| The Bund | |
|---|---|
Poster |
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| Genre | Period drama |
| Written by | Koo Siu-fung Leung Kin-cheung Leung Wing-wah Sam Kwok-wing Leung Wing-mui Chan Lai-wah Chan Kiu-ying |
| Directed by | Chiu Chun-keung Fok Yiu-leung Tam Jui-ming Lee Yiu-ming Lau Si-yu |
| Starring | Chow Yun-fat Ray Lui Angie Chiu Lau Dan Lam Kin-ming Kent Tong King Doi-yum |
| Opening theme | Sheung Hoi Tan (上海灘) performed by Frances Yip |
| Country of origin | Hong Kong |
| Language(s) | Cantonese |
| No. of episodes | 25 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Chiu Chun-keung |
| Running time | 45 minutes per episode |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | TVB |
| Original run | 10 March 1980 – 11 April 1980 |
| Chronology | |
| Followed by | The Bund II |
| The Bund | |||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 上海灘 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 上海滩 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Shanghai Bund | ||||||||||
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The Bund is a Hong Kong period drama television series first broadcast on TVB in 1980. The series spawned several sequels, remakes and film adaptations. The theme song of the series, performed by Frances Yip, also became a memorable Cantopop hit.
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Set in the 1920s Republican era in China, the story tells how triad members Hui Man-keung and Ting Lik struggle to survive in Shanghai (then an international settlement), and their rise to prominence in the triad world later. Hui Man-keung and Ting Lik join Fung King-yiu's triad and both of them fall in love with Fung's daughter, Ching-ching, who has a crush on Hui. When Hui Man-keung discovers that Fung King-yiu is actually collaborating with secret agents from Japan to destroy the patriotic Ching-mou School, he turns against Fung and kills the Japanese spy Kaoriko Yamaguchi in a gunfight. Fung King-yiu is furious with Hui Man-keung's betrayal and he sends Ting Lik to kill Hui, but Ting secretly helps Hui escape on account of their friendship.
Hui Man-keung settles in Hong Kong, where he marries Tai and starts a new life with her family. Fung King-yiu is still furious with Hui Man-keung for betraying him and he sends his men to Hong Kong to kill Hui. The killers murder Tai and her family, while Hui Man-keung survives because he was not at home. He swears vengeance on Fung King-yiu and he returns to Shanghai to take revenge. During Hui Man-keung's absence, Ting Lik starts a romantic relationship with Ching-ching and she promises to marry Ting on one occasion after Ting is seriously injured in a fight. Hui Man-keung suffers an emotional breakdown due to the loss of his family, and after seeing that his love interest has agreed to marry his best friend. His depression ignites the anger in him and increases his thirst for revenge. Hui Man-keung challenges Fung King-yiu to a Russian roulette game later and he kills Fung. Ching-ching is unable to forgive Hui Man-keung for killing her father and she leaves China for France. Although Hui Man-keung and Ting Lik co-operate and manage to dominate the triad world of Shanghai later, Hui is uninterested in triad affairs as he is eager to find Ching-ching and patch up with her. In the last episode, Hui Man-keung is shot to death outside a restaurant on the night before he leaves for France.
Two scenes have subsequently been replicated and parodied in many films and television series in Hong Kong. The wedding of Ting Lik and Fung Ching-ching was one. The death of Hui Man-keung was another. In particular, Chow Yun-fat was propelled into the limelight and became a household name in Hong Kong.[1] The scene where Hui is assassinated outside a restaurant is culturally considered one of the all-time greatest scenes in Hong Kong television.[1]
The theme song Sheung Hoi Tan (上海灘) is well known in Hong Kong. The song was originally performed in Cantonese by Frances Yip. It was one of the early collaborations composed by Joseph Koo with the lyrics by Wong Jim.[2] The song would also become one of the top 10 songs awarded in the 1980 RTHK Gold songs awards.[3]
The 1996 film Shanghai Grand released some 16 years later also re-used the same song. This version was performed by Andy Lau.[2]
The series was a phenomenal success throughout Asia and the episodes were subsequently re-edited into two features in 1983.[4] Chow Yun-fat's popularity also increased due to his performance in the series.[4]
Chow Yun-fat's character had died at the end of The Bund so he did not return for the sequel The Bund II except for a brief flashback cameo appearance. In both The Bund II and The Bund III, Ray Lui reprised his role as Ting Lik.
The original series was also remade in 1996 as a 40-episodes television series titled Once Upon a Time in Shanghai, starring Adam Cheng, Carol Cheng, Sunny Chan, Gordon Lam and Nadia Chan.
A 1996 film Shanghai Grand was also released with a similar Shanghai triad theme. It was directed by Poon Man-kit and produced by Tsui Hark.[1]
In 2007, a 42-episode television series remake starring Huang Xiaoming, Huang Haibo and Betty Sun was released in mainland China.
On 6 February 2009, TVB released the original series and its two sequels on DVD format. The original series, substantially edited, was previously released on VCD format in 2000.