When I was in secondary school I caught this movie on TV. I had heard about the raving reviews movie critics gave it before it was shown. However, I wasn't able to fully comprehend the movie then. In fact, I saw some disturbing images which promoted me to switch off the TV (you'll see what those disturbing images are below...).

When I was in JC my brother re-introduced HK band Beyond to me, some years after Wong Ka Kui's death. As I fell in love with their music I was driven to find out more about the voice and writer behind those powerful and affecting songs like 光辉岁月 (dedicated to Nelson Mandela), 真的爱你 (dedicated to all mothers), and one of their most famous songs 海阔天空. Because of this, I found the late Wong Ka Kui, and I also found Cageman again.

In 2000 there was a Chinese essay homework which we were supposed to complete by choosing one title from a few given and writing about it. I chose "一部令我难忘的电影” (A movie I find hard to forget). I eventually chose to write on Cageman, and obtained the highest score I ever got for my Chinese essays.

After my graduation from JC I would be back to visit my teachers almost every year in the name of my alumni activities. Every time my Chinese teacher saw me, she never failed to make it a point to inform me that "I still use your essay (about the movie) as a model essay for my students!"

Today, Cageman is still a movie that I find hard to forget, simply because the movie is many things - An excellent portrayal of the poor in Hong Kong, their lives, their struggles; A snapshot of Hong Kong people's dilemma and emotions pre-1997; Ka Kui's first and last movie as an individual before he died which was nevertheless a stellar performance; My first high score for my Chinese essay; My first and only Chinese essay which has been used as a model essay.

Cageman was written based on a true story of the state of the "Men's apartments" which were scattered throughout bustling and wealthy Hong Kong even throughout the 1990s. "Men's apartments" were basically old, dilapitated buildings in the heart of the city that housed hundreds of single men, too poor or too old to afford basic housing in Hong Kong. The result was having these old buildings stacked to the brim with cages, where these men would rent the cages for about HK$100 a month and which they would be provided a cage with a mattress to sleep in. Because of that, the people living in these quarters were coined "cage people" (笼民).


* WARNING: This movie review contains spoilers*

The story

The old buildings which housed hundreds of ‘cage people’ were not only blackened from years of neglect, they were also deemed extremely unsafe. Hence, as Hong Kong prospered commercially, it seemed only natural that by the 1990s, these old, worn-down buildings that tarnish the landscape had to be demolished to make way for newer, safer and more economically viable property projects.

Such was the future that awaited the residents of one such ‘men’s apartment’. Managed by an ex-sailor ‘Fei Gu’ who was employed by the landlord to oversee the collection of rent and maintenance of the place, this particular ‘men’s apartment’ had housed a variety of characters - from a roadside medicine man to a 100-year old provisions seller (7-11), to a freelance repair man (Luk Tong) amongst many others. Squabbles were commonplace in the building that was tightly packed with people living together and bouncing off one another. Yet amidst the chaos the men nevertheless lived in relative harmony, creating systems of their own to make life more palatable in such a hostile environment. In fact, many of the residents grew so comfortable that many had lived there for decades.

As life went on as usual in the men’s apartment, a letter arrived informing the residents that the owners of the building have decided to reclaim the building and demolish it. This caused wave of uncertainty and unease as many of the residents knew that without the apartment, most would be left homeless, jobless and have no where to go.

This led to a divide in opinions. The older residents refused to move no matter what the landlord offered. However, the younger residents demanded a reasonable compensation before they would agree to move. Nevertheless, there was one but thought that bound them all – that it was an unfair and unreasonable move by the landlord and that they would fight against the decision, no matter what the landlord did or said.

In a bid to help the residents in despair, Fei-gu took his son, an adult with intellectual disability (Tai-zi Sam), along with him in search of people who may have the power to help avert such a fate. He found 2 councillors who agreed to help plead his cause to the government, only to play witness to a political strife between the 2 which led to hilarious but exasperating results.

Meanwhile, Mou-zai, an ex-convict, had joined the residents. Being young and impulsive, Mou-zai gave in to temptation offered by one of the councilors, who had in fact schemed to help his client (the landlords) in the acquisition of the building. However, as he grew attached to the ‘men’s apartment’, his conscience got the better of him and eventually, managed to avert the first wave of challenge that faced them.

However, no matter what they did, the fate of the building was ultimately inevitable. How would the residents face up to such a predicament?

The review

At first glance, the movie was a raw and realistic depiction of people from an ‘invisible’ part of society. Even though played mainly by acclaimed veteran actors, there is little hint to show that this is all acting. In fact, the movie takes you through the lives of these people as though you are living there and then with them, feeling their chaos, their warmth and their strive to survive in a fast-paced world. So much so that towards the end, when it was certain that they couldn’t fight fate, you felt their pain and insecurity. Even when compensation was promised, the sum is so little that they really could not do much with it. Their cage was their only possession, yet it had to be taken away from them. Many of these men have sacrificed much of their life contributing to society in their prime (even if in their own little ways). Yet once past their prime, society chooses to forget about them. Only when society needed something did they take notice of them again, but with an agenda which ultimately would take away whatever that was left that meant to them.

