The poetry of teenagers in love is one of the most endearing and enduring traditions in cinema. Philip Chan made his solo directorial debut with a film based on his own adolescent fantasy, about a secondary school student who falls in love with his teacher. The teacher happens to be pregnant and, after the kid makes the vow to help her take care of the child, the father reappears to assume his responsibilities…Is teenage bubble going to burst? Chan had the foresight – or was it luck? – to hand over writing chores to Alfred Cheung, who turned the potentially controversial story into a script of nuanced emotions and morality while managing to avoid the sensational. Charlie's Bubble, which escaped critical attention in its initial release, is a work that deserves a second look.
A tangled murder mystery unfolds amid a complex love triangle. As conflicting witness accounts emerge, the truth about the victim and key suspects is revealed, leading investigators down a dark and twisty path where nothing is as it seems.
Revolutionary youth Xie Jian Ming is killed by corrupt officials near the lighthouse, leading to rumors of his ghost haunting the town. Ming’s fiancée, He Mingzhu, hides his death from his mother. When Ming’s “ghost” appears, Zhu vows to marry him, holding a midnight wedding to fulfill his mother’s wish. Suspecting Ming is alive, the Police Chief arrests Zhu and Ming’s mother. Ming’s friend, Law Sagull, rescues Zhu, convincing her to join the underground movement. They disguise themselves to help Ming’s mother escape, but Ming fails to free her. Later, Ming appears at a celebration to perform, as the underground group surrounds the officials. Ming confronts and kills the Police Chief, revealing he survived and that another comrade was tortured in his place. Reunited, Ming and Zhu join the revolutionary cause.
Ex-gangster Sonny Koo finds himself in the middle of a bank holdup by two inexperienced crooks. The robbery goes awry, but before order can be restored, Sonny assumes control. He proceeds to turn the hostage situation to his advantage, and uses the bank's customers and personnel as leverage to free his girlfriend from prison. On the outside, sympathetic cop Captain Chan debates with his captain over how to handle the situation.
