ELECTION

Hong Kong, 2005, 100 minutes, Colour.
Simon Yang, Tony Leung, Ka Fai, Louis Koo, Nick Cheung, Lam Suet.
Directed by Johnny To.

It’s a natural mistake to assume that this is a drama about democracy in Hong Kong. There really is an election, a vicious campaign and more vicious aftermath but the scope is limited: who is to be the Chairman of a Triad, Big D or Lok? And that is one of the problems for a western audience trying to work out who is who, who is on whose side (or not) and who is killing whom, especially when most go by nicknames like Whistle, Sparky or Long Gun (but these thugs are a far cry from humorously nicknamed Damon Runyon characters).

Johnnie To has done some action thrillers but has moved into social themes with 2004’s Breaking News and now this Hong Kong variation on The Godfather. These are not nice people. While the chairman tells an underling that crooks must use their brains these days, he is not above dispatching his rival in a brutal finale. Fortunately, there is the end disclaimer that his screenplay bears no relation to any actual people or events! It is simply a skilfully made dark (often literally dark) Chinese mob drama.

1. The impact of this film in Hong Kong? Universally? Its winning Hong Kong awards? The career of Johnny To – and his bringing action and politics together after the annexation of Hong Kong in 1997.

2. The presentation of Hong Kong life, the settings in the city, the restaurants, the darker offices and rooms, the prison? This countryside surrounding Hong Kong? The musical score?

3. The title, its ironies? The election of the head of the triad? The triads and the state? Triads and their laws and keeping the peace?

4. The explanations of triad history, the long history, the codes? Gangster behaviour? With rituals?

5. The triads, the situation for the election, the rule of the chairman having a term for two years, the need for an election? The police raids, the attitude of the state towards the triads? Putting the heads of the triad in prison? Issues of bail?

6. Big D. and Lok as the two candidates, the nature of their campaigns? Their personalities? Dominance? Big D. and his exercising authority, throwing his weight around? Lok and his being more subtle? Their trying to influence the uncles who do the voting?

7. The two campaigners and their thugs, their names? The exercise of violence? The exerting of pressure? The tangling of issues? The violence – without guns?

8. The story of the baton, its being in China, the quest? The bashings? The role of Kan, Jimmy? The cycle? The obtaining of the baton – and Lok having it?

9. Hospital sequence, Whistle and his influence, death? The street fights?

10. The election itself, the ceremonies? Lok and his being elected? Big D. and his threats to form another triad? Lok and his son and the hopes for the future?

11. The fishing sequence, the discussion about the share of power, the possibility for peace?

12. Lok, his exasperation with Big D., his killing Big D., killing his wife and family? His going on with his son?

13. The triads and their continuing? The characters gathering again for election two, the successor to Lok, Lok and his intrigues, the role of the baton, the role of the uncles, the influence of Uncle Tang – and Jimmy being elected?