A Better Tomorrow 3
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''A Better Tomorrow III: Love & Death in Saigon'' () is a 1989 Hong Kong
action Action may refer to: * Action (philosophy), something which is done by a person * Action principles the heart of fundamental physics * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video gam ...
drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...
directed, co-written, and co-produced by
Tsui Hark Tsui Hark (, , born 15 February 1950), born Tsui Man-kong (), is a Hong Kong filmmaker. A major director in the Golden Age of Cinema of Hong Kong, Hong Kong cinema, Tsui gained critical and commercial success with films such as ''Zu Warriors from ...
, the producer behind the first two films in the series. It is a loosely based
prequel A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work. The term ...
to
John Woo John Woo Yu-sen ( zh, t= ; born 22 September 1946) is a Hongkongers, Hong Kong film director known as a highly influential figure in the action film genre. The recipient of various accolades, including a Hong Kong Film Awards, Hong Kong Film Award ...
's ''
A Better Tomorrow ''A Better Tomorrow'' () is a 1986 Hong Kong action film directed, co-written and co-produced by John Woo, co-produced by Tsui Hark, and starring Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung and Chow Yun-fat. The film had a profound influence on Hong Kong action c ...
'' and '' A Better Tomorrow II''. John Woo wrote a screenplay for a third installment, but he never got to direct it due to having had artistic differences with Tsui during the filming of the second film. Instead, the original screenplay later became ''
Bullet in the Head ''Bullet in the Head'' () is a 1990 Hong Kong action film written, produced, edited and directed by John Woo, and starring Tony Leung, Jacky Cheung, Waise Lee and Simon Yam. The film incorporates elements of the action, war, drama, an ...
''. The two films have many parallels, most notably, both being set in the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
. The film stars
Chow Yun-fat Chow Yun-fat (born 18 May 1955), previously known as Donald Chow, is a Hong Kong actor and filmmaker. Known for his versatility, encompassing action to melodrama and comedy and historical drama, his accolades include three Hong Kong Film Awar ...
, who reprises his role of Mark Gor from the first film,
Tony Leung Ka-fai Tony Leung Ka-fai (; born 1 February 1958) is a Hong Kong actor who is a four-time winner of the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor. As he is often confused with actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Tony Leung Ka-fai is known as "Big Tony", while Tony L ...
and
Anita Mui Anita Mui Yim-fong (; 10 October 1963 – 30 December 2003) was a Hong Kong singer and actress who made major contributions to the Cantopop music scene and received numerous awards and honours. She remained an idol throughout her career, and i ...
. Set during the Vietnam War, it sets up the story of how Mark became the character he was in the original film. The second part of the title ''Love & Death in Saigon'' (夕陽之歌 or Song of the Setting Sun in Chinese) is also the title song for this movie. It was sung by Mui, who was also the leading lady in this third installment.


