To Be Number One (film)

To Be Number One
To Be Number One
	Film poster
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	跛豪
Simplified Chinese	跛豪
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Bǒ háo
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutping	Bai1 Hou4
Directed by	Poon Man-kit
Screenplay by	Stephen Shiu; Johnny Mak
Story by	Chan Wa; Lee Ying-kit
Produced by	Stephen Shiu
Starring	Ray Lui; Lawrence Ng; Waise Lee; Kent Cheng; Cecilia Yip; Amy Yip; Kenneth Tsang; Elvis Tsui
Cinematography	Peter Pau (H.K.S.C)
Edited by	Poon Hung
Music by	Joseph Chan
Production; companies	Golden Harvest; Johnny Mak Production Co. Ltd
Distributed by	Golden Harvest
Release date	5 April 1991;
Running time	143 minutes
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese
Box office	HK$38,703,363

To Be Number One (Chinese: 跛豪) is a 1991 Hong Kong gangster film directed by Poon Man-kit, and produced by Stephen Shiu. The film is based on the rise and fall of a real-life gangster Ng Sik-ho, who is portrayed in the film by Ray Lui. To Be Number One was a critical and box office success, grossing HK$38,703,363 at the Hong Kong box office and winning the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film at the 11th Hong Kong Film Awards. In 2017, the film was remade as Chasing the Dragon.

Plot

The protagonist Ho begins the story as a poor Teochew refugee from Communist China, and leads his men to become pawns of the corrupt policeman Fat Kwan to control the drug trade. After Ho establishes himself, Fat Kwan turns against him, cripples him and kills many of his men, but Ho keeps rising and eliminates all his enemies. However Ho is blinded by his growing power, and his empire ends with the establishment of ICAC.

Cast and roles

Ray Lui as Crippled Ho
Lawrence Ng as Ming
Waise Lee as Man
Kent Cheng as Fat Kwan
Cecilia Yip as Tse Yuen-yin
Amy Yip as May
Kenneth Tsang as Chief Inspector Tiger Lui
Elvis Tsui as Dummy
Tommy Wong as Loud Hung
Dickens Chan as Big Sha
Frankie Chan as Little Hak
Lo Lieh as Boss Tin
Ng Man-tat as Gold Teeth Ping
Lau Shun as Boss Fung
Lau Kong as Chief Inspector Lung
Lily Ng as Man's wife
Elvina Kong as Lui's deranged mistress
Chin Tsi-ang as Ming's mother
Wong Chi-keung as Fat restaurant boss
Koo Wai-jan as Restaurateur boss' wife
Victor Hon as Boss Kwong
Dion Lam as Tin's bodyguard
Chung Fat as Fat
Lui tat as Opium den worker
Wai Ching as Lui's assistant
Jameson Lam as Ping's gangster
Lee Ying-kit
Wong Shu-tong [zh]
Wong Kam-tong as Policeman interrogating Ho
Mark Houghton as OSCG officer
Tam Wai-man as Kwan's thug
Leung Sam as Barber
Fong Li as Chiang
Wong Chung-kui as Kun
Ng Kwok-fai as Unlucky gangster
Ho Wing-cheung as Tin's bodyguard
Chang Sing-kwong as Fat's thug
Choi Hin-cheung
Chan Hon-man

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations
Ceremony	Category	Recipient	Outcome
11th Hong Kong Film Awards	Best Film	To Be Number One	Won
	Best Director	Poon Man-kit	Nominated
	Best Screenplay	Johnny Mak, Stephen Shiu	Won
	Best Actor	Ray Lui	Nominated
	Best Supporting Actor	Kent Cheng	Nominated
	Best Supporting Actress	Cecilia Yip	Nominated
	Best Film Editing	Poon Hung	Nominated

External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Days of Being Wild	Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film 1992	Succeeded by Cageman