PORTLAND STREET BLUES (1997) Directed By Raymond Yip Wai-man Starring: Sandra Ng Kwan-yu, Kristy Yeung Kung-yu, Vincent Wan Yeung-Ming, Shu Qi (aka Hsu Chi), Alex Fong Chung-sun, Ng Man Tat, John Ching Tung, Peter Ngor Chi-Kwan, Kwan Hoi-shan, Ken Lo Wai-kwong, Francis Ng Chun-yu, Ekin Cheng Yee-kin

Reviewed by Ron Murillo

When Young and Dangerous exploded on the Hong Kong cinema scene in 1996, it not only propagated its own string of sequels, but was responsible for revitalizing an entire genre of triad films. Since then, however, most of the films, including the Young and Dangerous sequels, have suffered from pale scripts that simply rehashed old plotlines of trust, ambition, and betrayal.

But the initial success of Young and Dangerous has been more than enough to ensure that its cast would find roles in similarly themed films, such as War of the Underworld, Streets of Fury, Mongkok Story, and Once Upon a Triad Society 2. In fact, two films have been direct tie-ins to the parent series: Sexy and Dangerous (utilizing the appearance of "God of Guns", the scrawny cop who killed Ugly Kwan in the first Young and Dangerous film and who also makes a cameo in Y&D 4) and Once Upon a Time in Triad Society (which recounts the rise of Francis Ng's "Ugly Kwan" character in the Hung Hing triad society).

So it is something of a surprise that, as the Young and Dangerous phenomenon drew to a close, another spin-off film emerged. Even more amazing is its subject matter of a female mobster (and supporting character in Y&D 4 and 5 named Sister Thirteen). Played by Sandra Ng Kwun-yu, she is a forceful, sometimes brassy individual, considered a lesbian by all (although it becomes obvious she has feelings for men as well, but has been hurt one time too many). Thirteen, however, is not a token participant in the Underworld by any means. Portland Street Blues develops Sister Thirteen into a feeling, breathing human being -- a person of more depth than any Y&D character to this point.

The film opens in the present with Thirteen betrayed by her female lover, Sasa, to a rival gang boss named Fai-fit. Thirteen survives the incident with the aid of her Hung Hing associate, Ben Hon (Vincent Wan Yeung-ming). As she dwells on her betrayal and brush with death, Thirteen recalls the incidents that led her to this point in her life. Her father, Tat (Ng Man-tat), a follower of Ugly Kwan (Francis Ng Chun-yu) in the Hung Hing, had named her Thirteen because he won thirteen small bets the night she was born. Knowing he wanted a son, Thirteen grew up as a tomboy, but developed an intense crush on a Tung Sing (rival triad) kickboxer named Coke (Alex Fong Chung-sun).

When Tat wins the lottery, a Luen Wo triad named Brother SOB steals his ticket from him. To get revenge, Thirteen and her friend Yun (Kristy Yeung Kung-yu) try to lure SOB into a situation where he will be arrested for prostitution. But SOB turns the tables on the pair and captures Thirteen, later torturing her. Learning of her plight from Yun, Tat attempts to rescue her and is murdered by SOB.

Thirteen attempts to kill SOB in revenge, but is overwhelmed by his men. She is rescued by Kei (Shu Qi), a one-time mistress of Tung Sing crimelord Uncle Pun. Now nicknamed "Scarface," Kei is the former lover of James, a corrupt policeman, who brutalized her when she informed him that she was pregnant and wanted to get married. To ease the pain of her sidewalk abortion, Kei was given heroin and soon became an addict. She then took to wandering Portland Street wearing a surgical mask and old clothes to avoid being recognized by James (her nickname "Scarface" comes from the residents mistakenly believing she wears the mask to hide a disfigurement).

In her appearances in Young and Dangerous 4 & 5, the character of Thirteen seemed an oddity: a woman with power in a male dominated underworld society who constantly maneuvered within that world to ascend in stature and power while commanding respect and friendship from her male colleagues. In what few scenes she appeared, Thirteen was taken as an equal by Chan Ho Nam (Ekin Cheng Yee-kin), Ben Hon, Prince, and the others of the Hung Hing. But, since the focus of the Y&D films were on Chan Ho Nam, the character of Sister Thirteen emerged as nothing more than a walk-on cameo by a popular actress.

Portland Street Blues shifts that focus away from the MTV glitz and pacing of the Young and Dangerous films and adds more grit and personality to the narrative. Sister Thirteen isn't a hard-boiled lesbian caricature, but a survivor in a world that has few survivors. In the opening confrontation with Fai-fit, she is cool as ice, even though her life is being threatened by the barbaric ganglord. But her emotions are present in her eyes when she later pronounces sentence upon the lover who betrayed her. She's not the female version of Ugly Kwan, dispensing his whims in every direction, or of Chan Ho Nam with his conflict of brotherhood versus duty. Her difference lies in the fact that, of all the characters in the Y&D mythos, Sister Thirteen so obviously stands alone.

