Hung (Eric Tsang) is the timid but loyal younger brother of ruffian Bo (Tsui Hark), who is about to serve a prison sentence. Before his temporary absence, Bo asks Hung to take care of his two lovers—Ping (Margaret Lee) and Mimi (Loletta Lee). Unable to fully settle Ping’s gambling debt, Bo unwittingly takes her with him to Tokyo in search of Mimi. But the hapless beta male must pull all stops to prevent the two from learning of each other’s identity. While everything that could go wrong goes wrong in comedic fashion, Bo and Mimi fall for each other—a sticky situation that Bo cannot simply evade. Unlike other gangster films from the same era, Final Victory (1987) is marked by its brevity and focus on romance and comedy. Director Patrick Tam turns Wong Kar-wai’s playful script into a colorful film that is distinctive in its editing style and visual language.

Patrick Tam (b. 1948, Hong Kong) started his career in television at TVB. He directed his first feature film The Sword (1980), an innovative wuxia film that helped usher in the era of the Hong Kong New Wave. His knack for visual flair continued to flourish in Love Massacre (1981), Nomad (1982) and Final Victory (1987). He is also known for his work as an editor for films such as Wong Kar-Wai’s Days of Being Wild (1990) and Ashes of Time (1994). He was awarded Best Director and Best Screenplay at the Hong Kong Film Awards for After This Our Exile (2006).