A Tough Side of a Lady(Chinese:Hoa Mộc Lan;Jyutping:faa1 muk6 laan4) is a 1998 Hong Kong, ancient costumed comedy drama produced byTVB.The drama is a rendition of the legendary folklore ofHua Mulan,a brave girl who took her ailing father's place in the army to fight in battle. The series stars Mariane Chan as the protagonist Mulan and Wong Hei as a character created for the series. The series was aired as a Lunar New Year drama. Original broadcast of the series began on January 12 till February 6, 1998, on TVB's Jade channel, Monday–Friday during its 7:30–8:30 p.m. timeslot.
| A Tough Side of a Lady | |
|---|---|
 Promo poster | |
| Also known as | Hua Mulan |
| Hoa Mộc Lan | |
| Genre | Period drama,Comedy |
| Created by | Hong Kong Television Broadcasts Limited |
| Written by | Mak Chi Sing mạch chí thành |
| Directed by | Lau Wai Wah Lưu vĩ hoa |
| Starring | Mariane Chan Wong Hei Law Kar-ying Mimi Chu Gigi Fu Shirley Cheung |
| Theme music composer | Jean Michael Ou |
| Opening theme | Highly Praise Women nhướng mày nữ tử bySally YehDiệp thiến văn |
| Country of origin | Hong Kong |
| Original language | Cantonese |
| No.of episodes | 20 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Ling Jun Gwong lăng tuấn quang |
| Production location | Hong Kong |
| Camera setup | Multi camera |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Production company | TVB |
| Original release | |
| Network | Jade |
| Release | 12 January– 6 February 1998 |
| A Tough Side of a Lady | |||||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | Hoa Mộc Lan | ||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | Hoa Mộc Lan | ||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "Flower Wood Orchid" | ||||||||||||
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Synopsis
editWith her father (Law Kar-ying) in the army, filial oldest daughter of the Fa family Muk Lan (Mariane Chan), has the burden of taking care of and providing for her family because her mother is dependent on others, her younger sister is immature and her younger brother is a weakling. By day she works hard selling fabric at the street market and endures through the nights to weave fabric to sell the next day.
When they receive news that their father is finally returning home the Fa family is overjoyed. Muk Lan's father tells her that while he was in the army he had made a marriage arrangement for her to marry a man named Tsui Sam Gong (Lau Wing-Kin), Muk Lan did not mind the arranged marriage since she has secretly admired Sam Gong for a long time. However Sam Gong rejected on the idea of the arranged marriage because he was already in love with Long Siu Siu (Gigi Fu), the daughter of the local government official. To avoid marry Muk Lan, Sam Gong decides to join the army.
During this time the Fa family meets Ho Go Sing (Wong Hei), who rents half of the Fa family house with his forgetful mother (Mimi Chu). Muk Lan and Go Sing starts off on bad terms as she sees him as a stingy conman and tries to evict him and his mother, but the Fa family takes pity on Go Sing's mother and decides to let them stay.
After returning from the army Muk Lan's father was to be compensated by the government for his services, but he did not receive his compensation as the local government official together with his son decided to keep the money for themselves. One night while the government official and his son was transporting the stolen money they noticed Muk Lan's father and thought he had witnessed what they were doing. Thinking Muk Lan's father had seen all their illegal activities the government official decided to draft Muk Lan's father to go to war. Muk Lan's younger brother was to enlist in the army in their father's place since their father was ailing and could no longer serve another army term, but Muk Lan's goes in his place disguised as a male because her brother is a weakling and could not take the hardship of army life. Go Sing also happens to be drafted into the army the same time as Muk Lan. He, Muk Lan and Sam Gong all end up serving in the same unit in the army.
While dressed as a male in the army Muk Lan meets Siu Siu and saves her life. For Muk Lan's heroism Siu Siu ends up falling in love with her. Sam Gong finds out that Muk Lan is the one Siu Siu loves and becomes Muk Lan's sworn enemy. He tries to sabotage Muk Lan while both are serving in the army.[1][2]
Cast
editFa family
edit- Mariane ChanTrần diệu anh as Fa Muk Lan Hoa Mộc Lan - Dresses up as a male to enlist in the army as the Fa family representative.
- Law Kar-yingLa Gia Anh as Fa Wu hoa hình cung - Fa Muk Lan's father.
- Ma Cing Ji mã tinh nghi as Yeung Lau Zi dương liễu chi - Fa Muk Lan's mother.
- Shirley Cheung trương ngọc san as Fa Muk Wai hoa mộc huệ - Fa Muk Lan's younger sister. The Fa family middle child.
- Willie Wai Kar Hung Vi gia hùng as Fa Muk Dai hoa mộc đệ - Fa Muk Lan's younger brother. The Fa family youngest child.
- Yip Zan Sing diệp chấn thanh as Fa Ming hoa minh - Fa Muk Lan's male cousin.
Ho family
edit- Wong HeiVương hỉ as Ho Go Sing hạ cao thăng - Rents half of the Fa family's home. Ends up enlisting in the army the same time as Muk Lan.
- Mimi ChuChu meo meo as Leung Hung Mui lương hồng mai - Ho Go Sing's forgetful mother.
- Peter Lai lê bỉ đến as Ho Lai hạ lễ - Ho Go Sing's father. He is a con artist.
Tsui family
edit- Lau Wing-Kin Lưu vĩnh kiện as Tsui Sam Gong từ tam cương - To avoid his arranged marriage to Muk Lan he joins the army.
- Cheung Ying Choi trương anh tài as Tsui Ding Hong từ định khang - Sam Gong's father.
- Pak Yan bạch nhân as Yeung Chui Wan dương thúy hoàn - Sam Gong's nanny.
Long family
edit- Wong Wai vương vĩ as Long Tak Lei lang đức lợi - Corrupt government official.
- Helen MaMã Helen as Lee Yuk Lin Lý ngọc liên - Long Tak Lei's wife. Long Yen and Siu Siu's mother.
- Stephen Ho Kai Nam gì khải nam as Long Yan lang nhân - Long Tak Lei's son and Siu Siu's older brother.
- Gigi Fu phó minh hiến as Long Siu Siu lang nho nhỏ - Thinking Muk Lan is a male, falls in love with her.
- Angel Sung Chih Ling Tống chi linh as Siu Tou tiểu đào - Long Siu Siu's personal maid.
- Cheung Hak Tưởng khắc as Long family servant
Army
edit- Wong Ching vương thanh as Minister Tso Gwan tào quân
- Tam Yut Ching đàm một thanh as Captain Lee Gwong Lý Quảng
- Dickson Li Ka Sing Lý gia thanh as Ng Chau Sui Ngô thu thủy
- King Kong Lam lâm kính mới vừa as Ng Yun Juk Ngô nguyện húc
- Elton Loo la quân tả as Bou Fei bố phi
- Man Yeung Ching Wah dương chứng hoa as Soldier đệ nhất đội binh
- Ngai Wai Man Ngụy huệ văn as Soldier đệ nhất đội binh
Imperial court
edit- Chun Wong Tần Hoàng as Emperor Hoàng thượng
- Danny Summer hạ thiều thanh as Emperor's younger brother hoàng đệ