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Forbidden City Cop

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Forbidden City Cop
Forbidden City CopDVD cover
Chinese name
Traditional ChineseĐại nội mật thám lẻ loi phát
Simplified ChineseĐại nội mật thám lẻ loi phát
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinDà nèi mìtàn líng líng fā
Yue: Cantonese
JyutpingDaai6 noi6 mat6taam1 ling4 ling4 faat3
Directed by
Written by
  • Vincent Kok
  • Stephen Chow
  • Edmund Liu
Produced byWong Jing
Starring
CinematographyLee Kin-keung
Edited byKwong Chi-leung
Music byTats Lau
Production
companies
Distributed byFortune Star Media Limited
Release date
  • 16 February 1996(1996-02-16)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryHong Kong
LanguageCantonese
Box officeHK$36,051,899

Forbidden City Cop(Chinese:Đại nội mật thám lẻ loi phát;literal translation: "Imperial Secret Agent 008" ) is a 1996 Hong Kongwuxiacomedy filmdirected byVincent KokandStephen Chowand starring Chow,Carina Lau,andCarman Lee.

Synopsis

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Ling Ling-Fat (Stephen Chow) is one of theChinese Emperor's four elite personal bodyguards, the "Baolong clan" (Bảo long nhất tộc) - whose names form the CantoneseChinese New Year's greeting: "Kung hei fat choi" (Cung hỉ phát tài). Ling Ling-Fat's own name also doubles as aCantonesewordplay on the code number "008", a reference toJames Bond,whose number was 007 (seeFrom Beijing with Love). Instead of studyingmartial artslike his fellow bodyguards, he devotes his time to making practical yet often mundane and/or cumbersome inventions, such ascannonsfired from the mouth,helicopterblades, andmagnets.He also practicesgynaecology,and spends time with his loving wife (Carina Lau).

In the beginning of the film, Ling Ling-Fat fails to apprehendfour ugly swordsmenwho are trespassing in theForbidden City.He does, however, manage to acquire akung fumanual, Flying Fairy (Thiên ngoại phi tiên,Tin1 ngoi6 fei1 sin1,lit. 'Outer Heaven FlyingFairy'), from one of them. During an imperial audience, Ling-ling Fat's seemingly useless inventions and lack of any martial arts skills enrage the Emperor, who demotes him to various menial tasks around the palace.

Meanwhile, King Faceless of theKam Tribeplans to assassinate the Emperor and overtake China. The Kam Tribe creates a diversion by inviting all the doctors of China to a medical exposition in which aGrey alien- a 'flying fairy' - is to be dissected. Ling Ling-Fat and the Emperor separately depart for the event. While Ling-ling Fat and his wife feast at a string of restaurants, Kam's men kill the Emperor's three remaining bodyguards. The assassins put the unconscious Emperor in an alien costume to present him as the alien for dissection. Just as Ling Ling-Fat and the other doctors discover the Emperor's identity, Kam's assassins begin to slaughter everyone in attendance. Ling Ling-Fat uses his wits and inventions to defeat the assassins.

The Emperor honors Ling Ling-Fat for his success and gives him an enormous pearl as a reward. For his next assignment, the Emperor charges him with investigating a prospective concubine, the beautiful prostitute Kam Cho (Carman Lee). Ling-ling Fat meets with Kam Cho without his wife's knowledge and has difficulty restraining himself from her seductive advances. He gives her the enormous pearl and lies about it to his wife. Later, Kam Cho surprises Ling Ling-Fat at his home, forcing a violent confrontation between Ling-ling Fat and his wife's family. Ling Ling-Fat forsakes his tearful wife and leaves with Kam Cho.

When Ling Ling-Fat brings Kam Cho to the palace, he and the Emperor throw Kam Cho in chains and reveal that she is actually Faceless in disguise. Ling-ling Fat had deciphered Kam Cho's true identity during their meeting and enlisted his entire family in a ruse to fool Faceless. The Emperor begins handing out acting awards to Ling Ling-Fat's various family members, but Faceless manages to break free. Once again, Ling Ling-Fat uses his inventions and wits to combat Faceless, but Faceless fights back with powerful martial arts techniques. On the verge of defeat, Ling-ling Fat is accidentally struck by a lightning bolt meant for Faceless which awakes his potential and enables him to use the Flying Fairy technique, thus destroying Faceless.

Cast

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Box office

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The film grossed HK$36,051,899 in Hong Kong.[citation needed]

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