THE CORRUPTOR
US, 1999, 110 minutes, Colour.
Chow Yun Fat, Mark Wahlberg, Ric Young, Bryan Cox, Byron Mann.
Directed by James Foley.
The Corruptor is a police film, set in New York, in Chinatown. It is a film about police partners, a Chinese policeman, the first to work in Chinatown, partnered with a white American. He seems naïve. The Chinese policeman is his mentor. However, there is corruption from the leader of the triads in New York, and rivalry between different groups.
The irony, halfway through the film, is that the naïve young policeman is actually Internal Affairs, investigating the corruption. However, he is indebted for his life to the Chinese policeman. The film builds up to a climax and a confrontation between the police and the triads.
The film is similar in theme to Michael Cimino’s 1985 film, The Year of the Dragon. Chow Yun Fat had appeared in a number of John Wu’s Hong Kong films, like Hardboiled, and a variety of police thrillers. In the United States he appeared in The Replacement Killers and Bulletproof Monk as well as a more serious role in Anna and the King.
1. The popularity of police stories? Partners? Gangs in New York?
2. The New York streets, Chinatown, the atmosphere? The police precincts? The musical score?
3. The focus on the triads, Uncle Benny and his setting up business, drugs, illegal immigrants? The rivalry of Henry Lee, his gang? The violence and the murders? The killing of the women? The industry with the migrants, prostitution, drugs? Lee and his ambitious young followers? His suave manner, Nick Chen being indebted to him? His patronage to Danny Wallace? Guiding him as to raids? Using him to eliminate rivals? The build-up to the confrontation between the police and the triads after the murder of Uncle Benny? The role of the Chinese in New York City?
4. Nick Chen, the first Chinese cop in the area, his history of people not speaking to him, alienated from the white police? His asking for a partner? Getting Danny Wallace? The shoot-outs in the streets, the investigations of murder, the dead women? Danny and his not confiding in him? The revelation that he was under the influence of Henry Lee? Information, federal agents, deaths? Surveillance with Danny? Telling him off, giving him warnings? The build-up to the climax, his not knowing that Danny was Internal Affairs? The shipment of illegal immigrants, his finding out the truth, his being ordered to kill Danny? On the ship, the raid, the discovery of the people? The shoot-outs, his death – his being given full police honours at his funeral? Good cop/bad cop? Honest/crooked? The pressures on the police in this kind of situation? Repaying debts, doing favours?
5. Danny Wallace, his seeming inexperience, earnestness, sense of duty? Partnering Nick, freezing in the raid, his life being saved, feeling indebted? The story of his father, his father’s visits, the bagman, gambling habit, illness? Clashes with his father? Getting the money from Nick, helping his father in hospital? His father denouncing him for being Internal Affairs?
6. Henry Lee, suave leader, sinister, smooth talker, manipulator, building up his young gang? Getting the police to eliminate his rivals? The confrontation with Uncle Benny? His not counting on being taped, his arrogance, his arrest?
7. Bobby Vu and the other fanatical young men, their loyalty to the triads, murderous? The confrontation with Uncle Benny, his taking his own life? The young man with the girlfriend, the police putting pressure on him, his carrying the tape, the phone call, Nick’s quick thinking and avoiding disaster? The tape and the arrest of Henry Lee?
8. The local police, the chief, the investigations, not knowing that Danny was Internal Affairs, the FBI, the suspicions about Nick? His deals, the District Attorney, the FBI investigation, interrogations? The final funeral?
9. The Chinese in New York City, established restaurants, the hold of the triads, the immigrants, being used for prostitution, their being murdered?
10. The title, with reference to whom – especially Henry Lee? Nick?
