{ "id": "epdsyz4xwe", "slug": "aces-go-places-iv", "title": "Aces Go Places IV (最佳拍档之千里救差婆)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.franchise-series", "label": "Franchise and series entries as standalone works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.franchise-series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.franchise-series.franchise-series.action-thriller-series-entries", "label": "Action, thriller, and crime series film entries", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.franchise-series.franchise-series.action-thriller-series-entries" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.franchise-series.franchise-series.action-thriller-series-entries.entries-released-in-the-1980s", "label": "Entries released in the 1980s", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.franchise-series.franchise-series.action-thriller-series-entries.entries-released-in-the-1980s" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.franchise-series", "label": "China · 1946 to 2000: Franchise and series entries as standalone works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.franchise-series", "path": [ { "id": "geo.chn", "label": "China", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946", "label": "China · 1946 to 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.franchise-series", "label": "Franchise and series entries as standalone works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.franchise-series" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Aces Go Places IV (最佳拍档之千里救差婆, Mad Mission IV: You Never Die Twice) is a 1986 Cinema City action comedy directed by Ringo Lam, starring Sam Hui and Karl Maka, grossing HK$27,012,748 in Hong Kong.", "snippet": "Aces Go Places IV (最佳拍档之千里救差婆, Mad Mission IV: You Never Die Twice) is a 1986 Cinema City action comedy directed by Ringo Lam, starring Sam Hui and Karl Maka, grossing HK$27,012,748 in Hong Kong.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.franchise-series.franchise-series.action-thriller-series-entries.entries-released-in-the-1980s", "markdown": "# Aces Go Places IV (最佳拍档之千里救差婆)\n\n**Aces Go Places IV** (最佳拍檔之千里救差婆, also released as *Mad Mission IV: You Never Die Twice*) is a 1986 Hong Kong action comedy, the fourth entry in the five-film *Aces Go Places* series produced by [Cinema City](https://www.edgepedia.org/cinema-city) (新藝城). It was directed by Ringo Lam (林嶺東), written by Maka and Lam, and produced by its co-star Karl Maka (麥嘉), and stars [Sam Hui](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-hui) (許冠傑), Maka, Sally Yeh (葉蒨文), and Sylvia Chang (張艾嘉).[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf) • [2](https://www.moviemeter.com/movies/action/zui-jia-pai-dang-4-qian-li-jiu-chai-po) The film earned HK$27,012,748 in Hong Kong, ranking third for the year.[3](https://kknews.cc/zh-my/entertainment/5o82kv6.html)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Chinese title | 最佳拍檔千里救差婆 (also written 最佳拍檔4：千里救差婆)[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf) |\n| Hong Kong premiere | 30 January 1986, Cantonese[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf) |\n| Production company | Cinema City (新藝城)[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf) |\n| Director / writer / producer | Ringo Lam; written by Karl Maka and Ringo Lam; produced by Karl Maka[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf) • [4](https://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews_2/aces_go_places_4.htm) |\n| Principal cast | Sam Hui (King Kong), Karl Maka (Baldy/Albert Au), Sally Yeh (Sally), Sylvia Chang (Nancy Ho), Wong Ka-Ming (Baldy Jr.)[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf) |\n| Hong Kong box office | HK$27,012,748, third place for 1986[3](https://kknews.cc/zh-my/entertainment/5o82kv6.html) |\n| Filming locations | Hong Kong and New Zealand[5](https://www.geocities.ws/hkmovies168/acesgoplaces4.htm) |\n| Other English titles | *Mad Mission IV: You Never Die Twice*, *You Never Die Twice*[2](https://www.moviemeter.com/movies/action/zui-jia-pai-dang-4-qian-li-jiu-chai-po) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nAn elderly scientist in New Zealand (Roy Chiao) has invented a prism that, through light waves, can unlock a person's latent potential as a superhuman ability. A criminal organization attacks the laboratory by helicopter to seize the prism and the research report, killing the scientist. [King Kong](https://www.edgepedia.org/king-kong), who was undergoing the experiment, escapes with the prism together with the scientist's daughter Sally (Sally Yeh) and takes it back to Hong Kong.