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THE
CONTRACT
AKA:
Mr. Boo 3: The Contract
Year:
1978 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
After
the enormous success of 'The
Private Eyes', Michael Hui and his two brothers returned
in this satirical look at the music and television industries.
Michael plays Chi Man, a hopeless wannabe who's career has
nose-dived since joining MTV (Mouse TV) and is reduced to
whatever bit-parts he can get. Alongside him at home is his
brother Chi Ying (Ricky Hui), an aspiring inventor who dreams
of being the next Thomas Edison and is the butt of Chi Man's
jokes.
The
chance for Chi Man to escape the drudgery of MTV is finally
realised when he meets with the head of rival company CTV (Cat
TV) who promises him a lucrative contract if he leaves MTV.
However, leaving MTV soon proves to be a problem as the new
boss refuses to allow Chi Man to fulfil his goal and insists
he must stay at MTV for the whole duration of his eight year
contract. The only way therefore to leave MTV is to find the
contract and destroy it; but with the contract gathering dust
in the guarded MTV safe, Chi Man's bid is made all the more
difficult. Now is the time to call on his inventor brother and
a Tv magician (Samuel Hui) to get past the manageress'
ogre-like thugs and get back his artistic freedom.
The
Hui brothers combine efforts to create another outstanding
piece of canto-comedy that mixes clever satire of the
entertainment industry and slapstick comedy. Michael Hui's
famous canto-babble (that would later inspire Chow Sing Chi)
may go over the heads of those not fluent in the language, but
the dead-pan delivery and supreme talent he displays is plain
for all to see. The Contract shows the Hui brothers near the
top of their game and follows the familiar characterisations
that audiences expect to see in a Hui brothers comedy. If
you've yet to enter the inspired world of Michael Hui and his
brothers, this film is an excellent introduction and ranks
among their very best.
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