To Be Number One () is a 1991 Hong Kong gangster film directed by Poon Man-kit, and produced by Stephen Shiu. The film is based on the rise and fall of a real-life gangster Ng Sik-ho, who is portrayed in the film by Ray Lui. To Be Number One was a critical and box office success, grossing HK$38,703,363 at the Hong Kong box office and winning the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film at the 11th Hong Kong Film Awards. In 2017, the film was remade as Chasing the Dragon.
Plot The protagonist Ho begins the story as a poor Teochew refugee from Communist China, and leads his men to become pawns of the corrupt policeman Fat Kwan to control the drug trade. After Ho establishes himself, Fat Kwan turns against him, cripples him and kills many of his men, but Ho keeps rising and eliminates all his enemies. However Ho is blinded by his growing power, and his empire ends with the establishment of ICAC.
Cast and roles Ray Lui as Crippled Ho Lawrence Ng as Ming Waise Lee as Man Kent Cheng as Fat Kwan Cecilia Yip as Tse Yuen-yin Amy Yip as May Kenneth Tsang as Chief Inspector Tiger Lui Elvis Tsui as Dummy Tommy Wong as Loud Hung Dickens Chan as Big Sha Frankie Chan as Little Hak Lo Lieh as Boss Tin Ng Man-tat as Gold Teeth Ping Lau Shun as Boss Fung Lau Kong as Chief Inspector Lung Lily Ng as Man's wife Elvina Kong as Lui's deranged mistress Chin Tsi-ang as Ming's mother Wong Chi-keung as Fat restaurant boss Koo Wai-jan as Restaurateur boss' wife Victor Hon as Boss Kwong Dion Lam as Tin's bodyguard Chung Fat as Fat Lui tat as Opium den worker Wai Ching as Lui's assistant Jameson Lam as Ping's gangster Lee Ying-kit
Wong Kam-tong as Policeman interrogating Ho Mark Houghton as OSCG officer Tam Wai-man as Kwan's thug Leung Sam as Barber Fong Li as Chiang Wong Chung-kui as Kun Ng Kwok-fai as Unlucky gangster Ho Wing-cheung as Tin's bodyguard Chang Sing-kwong as Fat's thug Choi Hin-cheung Chan Hon-man
Awards and nominations Awards and nominations Ceremony Category Recipient Outcome11th Hong Kong Film AwardsBest FilmTo Be Number OneBest DirectorPoon Man-kitBest ScreenplayJohnny Mak, Stephen ShiuBest ActorRay LuiBest Supporting ActorKent ChengBest Supporting ActressCecilia YipBest Film EditingPoon Hung
External links
HK cinemagic entry