Plot

In 1974, during the final days of the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
, Mark Lee arrives in
Saigon Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...
, intending to bring his uncle and cousin Michael Cheung Chi-mun back to
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
with him. After arriving at the airport, Mark is confined by corrupt security guards who strip and attempt to rob him, but he is saved by Chow Ying-kit, who seems to have some measure of influence. Mark and Michael later encounter Kit in a nightclub where they learn of her criminal activities including
gun running Arms trafficking or gunrunning is the illicit trade of contraband small arms, explosives, and ammunition, which constitutes part of a broad range of illegal activities often associated with transnational criminal organizations. The illegal tra ...
. Kit takes an interest in the cousins and invites them to accompany her on a deal with a local Vietnamese warlord. The deal sours but the three escape. Kit is impressed with how Mark and Michael handled themselves and helps them escape Vietnam, taking them under her wing. Over the next few months, Kit trains the cousins in her business and in
marksmanship A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision shooting. In modern military usage this typically refers to the use of projectile weapons such as an accurized scoped long gun such as designated marksman rifle (or a sniper rifle) to shoot ...
. Mark and Michael develop an attraction to her while Kit is attracted to Mark. Despite his feelings, Mark does not reciprocate Kit's affections to avoid hurting Michael, who thinks Kit is in love with him. Kit manages to secure safe passage for Mark, Michael, and Michael's father back to Hong Kong. The three return and start a new business there. The leader of the arms smuggling company (and Kit's former lover), Sam Ho Cheung-ching, returns after a three-year absence when he was presumed dead. Jealous of Kit's relationship with Mark and Michael, he plots to kill the cousins. Ho sends a bomb to the business, which kills Michael's father. Ho and his men capture Mark and Michael; they severely beat them with Ho warning them to stay away from Kit. Kit expresses her regret for Michael's father's death and to share her feelings with Mark, which he reciprocates. Ho returns to Vietnam, taking Kit with him, to complete the deal with the Vietnamese warlord encountered earlier in the film. Mark and Michael follow Ho back to Saigon, intending to kill him. Mark steps off the plane attired in his iconic outfit as seen in ''
A Better Tomorrow ''A Better Tomorrow'' () is a 1986 Hong Kong action film directed, co-written and co-produced by John Woo, co-produced by Tsui Hark, and starring Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung and Chow Yun-fat. The film had a profound influence on Hong Kong action c ...
'': black duster, sunglasses, and matchstick in his mouth. Kit later meets Michael in an abandoned temple to give him two plane tickets to leave Saigon with Mark. However, they are unexpectedly swarmed by
Việt Cộng The Viet Cong (VC) was an epithet and umbrella term to refer to the communist-driven armed movement and united front organization in South Vietnam. It was formally organized as and led by the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, and ...
troops who attempt to execute them. Pat, a soldier and friend of Mark and Michael, strays into the temple which triggers a firefight with the Viet Cong. Michael is shot but is able to escape with Kit and Pat onto a jeep. During the ride however, Michael falls off and is surrounded by the Viet Cong which forces Pat and Kit to use a mortar that lands too close to Michael. Believing Michael to be dead, Mark confronts Kit in her hotel room and accuses her of betrayal and keeping secrets from him. Their spat becomes physical with Mark hitting her and telling her he wants nothing to do with her before leaving. Later, Mark is met by Pat who takes him to an ambulance where Michael had been recovering. Meanwhile, a despondent Kit prepares a bomb that she plans to detonate during her planned meeting with Ho and the Vietnamese warlord. During the meeting, however, the warlord attempts to double-cross Ho leading to a shoot-out. When the gun battle dies down, Mark arrives
dual wielding Dual wielding or Macedonian shooting is the technique of using two weapons, one in each hand, for training or combat. It is not a common combat practice. Although historical records of dual wielding in war are limited, there are numerous Martial a ...
two M-16 rifles, intending to exact revenge on Ho. Another shoot-out ensues, this time between Ho and Mark, during which Kit is shot by one of Ho's henchmen. Ho, however, is furious that Kit had become collateral and shoots his henchman. Ho prepares to execute Mark only to be shot by the warlord firing from a window. Mark catches Ho and uses his gun to shoot back at the warlord; Mark then cradles Ho who dies in his arms. Pat and Michael arrive in the same ambulance to help Mark escape with the wounded Kit. The four are pursued by the warlord in an
M48 Patton The M48 Patton is an American first-generation main battle tank (MBT) introduced in February 1952, being designated as the 90mm Gun M48, armored, full-tracked, combat vehicle of the medium-gun tank class. It was designed as a replacement for ...
tank but Mark manages to destroy the tank with mortars, killing the warlord. Mark and Michael then rush a dying Kit to the US Embassy in Saigon, where a mass evacuation is on-going as a result of the
Fall of Saigon The fall of Saigon, known in Vietnam as Reunification Day (), was the capture of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, by North Vietnam on 30 April 1975. As part of the 1975 spring offensive, this decisive event led to the collapse of the So ...
. Showing Kit's travel pass to the guards, the three are granted passage on the last US helicopter leaving the embassy which lifts off just as the crowds rush through the gates and the North Vietnamese flag is raised. Kit succumbs to her injuries. Mark cradles her dead body and contemplates his life ahead as the helicopter flies off into the sunset.


Cast


Box office

The film grossed HK$18,476,116 at the Hong Kong box office.


Alternative versions

The Taiwan version runs 130 minutes long, which is the complete uncut version. A VCD release of this version which incorrectly listed a length of 145 minutes has led to widespread allegations of a longer version, but the back cover of the VCD is the only evidence of the existence of a longer cut. The more widely available international version is 119 minutes (114 on PAL releases). A Taiwan Long Shong VHS dubbed in Taiwan (and distributed from Taiwan) contains an alternate scene in which Anita kisses Tony Leung's hand but is also shorter than the apocryphal 145 minute cut.


Year-end list

* 10th –
Stephen Hunter Stephen Hunter (born March 25, 1946, in Kansas City, Missouri) is an American novelist, essayist, and film critic. Life and career Hunter was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up in Evanston, Illinois. His father was Charles Francis Hunte ...
, ''
The Baltimore Sun ''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local, regional, national, and international news. Founded in 1837, the newspaper was owned by Tribune Publi ...
''


References


External links

* * *
''A Better Tomorrow 3''
at chinesemov.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Better Tomorrow 3, A 1989 films 1980s action drama films Hong Kong action thriller films Hong Kong romantic drama films Vietnam War films Triad films 1980s Cantonese-language films Films directed by Tsui Hark Films shot in Vietnam Films set in 1974 1980s action thriller films 1989 crime drama films 1989 romantic drama films A Better Tomorrow films Gun fu films Films set in Saigon 1980s Hong Kong films