A Big Story

That same April, a major international event took place. Argentina had descended into rampant inflation and prolonged general strikes, leaving the public suffering under the military junta's rule. President Leopoldo Galtieri fancied himself a mastermind and concluded that a swift, decisive military victory would divert public scrutiny. He set his sights on the Falkland Islands. Great Britain was not having an easy time either. Margaret Thatcher was in office, pushing through sweeping, aggressive reforms that had the working people of London crying out in misery just the same. Before hostilities commenced, lukewarm diplomatic mediation took place. Then Argentina formally deployed its troops. The fighting lasted from April into June, leaving roughly a thousand dead and under two thousand wounded. Argentina was defeated. Thatcher's hold on power had been precarious, but her popularity surged overnight. Later, riding the momentum of her triumph in the Falklands, she would travel to Beijing to negotiate the question of Hong Kong—though that belonged to the future. *** Golden Harvest. The television news reported on the situation in the Falklands War, the commentator delivering a crisp analysis. Raymond Chow listened to the broadcast with one ear while giving the other to Hong Jinbao's pitch. "Ah Long and I have decided to team up. No more Republican-era films—we're doing modern urban action! Kung fu, car chases, crime-solving, comedy, pretty girls, plus a few stars brought in to back us up, all rolled into an all-star contemporary action comedy!" "An all-star contemporary action comedy?" Raymond Chow found the concept quite impressive. He asked, "Ah Long, what do you think?" "Same here! I'm tired of Republican period pieces too!" Jackie Chan said. "Cinema City took the box-office crown, and Aces Go Places was indeed formidable. It's time we made our move. But what gave you two this idea?" Raymond Chow asked, curious. "..." The two exchanged glances and decided to tell the truth. Hong Jinbao said, "Chen Qi discussed it with us." "He helped you develop a project?!" "Yes, Mr. Chow. When we met last time, we talked about all this. Ah Long and I looked into it, and we came up with an initial concept. Besides, he wants to join forces against Cinema City. He said he wants to tear Cinema City apart!" Hong Jinbao rattled off the explanation in a rush. Raymond Chow's expression shifted. "Tear Cinema City apart? Tell me everything, from the beginning!" And so Hong Jinbao recounted that night's conversation in full, including touching base with Shaw Brothers, poaching talent from Cinema City to build an all-star roster, stirring up discord, and the like. At the end, he said, "Mr. Chow, Ah Long and I think this approach has immense potential. It's worth a shot. We already have the outline of a story; with a little polishing, it'll make a great script." "..." Raymond Chow tapped his fingers gently against the desk, weighing the pros and cons. Thinking it through, it didn't seem to pose any harm to Golden Harvest. He was merely surprised that the fellow from the mainland had approached his two top generals in secret for this very reason. After weighing it for a moment, he said decisively, "I'll back your production. Cinema City has grown far too arrogant for an upstart. We have to hit them hard and knock them down!" "I'm just worried that if we knock Cinema City down, the Left will rise up again," Leonard Ho chimed in. "Whether the Left rises or not—is that up to us?" Raymond Chow glanced at the television news and sighed. "It's up to those people. Right now Britain and Argentina are at war, and the mainland is about to negotiate with Britain. We're only making movies—can we really outweigh national affairs?" "Didn't Jin Yong bring back word that Hong Kong will remain unchanged?" "Who can say for sure?" Raymond Chow had no desire to dwell on such troubling matters. He went over the details with the two men and endorsed the concept of an all-star contemporary action comedy. With matters settled, Jackie Chan and Hong Jinbao left the office. Jackie Chan returned to his luxury home. The residence was located in Repulse Bay, a traditional enclave for Hong Kong's wealthy. He had consulted a feng shui master when he bought it, and when he eventually sold it, he would walk away with a net profit of thirty million. Most Hong Kong celebrities speculated in real estate. They rose to fame early and made money fast; buying property and waiting for appreciation meant tenfold returns upon resale, because Hong Kong's housing market was exceptionally steady—even more relentless than the mainland's. Jackie Chan arrived home and opened the door, spotting a pair of women's shoes in the entryway. Lin Fengjiao poked her head out and smiled. "You're back? I made some delicious food. Perfect timing for you to have a taste." "Why are you here again?" "Oh, I missed you! I'll go get you something to eat." Lin Fengjiao didn't take his cool demeanor to heart, remaining gentle and accommodating. Jackie Chan found it hard to say anything harsh. After chatting briefly, he went off to attend to his own business, while Lin Fengjiao tidied up the house. From time to time, her hand drifted to her stomach, words lingering on the tip of her tongue. She desperately wanted to tell him she was pregnant, but she feared being forced to