The film doesn't so much examine Thirteen's ascent once she is within the Hung Hing (the narrative jumps from the murder of James, her acceptance of the deed, then back to the present, perhaps leaving a story to be told in a sequel), but the events leading up to her decision to be a part of the triad. Her sexual preferences seem firmly heterosexual in her early life, though she has a close, playful relationship with Yun. It's as much a surprise to Thirteen, as it is to the audience, when, during a reunion luncheon, Yun confesses that she didn't sleep with Coke for the simple reason that she was in love with Thirteen (director Raymond Yip Wai-man underscores the moment by framing Thirteen alone at the table by the window from the outside of the restaurant, giving the scene an even more isolated texture).

Sandra Ng Kwan-yu is the film's centerpiece. Usually relegated to playing eye-rolling, silly comedy parts like those in Killing Me Tenderly, the All's Well That Ends Well movies and Inspector Wears Skirts series (one could no doubt equate her comedy style to Jim Carrey's frentic overacting), it is her underutilized dramatic strength that comes to the fore here. Critically praised (and nominated) in recent years for the experimental film Four Faces of Eve and her supporting role in The Returning, Sandra Ng fleshes out the shallow "gal pal of the Hung Hing" into a lonely, almost tragic individual.

Thirteen's life is a series of losses, from her father to the break-up of her friendship to Yun to the deaths of Kei and Coke, but Ng never lets her performance become maudlin. Instead, she brings out the determination of her character to survive past these adversities. When Thirteen finally breaks down at the side of Coke's corpse, you understand that these tears have been a long time in coming, both for Coke and for what the two might have been.

Ng also deepens her character by underplaying Thirteen's complex sexual preference. Men have either abused her (like Brother SOB), been beneath her respect (as in the case of her English teacher), or have left her alone (her father's murder and Coke's disappearance). Even Thirteen's savior, Kei, is brutalized by James in front of her eyes. The only real security she embraced in her life was her friendship with Yun. When Yun is driven away and she is deserted by Coke and Pao, Thirteen states that she has always been more comfortable with women. But, though she seemingly has taken female lovers during her ascension in the triad, her feelings for Coke are still strong and her relationship with Ben Hon very close. One could almost suppose that Thirteen takes women lovers to keep an involvement with men at a distance. Even when Hon tries to give Thirteen a diamond ring, playing up the unimportance "of the gift," she tries to take every opportunity to give it back to him, though the act does touch her. And, when she is reunited with Coke, her only request is that he hold her, probably the most poignant moment of the film.

Ng Kwan-yu is ably supported by Shu Qi (aka Hsu Chi), who demonstrates a talent beyond her typecasting in silly comedies. Shu shows an understanding of character not usually found in her typical roles as "the girl friend" , "the sex kitten" or "the mistress" (such as in Blacksheep Affair and Young and Dangerous 5). It is interesting to note that Shu, who is considered a marketable "hot property" in HK films, is displayed on the Portland Street Blues poster wearing the surgical mask she utilizes to hide from James, as if to say, "No, I am not the sexy girl in this role ... I am a person."

In the supporting roles, Vincent Wan Yeung-ming gets a chance to expand on his "Ben Hon" role from the Young and Dangerous films, allowing fans of the series to see that the relationship between Ben and Thirteen, hinted at being close in Young and Dangerous 5 is actually more than just friends, though neither character would probably admit that to the other. Ng Man-tat generates some of the same sympathy he did in a similar role in Love and the City, though this part is not as large. Alex Fong Chung-Sun gives a low key, but believable performance as Coke, as does Kristy Yeung Kung-yu as Yun. All complement the story, but don't overshadow the focus on Ng Kwun-yu.

What makes Portland Street Blues even more interesting in relation to the Young and Dangerous series is the adherence to the mythos of the series. Characters from the Young and Dangerous films are either mentioned, such as Jordan Chan Siu-chun's "Chicken" or Anthony Wong Chau-sang's "Tai Fai," or have cameo appearances like Jerry Lamb Hiu-fung's "Pou-pee," Francis Ng Chun-yu's "Ugly Kwan," Ken Lo Wai-kwong's "Prince," and Ng Chi-hung's "Brother Bee." Even Ekin Cheng Yee-kin's "Chan Ho-nam" makes a cameo appearance at the film's climax. Events in the Y&D series are mentioned in passing in a chronological parallel to Thirteen's story, as if to establish her place in the history of the Hung Hing.

It is to Director Raymond Yip Wai-man's credit that he is able to do what Young and Dangerous series Director Andrew Lau Wai-keung seemingly has tired of attempting to accomplish--make the franchise interesting for adults. Utilizing a well-written script and a talented cast, Yip is able to create an empathy between the audience and these characters that is no longer present in the parent series. Moreso, his use of camera technique generates some of the best moments, from the aforementioned framing of Thirteen at the restaurant window to a distant shot of Thirteen and Coke hugging. It is doubtful that anyone in the audience did not feel apprehension in the slow motion approach of Kei to her former lover on his wedding day or sadness at her downfall.

Portland Street Blues takes what is essentially a trendy franchise and darkens the colors of its commercial glitz with reality. In doing so, it elevates a minor, almost stereotypical character and makes her three-dimensional. The film takes away some of the flash and heroics of the Young and Dangerous series and replaces it with a personal perspective. In doing so, it demonstrates that there are still some very worthwhile films coming out of Hong Kong's depressed film industry.