Liang Po Po: The Movie
Liang Po Po: The Movie (梁婆婆重出江湖; literally Granny Liang/ Grandma Neo returns to the real world) is a Singaporean film directed by Teng Bee Lian in 1999. It starred the comedian director Jack Neo himself, who cross-dresses as the titular old lady, which in English is translated as "Grandma Neo".
| Liang Po Po: The Movie | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Teng Bee Lian |
| Produced by | Eric Khoo |
| Screenplay by | Jack Neo |
| Starring | Jack Neo Mark Lee Henry Thia |
| Cinematography | Yoke Weng Ho |
| Edited by | Lawrence Ang |
Production companies | Mediacorp Raintree Pictures Zhao Wei Film[1] |
| Distributed by | United International Pictures[1] |
Release date |
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Running time | 100 minutes |
| Country | Singapore |
| Language | Chinese (Mandarin, Hokkien, Cantonese) |
| Budget | S$800,000 |
Synopsis
The main character, an 85-year-old lady named Liang Po Po, made a decision to leave her retirement home in search of a new life, with a belief that she can still contribute to society.
On her first day, she was robbed by female gangster Ah Lian and her comrades, and when Liang tried to work as a gas pump attendant, chaos ensued. Liang then met and befriended a couple of gangsters named Ah Beng and Ah Seng, and got involved in a secret society that is involved in crimes. Taking advantage of Liang's unsuspecting nature, the society used her to sell pirated VCDs, as well as debt collection.
As Liang develops a genuine friendship with Ah Beng and Ah Seng, the man who runs the secret society, known as Big Boss, decided that his gang should be respected, and enlisted the service of two Hong Kong triad consultants, in an effort to improve the image and profile of the gang. The consultants insisted that gang members should be dressed in suits and sunglasses, and the Big Boss even dreamt of himself getting involved in politics, as a way to exert greater influence on civil society.
To raise money for an election campaign, the consultants persuaded Big Boss to orchestrate a bank robbery. Liang was seen as an ideal person to carry out the robbery, because it was felt that no one will suspect an elderly person for a robbery, and if caught, Liang is expected to gain sympathy from authorities. The plan was discovered by Ah Beng and Ah Seng, who then tried to send Liang away. Liang, however, refused to leave her friends, she was determined to follow through with the mission, unaware of what it actually entails.
The robbery was successful, but the bank later reported a much bigger amount of money missing, thus sparking a nationwide hunt for Liang. Meanwhile, both the gangsters and authorities race against each other to find Liang, and recover the money first. As she goes on the run, Liang realized she was used by Big Boss and his consultants, and decided to go on a path to turn the table on those who mistreated her.
Production
This film was the first produced by Mediacorp Raintree Pictures, and was based on a character that was made popular by a Television Corporation of Singapore (now MediaCorp) television series.[2]
Shooting of the film began on 21 September 1998, and involved a 50-member local crew. According to the production company, this was the first Singaporean film to feature high-speed chases, and choreographed fight scene involving hundreds of extra.[2]
In an effort to broaden the film's appeal, well-known Hong Kong celebrities Eric Tsang and Sheren Tang, as well as Malaysian singer Ah Niu were cast, in supporting roles.[2]
Filming locations include Bukit Merah Central, the Huang Shi Zong Hui (Huang Clan Association Building) in Geylang, and the abandoned Changi Commando Barracks.
Cast
- Jack Neo as Liang Po Po / Liang Xi Mei
- Mark Lee as Ah Beng
- Henry Thia as Ah Seng
- Patricia Mok as Ah Lian
- John Cheng as Big Boss
- Ah Niu as pump attendant
- Eric Tsang and Sheren Tang as consultants from Hong Kong
In addition, Zoe Tay, Chen Liping, Evelyn Tan, Kym Ng, Robin Leong, and Chris Ho appeared in cameos.[2]
References
- "Liang Po Po: The Movie". MediaCorp Raintree Pictures. Archived from the original on 25 February 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
- "Production Notes - Liang Po Po: The Movie". MediaCorp Raintree Pictures. Archived from the original on 3 June 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2017.