DAYS OF BEING WILD/ AH FEI ZING ZYUNG

China, 1990, 94 minutes, Colour.
Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau.
Directed by Wong Kar- Wai.

An early work of celebrated director Wong Kar Wai, who was to make quite an impression with a range of films for the following 20 years or more, many of them relationship dramas.

This is a drama for six people. At the centre is a young man, brought up by his adoptive mother, a prostitute, who refuses to tell me who his birth mother is. In this way she has power over him while he becomes more dependent, yet angry, with her. He has relationships with two women, a quiet young woman who serves in a restaurant in a sports arena, while the other is an extroverted dancer. They are both very much hurt by their treatment by the self-centred man. The quiet woman confides in a local policeman, the other becomes the object of attraction by the young man’s close friend.

Eventually, the indications are that the birth mother is in the Philippines and the action transfers there, but not with any happy ending.

1. A Chinese drama? Romance? Fate?

2. The Hong Kong settings, flats, the kiosk, the streets, restaurants? The contrast with the Philippines and its atmosphere? The musical score? The songs – especially American songs as background?

3. The work of the director, his subsequent career? Characters in later films?

4. The emphasis on time, times and dates, the one-minute – and the frequent focus on clocks?

5. Yuddy, his story, in himself, his age, playboy, yet needing money? His mother, adoptive, his search for his actual mother? The adoptive mother as a prostitute, ageing, her relationship with men, the stealing of jewellery? Yuddy and his brutality towards the man, the jewellery, giving his mother back when hearing? His meeting the girl at the kiosk, intimacy, the explaining of one minute and its being memorable, the date in 1960? The effect on the young woman, living with him, infatuated with him, his growing tired of her and ousting her?

6. Yuddy at the bar, the encounter with Mimi, their talking, her exotic touches, her going home with him, moving in? The visit from his friend and the meeting with Mimi? The nature of his relationship with her? The pressures on her?

7. Tide, the genial policeman, on guard, the meeting with the young woman from the kiosk, the effectiveness of the long single tape, the walk and their conversation about themselves and relationships? His story, wanting to be a sailor?

8. Teb, the neighbour, friendship with Yuddy, seeing Mimi, the effect on him?

9. The interactions of the central characters, relationships?

10. The transition of the action to the Philippines, Yuddy searching for his mother, Tide and his being a sailor, the women?

11. The effect on Yuddy, and his death?