{ "id": "epdsrj2t02", "slug": "rich-and-famous", "title": "Rich and Famous (江湖情)", "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.crime-thriller-mystery", "label": "Crime, thriller, and mystery films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery.1980s-films", "label": "1980s films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery.1980s-films" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery", "label": "China · 1946 to 2000: Crime, thriller, and mystery films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery", "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.crime-thriller-mystery", "label": "Crime, thriller, and mystery films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Rich and Famous (江湖情, Gong woo ching, Black Vengeance) is a 1987 Hong Kong triad film directed by Taylor Wong, starring Chow Yun-Fat, Andy Lau, and Alex Man; a prequel to Tragic Hero that earned HK$21,014,608 in Hong Kong.", "snippet": "Rich and Famous (江湖情, Gong woo ching, Black Vengeance) is a 1987 Hong Kong triad film directed by Taylor Wong, starring Chow Yun-Fat, Andy Lau, and Alex Man; a prequel to Tragic Hero that earned HK$21,014,608 in Hong Kong.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.crime-thriller-mystery.1980s-films", "markdown": "# Rich and Famous (江湖情)\n\n**Rich and [Famous](https://www.edgepedia.org/famous-film)** (江湖情; also released as *Black Vengeance* and romanized as *Gong woo ching*) is a 1987 Hong Kong triad action film directed by Taylor Wong (黃泰來), written by Stephen Shiu (蕭若元) and Manfred Wong (文雋), and starring Chow Yun-Fat, Andy Lau, Alex Man, and Alan Tam[1](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E6%B1%9F%E6%B9%96%E6%83%85/4378510?fromModule=lemma_inlink) • [2](https://fareastfilms.com/review/rich-and-famous/). It premiered in Hong Kong on 28 May 1987[3](https://www.hkfact.com/movie/6918) and is a prequel to *Tragic Hero* (英雄好漢), released earlier the same year[4](https://waiwaim.hatenablog.com/entry/1987/01/02/000000).\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Original title | 江湖情 (Jiang hu qing / Gong woo ching); English titles *Rich and Famous* and *Black Vengeance*[3](https://www.hkfact.com/movie/6918) |\n| Release | 28 May 1987, Hong Kong[3](https://www.hkfact.com/movie/6918) |\n| Director and writers | Taylor Wong; screenplay by Stephen Shiu and Manfred Wong[1](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E6%B1%9F%E6%B9%96%E6%83%85/4378510?fromModule=lemma_inlink) • [2](https://fareastfilms.com/review/rich-and-famous/) |\n| Producer and company | Johnny Mak; produced by Win's Movie Productions, library held by Gala Film Distribution[3](https://www.hkfact.com/movie/6918) • [2](https://fareastfilms.com/review/rich-and-famous/) |\n| Hong Kong box office | HK$21,014,608, 11th place for 1987[5](https://kungfutube.info/22990) |\n| Principal cast | Chow Yun-Fat (Li Ah Chai), Andy Lau (Lam Ting Kwok), Alex Man (Tang Kat Yung), Alan Tam (Mak Ying Hung), Carina Lau, Pauline Wong, Ko Chun-Hsiung, Danny Lee, Shing Fui-On[2](https://fareastfilms.com/review/rich-and-famous/) |\n| Ratings | IMDb 6.2; Douban 7.3; Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer 57% from 3 reviews[6](https://www.moviecool.asia/film/qdacTnlCwHEc) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rich_and_famous) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nThe film is set in early Hong Kong, when large numbers of refugees were arriving and the city was, in the Chinese-language synopses' phrase, a place where dragons and snakes mingled, meaning law-abiding newcomers and criminals lived side by side[1](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E6%B1%9F%E6%B9%96%E6%83%85/4378510?fromModule=lemma_inlink). Two brothers, Lam Ting Kwok ([Andy Lau](https://www.edgepedia.org/andy-lau)) and Tang Kat Yung (Alex Man), grow up poor. Yung develops a gambling habit and runs up a large debt; in one account he and his friend Mak Ying Hung (Alan Tam) plot to rob smuggled gold belonging to the gang boss Chu (Ko Chun-Hsiung), bringing Chu's pursuit down on the family[6](https://www.moviecool.asia/film/qdacTnlCwHEc). When Kwok steps in to help his brother he is beaten and falls foul of the gangsters, and in desperation the brothers turn to Li Ah Chai (Chow Yun-Fat), a rival boss and an enemy of the gang targeting them[1](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E6%B1%9F%E6%B9%96%E6%83%85/4378510?fromModule=lemma_inlink) • [2](https://fareastfilms.com/review/rich-and-famous/).\n\nChai takes the brothers under his wing, impressed by Kwok's courage and loyalty, and gives him real responsibility[1](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E6%B1%9F%E6%B9%96%E6%83%85/4378510?fromModule=lemma_inlink). Yung, impetuous and eager for quick success, fails to win Chai's trust and comes to resent his brother[1](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E6%B1%9F%E6%B9%96%E6%83%85/4378510?fromModule=lemma_inlink). As the two are drawn deeper into gang turf wars, the bond between them tears apart: Yung eventually betrays Chai and his own brother by going over to the rival gang conspiring to kill Chai, and the story builds to an attack on Chai's wedding day[2](https://fareastfilms.com/review/rich-and-famous/) • [8](https://app2.atmovies.com.tw/film/fratm0863033/).