5 things to know about Fight Back to School – the action-comedy film starring Hong Kong icons Stephen Chow and Sharla Cheung, which turns 30 this year
- The iconic Hong Kong film, followed by sequels Fight Back to School II and Fight Back to School III, is also the city’s highest grossing film of 1991
- Available on Netflix, the box office hit was shot in international secondary school Sha Tin College, and also features legendary actor Ng Man-tat
Time really does fly – Hong Kong film Fight Back to School is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Directed by Gordon Chan, the action comedy showcases Stephen Chow Sing-chi’s personal charm through endlessly amusing nonsensical lines and exaggerated reactions.
The plot of the movie is pretty straightforward. Star Chow (played by Stephen Chow) is a failed team leader in the Hong Kong Police Force’s elite Special Duties Unit. Thanks to his youthful looks, he is deployed by the police commissioner to a embark on a secret mission – attend a secondary school as an undercover student to recover his boss’ stolen revolver.
If you haven’t watched it yet, you can check out Fight Back to School on Netflix … or impress fellow film buffs with some fun facts below.
Chow was not the first choice for the lead
It’s almost impossible to imagine anyone other than Chow stepping into the lead role of Star. However, it’s actually widely rumoured that Canto-pop singer Hacken Lee Hak-kan was first approached to play the role, but he turned down the opportunity, thinking that it did not suit him.
Popular in the late 80s and early 90s, Lee’s acting as the leading man in a few TVB dramas was well received.