One of the last scenes of the movie was both emotional and very disturbing. As the residents finally decided that they would fight their war till the very end, they had locked themselves in their own cages the night before the demolishers came. Then, while the night was long and lonely, the camera pans to give you a closer look at each of the cages of the main characters, revealing details about their lives before they came to this sorry state.

The next morning the workers came only to find all the residents locked up in their own cages in protest. The fire department and police were called in, first trying negotiations, then deciding to cut open the cage to pull the screaming and kicking residents out. However, there being more than 100 of them, they finally resorted to the unthinkable to get their job done and get the residents safely out of the building – one by one, they sawed the cages from their foundations and carried them out with the residents still inside, like animals at the zoo for the public to watch. It was that disturbing scene that made me switch off the TV when I first watched it. Now when I look at it, it is still heart wrenching to watch.

Made in 1992, this movie was not only a social satire about a group of people sorely left behind and forgotten in the rat race, it was also a reflection of sentiment towards the impending 1997 handover to China.

I do not live in Hong Kong. However, if what one could gather from the running theme in most of the movies released around then, you would never fail to notice at least a jab or 2 at the horrors of 1997 and the wish to ‘escape’ via immigration before the fateful day came.

The residents in the building were very much a reflection of how Hong Kong’s people felt as 1997 approached – uncertain and helpless at the prospect of being under China once again. It would have been a whole new world out there. Were Hong Kongers ready to give up their freedom to be under a Big Brother once again?

Like what the sentiments would have been like, residents in the apartment who have lived poor but carefree lives for many decades were now thrown out cruelly of their comfort zones to pursue an already tough livelihood. Yet, there were also people like Mou-zai, who represented those who were determined to survive no matter what life throws towards them.

Whatever the meaning, this movie should ultimately be appreciated for its very real portrayal of life, of the emotions and situations that govern our lives, creating comedy and tragedy which defines us as people. It is also about how people from different paths in life converge to into one common experience, then diverge again as we move on in life.

The characters and actors

Cageman is a character-driven movie. The movie and the story would just be a plain documentary without the colourful characters and their enigmatic and witty interactions that grace the film. There are many main characters in this movie, but they are the ones that give life to the story. Despite the large number of main characters, the director still manages to give each of them their due recognition and development while keeping the pace and focus of the story. This, plus excellent acting from almost all the main cast, is what makes the movie so memorable.

In fact, according to the back of the VCD I have, apparently each character is a representation of each group of people that make up Hong Kong’s society.

Fei Gu (Fatso) - played by Roy Chiao

Supposedly a representation of Hong Kongers in the managerial level, tasked to lead his subordinates to ride out the storm yet is really unsure and even afraid of what to expect.

Maintenance personnel in the ‘men’s apartment’ who lived there with his son, an adult with intellectual disability whom everyone referred to as Prince Sam (Tai-zi Sam). Fei Gu was a man of principle and did all he could to ensure that the residents were taken care of, from pleading the councilors for aid to organizing a voting to decide if everyone should agree to stay or to move if compensation was given, even though the voting turned out to be a terrible failure.

No one would ever dispute the late Roy Chiao’s acting prowess. He’s a thespian in what he did, and this movie just shows that versatility and energy required in such a character. You could easily see him as the leader of the pack, the fatherly figure who wants only to protect his disabled son, and the disillusioned person weathered by years of hardship.

Luk Tong – played by Gu Feng

A representation of the majority of blue-collared workers in Hong Kong. Luk Tong the odd-job repair man who was best buddies with Fei Gu and a tough guy who refused to depend on anyone for his livelihood. His stand of not moving no matter what happens remained throughout, yet a scene whereby he joined others in praying for their future hinted at the vulnerability he would display in a later, more tragic scene.

Gu Feng is one familiar face in TVB dramas. If I remember correctly, he played Esther Kwan’s grandfather in Burning Flame. Another excellent veteran actor very much at ease with his portrayal of the character.

Tong Sam – played by Teddy Robin

Tong Sam is portrayed as the greedy and scheming one among the residents, the roadside medicine man who would paddle his medicine with his pet monkey. However, peel off that layer and what you get is really a simple-minded man. An apparent representation of the many people who do sales as a living in Hong Kong.

Played by Teddy Robin to perfection. I wonder who else could have taken that role?

Mou-zai (Mao) – played by Wong Ka Kui (Beyond)

Mou-zai represented the young generation of Hong Kongers who were often skewed but passionate in their views about the world around them. He is easily taken in by material temptations, but is at the same time flexible and adaptable at what life offers. The character was introduced as someone who had just left jail after being convicted for petty crimes. To escape an estranged relationship with his father, he found himself living amongst all the old people at the ‘men’s apartment’.

Mou-zai was Ka Kui’s first role as an individual out of the group Beyond, but sadly it was also his last. Nevertheless, Ka Kui did an impressive job with the character. Compared to the other veteran actors, he definitely was no thespian and there were some scenes where he may have appeared a little wooden. But overall, I was impressed by the depth he gave to Mou-zai. It was as if the character was written just for him.

