The Contract (1978 film)

1978 Hong Kong film

The Contract

Traditional Chinese| 賣身契
Simplified Chinese| 卖身契
Hanyu Pinyin| Mài shēn qì
Jyutping| maai6 san1 kai3
Directed by| Michael Hui
Screenplay by| Michael Hui
So Chi-hung[1]
Produced by| Raymond Chow
Starring| Michael Hui
Samuel Hui
Ricky Hui
Cinematography| Tom Lau
Edited by| Peter Cheung
Music by| Samuel Hui

Production
company

Golden Harvest

Distributed by| Golden Harvest

Release date

* 3 August 1978 (1978-08-03)

Running time

| 96 minutes
Country| Hong Kong
Language| Cantonese
Box office| HK$7,823,019[2]

The Contract (Chinese: 賣身契) is a 1978 Hong Kong comedy film written, directed by and starring Michael Hui. The film also co-stars Hui's brothers, Samuel Hui and Ricky Hui. It was very successful at the Hong Kong box office being the highest-grossing film there at the time.[3]

## Cast

[edit]

* Michael Hui as Sit Chi-man
* Samuel Hui as Chiu Sai-kit
* Ricky Hui as Sit Chi-ying
* Tiffany Bao as Ms. Wang
* Ellen Lau as Chu Ling-ling
* Yeung Wai as Ms. Wang's eye-path assistant
* Cheng Fu-hing as King Kong
* Russell Cawthorne as Guru
* Chan King-cheung as MTV chairman
* Cheng Siu-ping as Mrs. Li
* Kwong Kwan-ning as Mr. Kwong
* Lee Pang-fei as Cat TV manager
* Chiu Chun as MTV board of director
* Fong Yue as Woman coming out of elevator
* Huang Pa-ching as Mrs. Li
* Man Sau as Man's mother
* Pan Yung-sheng as Audience for alien show
* Kwan Yan as Audience at magic show
* Cheung Sek-Au as Audience at magic show
* Johnny Koo as one of three bank robbers
* Kam Tin-chue as MTV board of director
* Si Lau-wa
* Lau Cheun
* Hoh Wan

## Reception

[edit]

The Contract was a commercial success, earning HK$7,820,019 at the box office[4]

In The Hong Kong Filmography, 1977-1997, John Charles described The Contract as "totally disarming and one of The Hui's Brothers most consistently amusing efforts"[5] while Stephen Teo in his book Hong Kong Cinema: the Extra Dimensions wrote "Michael Hui ended the decade with arguably his best film".[6]

The film was nominated for three Golden Horse Awards in 1978, and was Michael Hui's first and last nomination for a Golden Horse Award, until his nomination for Best Actor for his work in the 2016 film Godspeed at the 53rd Golden Horse Awards.[7]

## Accolades

[edit]

Award  | Date  | Category  | Recipient(s) and nominee(s)  | Result  | Ref(s)

|
|
|
|
|

15th Golden Horse Awards | 1978  | Best Film Editing  | Peter Cheung | Won  | [8]
Best Director  | Michael Hui | Nominated
Best Feature Film  | Golden Harvest (HK) Limited  | Nominated

## Album

[edit]

The Contract is Sam Hui's fifth Cantopop album with the title track being the film's theme song. In Asia soundtrack has shifted 500,000 units.[9]

The Contract
賣身契

Studio album by

Sam Hui

Released| July 1978
Genre| Cantopop
Language| Cantonese
Label| PolyGram
Sam Hui chronology
| The God of Wealth Has Arrived
財神到
(1978)  | The Contract
賣身契
(1978)  | 79 Summer Song Collection
79夏日之歌集
(1979)

|
|

### Track listing

[edit]

1. "賣身契"
2. "舞伴"
3. "男兒漢"
4. "世事如棋"
5. "應該要自愛"
6. "人生的道路"
7. "學生哥"
8. "杯酒當歌"
9. "拜拜"
10. "相思萬千重"
11. "飲勝"
12. "父母恩"
13. "太空舞"（音樂）

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Mai shen qi (1978)". internet movie database. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
2. ^ "Hong Kong's 20 Alltime Top Pix". Variety. 3 January 1979. p. 42.
3. ^ "The Contract - Hong Kong Film Archive". www.filmarchive.gov.hk. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
4. ^ Tong Cheuk Pak; Botang Zhuo (2008). Hong Kong New Wave Cinema (1978-2000). Intellect Books. p. 44. ISBN 9781841501482.
5. ^ Charles, John (14 June 2015). The Hong Kong filmography, 1977-1997 : a complete reference to 1,100 films produced by British Hong Kong studios. Jefferson, N.C. p. 61\. ISBN 9781476602622. OCLC 911054921.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
6. ^ Teo, Stephen (1997). Hong Kong cinema : the extra dimensions. British Film Institute. London: BFI. p. 143\. ISBN 0851704964. OCLC 38303187.
7. ^ "Hong Kong comic actor Michael Hui out to direct films after 25-year gap". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
8. ^ "台北金馬影展 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival". www.goldenhorse.org.tw (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 8 December 2017.
9. ^ Leo, Christie (29 September 1979). "Polygram Gets Local Acts In Malay Drive". Billboard. p. 62\. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 15 October 2022 - via Google Books.

## External links

[edit]

* The Contract at IMDb

* Hong Kong portal
* Film portal

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Michael Hui

* Games Gamblers Play (1974)
* The Last Message (1975)
* The Private Eyes (1976)
* The Contract (1978)
* Security Unlimited (1981)
* The Magic Touch (1992)

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