abort the child and had to hold back. Once the pregnancy progressed further, it would be best if a checkup showed it was a boy before she broke the news to Jackie Chan. "He'll definitely want a boy..." Lin Fengjiao had no idea that a certain person had already made an infallible prophecy. She merely whispered down at her belly, "You have to be strong. Convince your father to keep you—that way Mom can have a proper place, too." Elsewhere in the house. Jackie Chan worked out while turning the film over in his mind. In terms of practical execution, he and Hong Jinbao had a slight difference of opinion. If they made an all-star movie, who would take the lead? A dual-lead structure might not work well, but if one was primary and the other secondary, who would be which? To prevent conflict, the two had tentatively planned two films: one led by Hong Jinbao, one led by Jackie Chan, each supporting the other. So what should his own project be about? As Jackie Chan pondered, his thoughts drifted to the Falklands War. Because it involved Britain, the entire territory of Hong Kong was following it closely. Chen Qi had said his Republican-era kung fu films lacked scope and vision, amounting to nothing more than clowning around, and that he needed to tell a big story. What was a big story? A street brawl was a small story; a war was a big story. A war required a grand backdrop. Guns, artillery, a clash between two factions... Jackie Chan paused, a spark of inspiration striking him. He felt an itch to talk things through with Chen Qi, but unfortunately, the guy had already returned to the mainland. *** On set, inside the studio. Filming for Ghost continued. This scene showed Zhong Chuhong finally coming to believe that Liu Dehua's spirit was still in the world. She had let the spirit medium, Xiao Fangfang, into the house, and she was desperate to speak with her beloved. Xiao Fangfang acted as their interpreter, growing thoroughly exasperated. "All right, all right! Enough with the sappy talk! Could you two spare a thought for the feelings of a poor woman who's been single for thirty-five years?" Xiao Fangfang's performance was eccentric yet natural. She flopped onto the sofa, splayed out her limbs, and closed her eyes. "Come on, possess me!" "Are you sure?" Liu Dehua asked, overjoyed. "Just consider it me earning good karma for you star-crossed lovers. Come on—don't hold back just because I'm a delicate blossom!" In the film's premise, spirit possession took a physical toll on a medium, requiring a long recovery. Liu Dehua made a motion of lunging onto her. A visual effect would be added in post-production to signify the possession. "Cut!" "Okay! Next setup!" Once the male lead possessed her, he could use the medium's body to speak with the female lead. The cinematic technique for this scene would show the male and female leads locked in a passionate embrace. In reality, however, the medium and the female lead were holding each other. Both angles had to be shot. Just as the audience was swept up in emotion, the sudden cut between them would create an unexpected comedic effect. Tsui Hark grew excited again. "Sister Fangfang, reach out both hands, take hers slowly, and gently caress her cheek!" "Hold each other tighter!" "Sister Fangfang, you're tall—hold her like a man would. Ahong, lean into her, look more delicate and entranced..." The man was an incurable yuri fiend! If the two actresses hadn't seemed a bit mismatched, and had been Brigitte Lin and Wang Zuxian instead, he probably would have had them French kissing on the spot. "Mmh... mmh..." Holding another woman felt completely bizarre to Zhong Chuhong, and she was struggling not to burst out laughing. Xiao Fangfang noticed. Drawing on her deep experience, she tightened one arm around Zhong Chuhong's waist and used the other hand to bury the younger actress's head against her shoulder, shielding her from the camera so they wouldn't waste film and get chewed out by the director. The gesture only made it harder to hold in. Face pressed into Xiao Fangfang's shoulder, Zhong Chuhong trembled with stifled laughter. From Tsui Hark's vantage point, it looked as if she were sobbing. He praised, "Ahong is improving. She looks like a real actress now." "Cut!" "Okay, that's a wrap on this take!" The moment the words left his mouth, Zhong Chuhong clamped a hand over her lips, waving her other hand as she tried to compose herself, but a snort of laughter broke out anyway. Tsui Hark's face darkened; he opened his mouth to snap, then let it go, seeing that the take had turned out well enough. Seeing that the director wasn't going to scold her, she laughed even harder. Just then, someone stepped quietly into the studio and took up a spot beside the camera. "Mr. Chen!" Liu Dehua was the first to spot him and called out a greeting. The others quickly noticed as well, a chorus of "Mr. Chen!" and "Mr. Chen!" echoing across the room. "When did you get back?" Tsui Hark asked, surprised and pleased. "Just arrived today. Came straight to the set without stopping..." Chen Qi waved to everyone, greeting each person in turn before coming to a stop in front of Zhong Chuhong. "What are you laughing so hard about? That happy to see me back?" "As if! I was shooting a scene—what does that have to do with you?" Looking at him, Zhong Chuhong reined in her smile and let out a soft huff.