A Moment of Romance – Radiance

Director: Benny Chan
Screenplay: James Yuen
Starring: Andy Lau, Wu Chien-Lien, Ng Man-tat, Tommy Wong, Bonnie Wong, Sandra Lang, Anna Ng Yuen-Yee, Kong Lau
Country: Hong Kong
Running Time: 92 min
Year: 1990
BBFC Certificate: 18

The story behind A Moment of Romance (a.k.a. Tin joek yau ching) goes that TV producer Wong Tin-lam, the father of Wong Jing who often appeared in Johnnie To’s films, had decided to retire in 1990 and so his son and students (including To and Ringo Lam) wanted to make a movie and use the box office revenue to serve as a pension for their mentor. To produced this film, A Moment of Romance, with Lam, Jing and Wallace Cheung acting as executive or associate producers.

In the director’s chair, however, was Benny Chan (though To has claimed he did most of the work). Chan had been To’s assistant director at TVB and A Moment of Romance was his feature film directorial debut. So, when the film made a healthy 13 million Hong Kong Dollars at the local box office, it helped launch his long and successful career as a director. Sadly though, Chan died a few years ago in 2020, before the release of his final film, Burning Fire.

Giving A Moment of Romance a long-awaited release in the UK on Blu-ray (it never even made it to DVD, to the best of my knowledge) are Radiance Films. I rarely turn down a classic-era Hong Kong title when I’m offered a screener to review and I’d heard great things about the film, so I snapped up a copy and my thoughts follow.

A Moment of Romance is set in Hong Kong and begins with a jewellery store robbery where the young triad member Wah Dee (Andy Lau) is the getaway driver. When the heist goes wrong, he takes a young woman named Jo Jo (Wu Chien-Lien) hostage. After he escapes, his accomplices want to kill her but Wah Dee protects Jo Jo, putting them both in trouble with members of the triad gang, particularly the unhinged Trumpet (Tommy Wong), who has eyes on becoming the boss.

Jo-Jo is from a wealthy family. She is sheltered and naive, but also kind and compassionate. She begins to fall in love with Wah Dee, despite his rough exterior. Wah Dee is initially reluctant to reciprocate her feelings, but he eventually comes to care for her as well.

Their love is forbidden, however, as their worlds are so far apart. Wah Dee’s criminal activities put Jo-Jo in danger and her parents will never approve of their relationship. Despite these obstacles, they try to make their love work, but their star-crossed romance seems doomed.

As you can see from my brief synopsis, the film is a Romeo and Juliet story at heart but it stands apart from the countless Shakespeare clones by giving the tale a distinctive Hong Kong twist. The influence of Ringo Lam on the production can be seen in how the romantic centre is countered by some gleefully over-the-top action sequences.

It’s a film splattered with blood and loaded with fiery explosions, despite its soft heart. This approach might not be for everyone, with action fans scoffing at the love scenes and melodrama buffs disgusted by the violence. However, it worked an absolute treat for me, blending Douglas Sirk with John Woo to a surprisingly successful degree.

Everything is amped up to 11, including the drama. Again, this won’t suit all tastes, but the film has such (literally) burning passion, it’s hard not to be swept up in everything.

Working as a balm over the mishmash of genres is some stunning cinematography. The film was shot on location, often in the rougher parts of Hong Kong but DOPs Joe Chan and Wong Wing-Hang make the most of the vibrant colours of the city and incorporate plenty of movement to keep the energy pumping.

Also adding to the slick style of the film is its music. The score and the handful of pop songs that make up the soundtrack are very much of their time but fit the tone perfectly, amping up the romance whilst offering some modern bombast.

Whilst there are a couple of cheesy moments, particularly the romantic montages, the central relationship is generally handled quite sensitively. There’s a lovely little moment where the couple are alone together in a hotel room and their awkward silence is made more uncomfortable by the sounds of a neighbouring couple having sex. Wah Dee and Jo Jo’s relationship is, in fact, surprisingly chaste, other than a passionate kiss late in the film.

The action is well executed too. There’s some fantastic vehicular stuntwork on display, as well as some vicious fight scenes. The opening heist is particularly impressive.

The cast is also strong. A Moment of Romance was Jacklyn Wu’s screen debut and it led to her becoming quite a big star in the 90s, though her career dwindled into the 2000s. Here she perfectly captures the sweet innocence of the character and it’s hard not to fall in love with her yourself.

Lau was already a big name on TV as well as a popular recording artist at this point and was fast becoming a movie star but the success of A Moment of Romance helped push this stardom even further. He exudes cool, as the badass, motorbike-riding Wah Dee, but still shows signs of quiet tenderness, when required.

It was Ng Man-tat who walked home with an award for Best Supporting Actor at the Hong Kong Film Awards though, for his work in A Moment of Romance. I wrote recently that I thought he spoilt Taxi Hunter and again he acts a little like the comic relief here, playing a simple-minded wannabe gangster. However, as the film goes on, his character develops effectively and he is far less gratingly obnoxious here. His character gives the story an extra theme of brotherhood among thieves, adding a flavour of heroic bloodshed alongside the romantic crime drama.

All-in-all then, A Moment of Romance is a grand, operatic romance fuelled by blood, fire and violence. It’s Romeo and Juliet for action junkies. Some may find it over-the-top but I loved every minute of it.

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