Film Name: 发财秘笈 / How To Be A Millionaire… Without Really Trying / 發財秘笈
Wong Bak-ming’s 1989 self-directed and self-starred film “How To Be A Millionaire… Without Really Trying” still holds a certain satirical edge when viewed today.
Young people hailing from humble backgrounds venturing out into the world with ambition and youthful vigor—these are all commendable qualities. Yet navigating life in a glittering metropolis where everything comes at a premium, let alone putting down roots, requires considerable resources just to establish oneself. The demands on one’s resources are far beyond what second- or third-tier cities can offer.
While you’re eating a sandwich for breakfast on the street, watching wealthy, handsome men enjoy their leisurely buffet breakfasts; while you’re crammed like sardines in buses and subways, watching spoiled brats drive luxury cars to work (though I don’t complain about that now—China’s traffic is too congested; everyone suffers equally); The meager earnings from working overtime diligently and without complaint barely cover a few months’ rent; the dream girl you’ve pursued relentlessly, longing for her night after night, whispers sweet nothings in the arms of a rich second-generation heir…
Such pressures and hardships push some young people toward shortcuts and opportunism. At best, it breeds restlessness; at worst, it leads to unscrupulous means.
This obsession with quick gains is a quintessential symptom of urban malaise.
Take Huang Shang in this film: arriving in the city with simple aspirations, he’s swiftly drawn into the complex web of high society. His kind, innocent core, battered by repeated setbacks, eventually succumbs to greed. His conscience is extinguished, leaving him single-mindedly climbing the social ladder. He embodies a Hong Kong-style Julien from The Red and the Black. Meanwhile, Cheng Man-ya resembles Mathilde from that novel, with one key difference: in this story, Cheng Man-ya is in love with Anthony Wong.
This theme is compelling. Amid the late-1980s craze for gun-slinging martial arts films, it stands out as refreshingly unique. The lead actors delivered outstanding performances: Wong Bak-ming’s starkly contrasting actions, Yeung Po-ling’s pure innocence, Lee Mei-fung’s sultry charm and fiery passion, Cheng Man-ya’s noble elegance, and Yip Wing-chun’s opportunistic bullying of the weak. .
Unfortunately, the ending lacks smooth transition—the abrupt shift feels like slamming on the brakes, jolting the audience right off the ride. Though the fall is jarring, it culminates in a happy reunion. This likely catered to the mainstream tastes of 1980s Hong Kong audiences.
Betrayers like Chen Shimei have existed throughout history, but genuine repentance cannot be achieved through sudden transformation alone. It requires concrete actions and a conscience that has not been completely extinguished.
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