7-11 (Chan Sup-yat)

7-11’s story right at the beginning effectively set the tone for the rest of the movie. While a fellow resident had died locked up in his cage, 7-11 had celebrated his 99th birthday, prompted in the TV station’s visit to interview him in his cage. When the TV reporter asked on camera what he wished for on his birthday, 7-11 naturally asked for something intangible “I would like to reunite with my brother, Chan Sup. He escaped to Taiwan during the war…”. The cameras immediate cut and the producer apologetically showed him list of items which sponsors were willing to sponsor, including a TV set, an electric fan and even a helicopter trip around Hong Kong. 7-11 was annoyed, but gamely replied, “Ok, I’ll help you”, to which he faced the camera and said, “I want a TV set, an electric fan and a helicopter trip around Hong Kong”.

If there’s one special thing about 7-11 it was the fact that he was the only resident who refused to step out of his cage after decades. He ran a provision shop service within the apartment, with the help of his loyal companion, Mui-tau, who would run all the errands for him as long if they needed him to be out of the cage. During the whole debacle, 7-11 remained steadfast in his decision of not moving out, refusing to join any discussions about the matter. 7-11 is a representation of the richer people of Hong Kong who are seldom concerned about happenings around them as long as they lead a comfortable and stable life.

7-11 must have been played by an amateur, but it was a fine performance from the elderly gentleman.

Mui-tau (Sissy)

7-11’s able assistant who probably would have been the most cowardly of the residents, but was the one who raised to the occasion in helping the residents avert their first disaster (albeit resulting in him losing his bladder control). He had a heart of gold, and was one of the first who accepted and took care of ex-convict Mou-zai like his own.

I’m not sure if the actor playing Mui-tau was an amateur as well but one thing’s for certain is that he was a natural. A very likable performance.

Dou-Cheung (Priest)

The former teacher who would sprout Chinese philosophies often too profound for the residents in the men’s apartment, but at the same time adding much ‘class’ and wisdom to the impoverished apartment. Dau-Cheung is apparently a representation of the educated class of Hong Kong society.

Tai-zi Sam (Prince Sam) – played by Liu Kai Chi

Last but not least, intellectually disabled Tai-zi Sam who was single-handedly raised by Fei Gu while he managed the daily affairs of the building. Tai-zi Sam was dependent on his father, helping him and the resident run simple errands, such as filling up bottles of tea every morning, helping the postman deliver letters in the building, and even switching off the staircase lights so that the “evil” lawyer representative from the landlords could fall down time and time as he left the building.

However, as the fate of the building drew nearer, Fei Gu became increasingly concerned for the future of his son, finally urging his son to find a simple job outside so that he could make ends meet once he is no longer around.

Having worked with people with intellectual disabilities for a year now, I must say that watching Liu Kai Chi’s portrayal on screen was almost like seeing one of our clients up there. Very realistic! Even that slight slur in his speech was quite typical of someone with moderate to mild intellectual disability. Absolutely worthy of his Best Supporting Actor award at the HKFA back in 1992.

Most recently I saw Liu Kai Chi as a eunuch in that long-drawn period version of Virtuals of Harmony, albeit only for a small portion. He’s usually only the supporting actor but always a darn good supporting actor.

Awards

At least the panel of judges at the Hong Kong Film Awards 1992 had their eyes wide open that year. Cageman won the following awards then:

- Best Film
- Best Director (Jacob Cheung Chi-Leung)
- Best Screenplay (Jacob Cheung Chi-Leung)
- Best Supporting Actor (Liu Kai Chi)
- Best 10 Chinese movies

Interesting clip

An excellent excerpt from the show which features all the main characters with all their personalities, vulgarities, struggles, wit and so much more in one single scene.



The verdict

An excellent black comedy. I give it a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. One word of advice though, watching it in the original Cantonese version is an absolute must to fully appreciate this film. Plus, you get the benefit of learning a lot of colloquial language and loads of local vulgarities :P.

I found this on Youtube…

Featuring late celebrities and personalities Princess Diana, Roy Chiao, Mother Theresa, Bruce Lee, and Wong Ka Kui, with Ka Kui’s swan song 海阔天空 in the backdrop.



I’m really not sure if it was ethical of the TV producers of this Hong Kong cable TV station to milk the memories of these celebrities who have left legacies even after they have passed on. But its tagline – 生有限，活无限 but certainly is quite thought-provoking. Literally it means "life is short, but living is forever". It probably is essentially about how as humans, our life on this earth can be quite short. But if one lives life to the fullest, the memories left on this earth can live on forever.

Not sure if you realized, but even the lyrics of that song seemed to have had that same meaning as well, especially this portion:

仍然自由自我 Still free and true to myself
永远高唱我歌 Singing my song with gusto forever
走扁千里 to travel across thousands of miles

Ethical? Well, it’s actually really quite meaningful. But to tie that kind of message in with a cable TV station? Hmmm…