A Better Tomorrow (Chinese: ????; Pinyin: Yingxióng bensè; Jyutping: Jing1 hung4 bun2 sik1; literally True Colors of a Hero ) is a 1986 Hong Kong action film which had a profound influence on the Hong Kong movie-making industry, and later on an international scale. Directed by John Woo, it stars Chow Yun-Fat, Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung. Although the movie was made with a tight budget and was relatively unknown until it went on screen due to virtually no advertising, it broke Hong Kong's box office record and went on to become a blockbuster in Asian countries. The success also ensured the sequel A Better Tomorrow 2 , also directed by Woo, and A Better Tomorrow 3: Love & Death in Saigon , a prequel directed by producer Tsui Hark. It is the #2 of the Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures.

A BETTER TOMORROW TICKETS Linkin Park Tickets Trans-Siberian Orchestra Rod Stewart Tickets Rod Wave Tickets Sebastian Maniscalco Tickets Jelly Roll Tickets

Plot

Ho works for the triad whose principle operation is printing and distributing counterfeit US bank notes. He is a respected member and handles the most important transactions; Mark, his best friend, is his partner in crime. Ho has the respect of the big boss, is given the title of "big brother," and often wears the all-white suit when representing the organization.

Incidentally, Ho has a younger brother, Kit, whom he loves. The irony is that Kit wants to be a police officer, a route that Ho seems to encourage. Thus Ho keeps his criminal life secret. There is a suggestion that their father knows what Ho is doing and is possibly involved, but this is also kept secret.

Ho is sent to Taiwan by the boss to finalize a deal. New member Shing is sent along as an apprentice. It turns out to be a police setup as Ho and Shing flee with guns blazing. To help Shing escape, Ho surrenders to the police. When Mark finds out that Ho is arrested, Mark kills the men responsible for Ho's setup; but not before Mark's kneecap is blown in the process.

While Ho is in prison, His father is killed by one of Shing's men (Shing has taken over the organization). His dying words to Kit was to forgive his brother. In anguish, Kit blames Ho for their father's death.

Ho is released from prison after three years. He finds work as a taxi driver. During one of his shifts, Ho finds Mark, who has been reduced to Shing's crippled errand boy. Mark pleads with Ho to return to their criminal life, but Ho refuses. Shing also proposes to Ho to come back, this time without Mark. Shing threatens to kill Mark and Kit if Ho does not comply.

Kit is obsessed with taking Shing down. He discovers Shing's next major deal, but Ho discovers it to be a trap. Kit refuses to listen to Ho's warning. Later on, Shing has Mark beaten almost to death. Ho arrives to save Mark. Mark demands revenge, but Ho begs to end the bloodshed.

In the final chapter, Shing's men ambush Kit, but Ho and Mark manage to catch Shing. An exchange is made for both men, but it explodes into a wild shootout. Ho is wounded by a bullet meant for Kit. Seeing his best friend shot, Mark berates Kit, and tells him that Ho came to rescue his only brother. Before Mark is finished talking, he is shot several times and dies. The cops arrive and Shing surrenders to them. Ho tries to kill Shing but he is out of bullets. Shing mocks, "I have money. In two, three days I'll be released..." The two brothers, finally seeing eye to eye, have no intention of seeing Shing released. Kit hands Ho a gun and Ho kills Shing. Ho then handcuffs himself to his brother, insists that he be taken into custody.

Cast and roles include

• Ti Lung - Sung Tse-Ho
• Leslie Cheung - Sung Tse-Kit
• Chow Yun-Fat - Mark 'Gor' Lee
• Emily Chu - Jackie
• Waise Lee - Shing
• Shing Fui-On - Shing's Right-Hand Man
• Kenneth Tsang - Ken
• Tsui Hark - Music Judge (cameo)
• John Woo (cameo), the director, is the Taiwanese police chief walking along the corridor of the bloodshed restaurant in slow motion.
• Stephen Chow, while at early stage of his film career, was playing a minor role as a bodyguard of the Taiwanese triad leader.

Theme song

;In the Sentimental Past (???)

Box office

A Better Tomorrow grossed a massive $34,651,324 HKD at the Hong Kong box office, ensuring that sequels and imitators would not be far behind. ^[1]

Musical references

• During the nightclub scene, the song being played in the background is a classic Hong Kong tune sung by Roman Tam, considered the "grandfather" of the musical genre Cantopop.
• In the scene where Kit rushes Jackie to a music recital, the violinist playing before Jackie plays the theme song of the movie.
• Also heard in the soundtrack is "Sparrowfall 1", a track from Brian Eno's 1978 album, Music For Films .
• The film also contains "Birdy's Theme" (from the film Birdy) by Peter Gabriel incorporated into the soundtrack.

Film references

• Chow Yun Fat's entrance to the restaurant before the shoot-out is John Woo's homage to Mean Streets .
• Woo's film was partially inspired by the 1967 Lung Kong film Ying xiong ben se (Story of a Discharged Prisoner ), which is #39 on the Hong Kong Film Awards list of the Top 100 Chinese Films.
• The scene in which Mark Lee tells the story of being forced to drink urine is apparently based on a real incident involving Chow Yun-Fat and director Ringo Lam, according to Bey Logan on the DVD commentary. This scene was recreated in Woo's Bullet in the Head .

Cultural impact

• After the film, teenage boys in Hong Kong wore long dusters in emulation of Chow's character even though the climate was sub-tropical. In fact, in colloquial Cantonese, trench coats are called "Mark Gor Lau" (literally, Brother Mark's coat).
• The Wu-Tang Clan has a song named after the film on their 1997 album Wu-Tang Forever.
• The anime series Cowboy Bebop has many references to the film, including the last fight between Spike and Vicious in the episode "The Real Folk Blues (Part 2)".
• Chow wore Alain Delon sunglasses in the movie. After the movie, Hong Kong was sold out of Alain Delon's sunglasses. French star Alain Delon sent Chow a personal thank you note.
• In 2009 Empire Magazine named it #20 in a poll of the 20 Greatest Gangster Movies You've Never Seen* (*Probably)
• Lupe Fiasco's song "Heat Under The Babyseat," which talks about violence in the youth mentions A Better Tomorrow as a source of violent influence.

References

1. A Better Tomorrow (1986)