[7](https://moviecool.asia/film/mdw4lNLu1HkF) • [8](https://www.newton.com.tw/wiki/%E6%9C%80%E4%BD%B3%E6%8B%8D%E6%AA%94)\n\nThe villains follow them to Hong Kong and kidnap Baldy's wife, Superintendent Nancy Ho (Sylvia Chang), to ransom her for the prism. King Kong, Baldy, and Baldy Jr. (Wong Ka-Ming) travel to New Zealand to rescue her and destroy the organization; in the climax Baldy himself is used as a test subject for the super-soldier experiment, and the prism is destroyed in an explosion that consumes the villains' base.[7](https://moviecool.asia/film/mdw4lNLu1HkF) • [4](https://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews_2/aces_go_places_4.htm)\n\n## Place in the series\n\nThe *Aces Go Places* films were Cinema City's flagship franchise, pairing the thief King Kong (Sam Hui) with the bald detective Baldy (Karl Maka) in [James Bond](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-bond)-style action comedy. The first three entries, *Aces Go Places* (1982), *[Aces Go Places II](https://www.edgepedia.org/aces-go-places-ii)* (1983), and *Aces Go Places III: Our Man from Bond Street* (1984), each finished as Hong Kong's annual box-office champion.[6](https://k.sina.cn/article_1260430664_4b20a54800100w0kw.html?from=ent&subch=film)\n\nThe series paused in 1985 amid the breakup of the \"Seven Oddballs\" creative group behind Cinema City, with [Eric Tsang](https://www.edgepedia.org/eric-tsang) leaving to work in Taiwan and [Tsui Hark](https://www.edgepedia.org/tsui-hark) setting up his own Film Workshop. For the fourth film, Maka brought in Ringo Lam and his own team.[6](https://k.sina.cn/article_1260430664_4b20a54800100w0kw.html?from=ent&subch=film) The screenplay was credited to Maka and Lam, a change from the first three films, which were written by Raymond Wong (黃百鳴).[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf) • [6](https://k.sina.cn/article_1260430664_4b20a54800100w0kw.html?from=ent&subch=film)\n\n## Cast and production\n\nThe film reunited the series' core cast of Sam Hui, Karl Maka, Sylvia Chang, and the child character Baldy Jr., and added Sally Yeh as Sally, along with veteran actors Shih Kien (石堅) and Kwan Tak-Hing (關德興) as the coaches of opposing police ice hockey teams, Walter Tso Tat-Wah, and the British actor [Ronald Lacey](https://www.edgepedia.org/ronald-lacey) as the villainous Boss.[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf) • [9](https://tv.apple.com/sg/movie/aces-go-places-iv/umc.cmc.4zoqdmkre7kifqpcajh9twgkx) Lacey was known to international audiences for his role as Toht in *Raiders of the Lost Ark*.[4](https://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews_2/aces_go_places_4.htm)\n\nMost of the film was shot on location in New Zealand, a larger international footprint than earlier entries, with explosion and car-stunt sequences staged there; the credits list Kevin Chisnall for explosion effects and Joe Chu (朱繼生) and Peter Bell as action directors.[5](https://www.geocities.ws/hkmovies168/acesgoplaces4.htm) The theme song, 心思思, was composed by Terry Britten with lyrics by Richard Lam (林振強) and sung by Sam Hui.[5](https://www.geocities.ws/hkmovies168/acesgoplaces4.htm)\n\n## Release and box office\n\nThe film premiered in Hong Kong on 30 January 1986, the [Lunar New Year](https://www.edgepedia.org/lunar-new-year) holiday slot.[1](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf) It opened the same day as [Sammo Hung](https://www.edgepedia.org/sammo-hung)'s *The Millionaires Express*, produced by rival Golden Harvest, in what contemporary accounts describe as the first full head-to-head [New Year](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-year) contest between the two studios; both films ran until 26 February.[10](https://yule.360.com/detail/4932755)\n\n*Aces Go Places IV* grossed HK$27,012,748 in Hong Kong, placing third for the year behind *A Better Tomorrow* and another film.[3](https://kknews.cc/zh-my/entertainment/5o82kv6.html) • [11](https://m.sohu.com/n/432346524/) It was the lowest-ranking entry to that point for a series whose first three films had all been annual champions, though still above HK$27 million.[6](https://k.sina.cn/article_1260430664_4b20a54800100w0kw.html?from=ent&subch=film) Overseas releases followed in Japan on 22 November 1986, South Korea on 7 November 1987, France on 14 January 1987, and Portugal on 30 September 1988.