\n\n## Production and release relationship with Tragic Hero\n\n*Rich and Famous* was produced by Win's Movie Productions, with Johnny Mak (麥當雄) and Charles Heung's partner Jimmy Heung (向華勝) credited as presenters on the Hong Kong Film Archive filmography, and entered release on 28 May 1987[3](https://www.hkfact.com/movie/6918) • [9](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf). Although it reached cinemas after *Tragic Hero* (英雄好漢), which opened in February 1987, it is the earlier story chronologically: a Japanese film blog drawing on Chinese sources records that after *Tragic Hero* performed well at the box office, unused footage from the original work was supplemented with newly shot material and the prequel was released in May of the same year, with Alan Tam's role among the added scenes[4](https://waiwaim.hatenablog.com/entry/1987/01/02/000000). A Chinese film retrospective gives the same sequence, noting that the prequel *江湖情* opened less than three months after *英雄好漢* left cinemas and grossed about HK$21 million[10](https://kknews.cc/zh-tw/entertainment/mgypk69.html).\n\nAction design was credited to Bruce Leung (梁小龍), with Blackie Ko (柯受良) handling car stunts[6](https://www.moviecool.asia/film/qdacTnlCwHEc) • [2](https://fareastfilms.com/review/rich-and-famous/). The film runs 104 minutes in the versions listed by Baidu Baike and [JustWatch](https://www.edgepedia.org/justwatch), while Rotten Tomatoes lists 1 hour 38 minutes[1](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E6%B1%9F%E6%B9%96%E6%83%85/4378510?fromModule=lemma_inlink) • [11](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/rich-and-famous-1987) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rich_and_famous).\n\n## Genre context and reception\n\nThe film belongs to the \"heroic bloodshed\" wave of late-1980s Hong Kong cinema, gunplay dramas of loyalty and betrayal in the criminal underworld. The Far East Films review places it squarely in that heyday, released between Chow Yun-Fat's genre-defining *A Better Tomorrow* films, and describes it as leaning more on drama than action, with a shoot-out about 40 minutes in, a stunt-heavy showdown, and Blackie Ko's car stunts as its action highlights[2](https://fareastfilms.com/review/rich-and-famous/). The reviewer rates the cast highly, particularly Lau as the calmer brother against Man's escalating violence, and Chow Yun-Fat in a supporting turn as a cool, suave gang boss[2](https://fareastfilms.com/review/rich-and-famous/).\n\nAggregated scores sit in the middle range: IMDb 6.2 and Douban 7.3[6](https://www.moviecool.asia/film/qdacTnlCwHEc), and a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer of 57% based on three critic reviews, with an audience score drawn from more than 500 ratings[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rich_and_famous). At the Hong Kong box office it earned HK$21,014,608, placing 11th among 1987 releases[5](https://kungfutube.info/22990).\n\n## Home video\n\nThe film returned to circulation in a 2023 restoration: Eureka [Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/entertainment) released a Blu-ray combo pack pairing *Rich and Famous* with *Tragic Hero* on 24 July 2023 in the United Kingdom, and a French Spectrum Films Blu-ray set of the two films had appeared in 2022[2](https://fareastfilms.com/review/rich-and-famous/) • [3](https://www.hkfact.com/movie/6918). In Chinese-language streaming, the film has been carried on iQIYI, [Tencent Video](https://www.edgepedia.org/tencent-video), Youku, and Migu Video[1](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E6%B1%9F%E6%B9%96%E6%83%85/4378510?fromModule=lemma_inlink).\n\n## References\n\n1. [江湖情（1987年黄泰来执导的电影）, Baidu Baike](https://bkso.baidu.com/item/%E6%B1%9F%E6%B9%96%E6%83%85/4378510?fromModule=lemma_inlink)\n2. [Rich And Famous (1987) Review, Far East Films (Andrew Skeates, 24 July 2023)](https://fareastfilms.com/review/rich-and-famous/)\n3. [江湖情, HKFACT film database](https://www.hkfact.com/movie/6918)\n4. [愛と復讐の挽歌・野望編 (1987) 原題：江湖情, Andy Lau filmography blog](https://waiwaim.hatenablog.com/entry/1987/01/02/000000)\n5. [愛と復讐の挽歌　野望編／江湖情（1987）, Kungfu Tube](https://kungfutube.info/22990)\n6. [《江湖情》(1987) 電影, MovieCool](https://www.moviecool.asia/film/qdacTnlCwHEc)\n7. [Rich and Famous, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rich_and_famous)\n8. [江湖情 Rich and Famous, @movies 開眼電影網](https://app2.atmovies.com.tw/film/fratm0863033/)\n9. [港產電影一覽 (1913–2003), Hong Kong Film Archive filmography (hkfilm.net archive copy)](https://www.hkfilm.net/archive/hkfa.pdf)\n10. [周潤發電影大回顧，我們的發哥, 每日頭條](https://kknews.cc/zh-tw/entertainment/mgypk69.html)\n11. [Rich and Famous (1987), JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/rich-and-famous-1987)\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 › Crime, thriller, and mystery films (individual works) › 1980s films*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 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/rich-and-famous", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/rich-and-famous.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": "\"Rich and Famous (江湖情)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/rich-and-famous. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Rich and Famous (江湖情)](https://www.edgepedia.org/rich-and-famous)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/rich-and-famous](https://www.edgepedia.org/rich-and-famous). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Rich and Famous (江湖情)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/rich-and-famous. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Rich and Famous is a 1987 Hong Kong triad film directed by Taylor Wong, starring Chow Yun-Fat, Andy Lau, and Alex Man; a prequel to Tragic Hero that earned HK$21,014,608 in Hong Kong." }