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IMDbPro

Chicken and Duck Talk

Original title: Gai tung ngap gong
  • 19881988
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
770
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
90,876
19,552
Chicken and Duck Talk (1988)
Comedy
Old Hui runs a restaurant specializing in roast duck. His secret duck recipe is very tasty, but customers and staff alike have to put up with the filthy shop and Hui's cost-cutting way of do... Read allOld Hui runs a restaurant specializing in roast duck. His secret duck recipe is very tasty, but customers and staff alike have to put up with the filthy shop and Hui's cost-cutting way of doing business. When ''Danny Fried Chicken'' (an American-style fast-food restuarant) opens ... Read allOld Hui runs a restaurant specializing in roast duck. His secret duck recipe is very tasty, but customers and staff alike have to put up with the filthy shop and Hui's cost-cutting way of doing business. When ''Danny Fried Chicken'' (an American-style fast-food restuarant) opens up across the street, Hui receives a rude shock and is forced to lift his game to compete.... Read all
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
770
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
90,876
19,552
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Clifton Ko
    • Writers
      • Michael Hui
      • Clifton Ko
      • Joe Ma(story)
    • Stars
      • Michael Hui
      • Ricky Hui
      • Sylvia Chang
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Clifton Ko
    • Writers
      • Michael Hui
      • Clifton Ko
      • Joe Ma(story)
    • Stars
      • Michael Hui
      • Ricky Hui
      • Sylvia Chang
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 5User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Photos107

    Michael Hui, Ricky Hui, and Lowell Lo in Chicken and Duck Talk (1988)
    Michael Hui and Ricky Hui in Chicken and Duck Talk (1988)
    Lawrence Ng in Chicken and Duck Talk (1988)
    Chicken and Duck Talk (1988)
    Chicken and Duck Talk (1988)
    Chicken and Duck Talk (1988)
    Michael Hui and Paula Tsui in Chicken and Duck Talk (1988)
    Chicken and Duck Talk (1988)
    Chicken and Duck Talk (1988)
    Chicken and Duck Talk (1988)
    Chicken and Duck Talk (1988)
    Chicken and Duck Talk (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Michael Hui
    Michael Hui
    • Ah Hui
    Ricky Hui
    Ricky Hui
    • Cuttlefish
    Sylvia Chang
    Sylvia Chang
    • Mrs. Hui
    Lowell Lo
    Lowell Lo
    • Chimp Chan
    Wing-Cho Yip
    Wing-Cho Yip
    • Pang
    Lawrence Ng
    Lawrence Ng
    • Danny Poon
    Kai-Nam Ho
    Kai-Nam Ho
    • Alan
    Yan Pak
    Yan Pak
    • Hui's Mother-in-Law
    Ying-Ying Hui
    Ying-Ying Hui
    • Maria
    Feng Ku
    Feng Ku
    • Richard
    Koon-Lan Law
    Koon-Lan Law
    • Mrs. Chan
    Yung-kuang Lai
    • Health Inspector
    Siu-Ling Lee
    • Health Inspector's Girlfriend
    Leung Ng
    • Hui's Son
    Gloria Yip
    Gloria Yip
    • Judy
    Ronny Yu
    Ronny Yu
    • Manhole Worker
    Paula Tsui
    Paula Tsui
    • Hui's Customer
    Ka-Leung Ng
    • Hui's Customer
    • Director
      • Clifton Ko
    • Writers
      • Michael Hui
      • Clifton Ko
      • Joe Ma(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Paula Tsui: as a restaurant customer.
    • Quotes

      Ah Hui: Sir, is the food alright?

      husband customer: Yes, the food is more delicious & the place is more clean.

      wife customer: Hey

      [trying to discourage husband from lighting up a cigarette]

      husband customer: Do you mind if I smoke?

      Ah Hui: Hmmph, do you mind if I fart?

    • Connections
      References Mon Oncle (1958)

    User reviews5

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    A comedy that is easy to overlook deep philosophical issues
    The "Chicken and Duck Talk" was one of the classic films produced by Hong Kong's film industry in its heydays from 1980 to 1995. The story itself is simple enough: an old mom-and-pop restaurant suddenly faces a new flashy competition in the form of a fast food store, and Michael Hui as the owner of the restaurant struggled but succeeded in winning the battle for business after reimaging his business. On a purely entertainment level, Michael Hui with his side-slap comedy skills, entertain audiences with various hyperbolic acts, which should keep the audience entertained on a bored night. This is a perfectly legitimate perspective to view the film but it misses the deeper theme.

    Underneath the comedic acts, Hui managed to convey the concept of no matter how good traditional ideas/things are, if you can't market them by making them look pleasing and attractive to bells-and-whistles obsessed shallow modern/postmodern generations, you stand no chance against competitors that are all-show-but-no-depth. If you managed to get this point, congratulations, you are watching the film at a deeper level than 98% of Hong Kong's population, who by and large have failed to appreciate the themes beyond the general concept of good guys overcoming baddies.

    And yet another deeper theme that has only gradually started to be appreciated in the early 21st century is the theme of traditional mom-and-pop businesses full of sentimental attachments versus the efficient but heartless modern enterprises. It may not be a wholly accurate depiction by Hui after all - there are plenty of cold heartless tyrants amongst mom-and-pop shops in Hong Kong and also plenty of good multinational companies, but it does give us pause to consider whether we have sacrificed our interpersonal relationships for the sake of modern developments, and whether this must follow the waves of globalization. This theme is still far too radical and anathema for a vast majority of Hong Kong people even 20 years on, who worship at the altars of "economic development above all" and the "out with the old, in with the new" mentality, and as far as I know the film pundits who have raised this point are either from the West or Taiwan.

    All this is not surprising if you are aware Hui holds a Bachelor of Social Science degree in Sociology from the Chinese University of Hong Kong before he entered the entertainment industry. He knows how to document the good and ills of a society and offer commentaries via visual media. Will the film's deeper themes be appreciated in Hong Kong one day? Hopefully so, if Hong Kong wants to regain its soul.
    helpful•4
    1
    • hungs
    • Oct 14, 2007

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 14, 1988 (Hong Kong)
    • Country of origin
      • Hong Kong
    • Language
      • Cantonese
    • Also known as
      • Ente gut, alles gut
    • Production companies
      • Hui's Film Production Co.
      • Topping Time Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 35 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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