that twists dangerously in the air to a tense climax as the same combatants balance and swing from the top of tall bamboo ladders. Jet Li is a natural for this role which calls for composure and graceful martial skills.