[12](https://www.blu-ray.com/Aces-Go-Places-IV/337873/) No new series entry appeared for the next three years until *Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit* (1989).[6](https://k.sina.cn/article_1260430664_4b20a54800100w0kw.html?from=ent&subch=film)\n\n## Style and reception\n\nThe series was built on light comedy with Bond-style gadgets and stunts, but this installment is darker in tone. Reviewers have noted that it moves closer to the violent \"heroic bloodshed\" films that would dominate Hong Kong cinema in the late 1980s, and that Lam's next film was *[City on Fire](https://www.edgepedia.org/city-on-fire-ep95yzdd6r)*, one of the genre's defining works.[13](https://hkfilm.net/aces4.htm) The action set pieces are more heavily mounted than in earlier entries, including a charity ice hockey game scene featuring the veteran stars Shih Kien and Kwan Tak-Hing as opposing coaches.[13](https://hkfilm.net/aces4.htm) Retrospective commentary has described the film as a transitional work between the series' slapstick tradition and the harder action cinema Lam would go on to make.[14](https://letterboxd.com/kirschtuete/film/aces-go-places-iv-you-never-die-twice/)\n\nReported running times differ across sources: 86 minutes on Blu-ray.com and MovieMeter, 88 minutes on home-video listings, and 1 hour 26 minutes on Apple TV.[12](https://www.blu-ray.com/Aces-Go-Places-IV/337873/) • [15](https://www.yesasia.com/global/%E6%9C%80%E4%BD%B3%E6%8B%8D%E6%AA%94%E5%8D%83%E9%87%8C%E6%95%91%E5%B7%AE%E5%A9%86-1986-vcd-%E6%95%B8%E7%A2%BC%E4%BF%AE%E5%BE%A9-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E7%89%88/1014419365-0-0-0-zh_TW/info.html) • [9](https://tv.apple.com/sg/movie/aces-go-places-iv/umc.cmc.4zoqdmkre7kifqpcajh9twgkx)\n\n## References\n\n1. [港產電影一覽 (1913–2003), Hong Kong Film Archive](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf)\n2. [Zui Jia Pai Dang 4: Qian Li Jiu Chai Po, MovieMeter](https://www.moviemeter.com/movies/action/zui-jia-pai-dang-4-qian-li-jiu-chai-po)\n3. [香港经典系列电影之最佳拍档, 每日头条](https://kknews.cc/zh-my/entertainment/5o82kv6.html)\n4. [Aces Go Places 4 (1986), LoveHKFilm](https://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews_2/aces_go_places_4.htm)\n5. [最佳拍檔千里救差婆 Aces Go Places IV (1986)](https://www.geocities.ws/hkmovies168/acesgoplaces4.htm)\n6. [主角被换，公司倒闭，这6部经典电影，终在岁月中飘零, 新浪娱乐](https://k.sina.cn/article_1260430664_4b20a54800100w0kw.html?from=ent&subch=film)\n7. [《最佳拍檔千里救差婆》, 華文影視數據平台 MovieCool](https://moviecool.asia/film/mdw4lNLu1HkF)\n8. [最佳拍檔(1982年曾志偉執導系列電影), 中文百科全書](https://www.newton.com.tw/wiki/%E6%9C%80%E4%BD%B3%E6%8B%8D%E6%AA%94)\n9. [Aces Go Places IV, Apple TV (Singapore)](https://tv.apple.com/sg/movie/aces-go-places-iv/umc.cmc.4zoqdmkre7kifqpcajh9twgkx)\n10. [40年前香港贺岁档票房大战：新艺城与嘉禾首次正面交锋, 360娱乐](https://yule.360.com/detail/4932755)\n11. [1986年港產片電影票房排名, 搜狐](https://m.sohu.com/n/432346524/)\n12. [Aces Go Places IV (1986), Blu-ray.com](https://www.blu-ray.com/Aces-Go-Places-IV/337873/)\n13. [Aces Go Places IV, HKFilm.net](https://hkfilm.net/aces4.htm)\n14. [Aces Go Places IV: You Never Die Twice review, Letterboxd](https://letterboxd.com/kirschtuete/film/aces-go-places-iv-you-never-die-twice/)\n15. [最佳拍檔千里救差婆 (1986) (VCD) (數碼修復), YesAsia](https://www.yesasia.com/global/%E6%9C%80%E4%BD%B3%E6%8B%8D%E6%AA%94%E5%8D%83%E9%87%8C%E6%95%91%E5%B7%AE%E5%A9%86-1986-vcd-%E6%95%B8%E7%A2%BC%E4%BF%AE%E5%BE%A9-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E7%89%88/1014419365-0-0-0-zh_TW/info.html)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Franchise and series entries as standalone works › Action, thriller, and crime series film entries › Entries released in the 1980s*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/aces-go-places-iv", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/aces-go-places-iv.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Aces Go Places IV (最佳拍档之千里救差婆)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/aces-go-places-iv. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Aces Go Places IV (最佳拍档之千里救差婆)](https://www.edgepedia.org/aces-go-places-iv)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/aces-go-places-iv](https://www.edgepedia.org/aces-go-places-iv). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Aces Go Places IV (最佳拍档之千里救差婆)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/aces-go-places-iv. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Aces Go Places IV is a 1986 Cinema City action comedy directed by Ringo Lam, starring Sam Hui and Karl Maka, grossing HK$27,012,748 in Hong Kong." }