[2013.03.31] RAYMOND WONG CHANGES SCRIPTS FOR LESLIE CHEUNG

Clifton Ko

Charlie Yeung
courtesy of on.cc

Raymond Wong Pak Ming from 1984 to 1996 worked with Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing numerous times. The most memorable was when Clifton Ko Chi Sum invited Leslie to return from Canada to work on ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL (GA YAU HEI SI). Originally Stephen Chow Sing Chi's role was Leslie's, but after reading the script he wanted his character and wanted to be paired with Teresa Mo Shun Kwan. Wong Pak Ming said, "Leslie was very confident that he would perform this character well, so we changed the script. Finally the film broke all the records, everyone saw how outstanding his performance was!" He also pointed out that Leslie loved to help new comers. When he made THE PHANTOM LOVER (YEH BOON GOR SING) he once asked for Louis Koo Tin Lok. At the time Goo Jai had to work on a series in TVB so they changed to Huang Lei. Ten years after Leslie's passing, Wong Pak Ming said, "If I have a chance, I would like to keep working with you on movies. Now the Mainland market is huge. We can again go to war shoulder to shoulder."

In addition, a Mainland media report said that in 2003 Gor Gor planned to fulfill his director dream with a new film, with Jiang Wen and Huang Xiaoming as father and son. At the time Xiaoming was on the rise after the television series THE PRINCE OF HAN DYNASTY and even welcomed Gor Gor to his hometown Qingdao for location scouting with his entire family. Unfortunately with Gor Gor's passing the hunks of two generations were unable to work together.

Ko Chi Sum worked with Cheung Kwok Wing on many films, but over the years they have been rumored to be at odds. Reportedly in 1994 Ko Chi Sum was unable to sign Cheung Kwok Wing for a movie and someone publicized a check that was different from the salary and upset Gor Gor.

Ko Chi Sum said, "Gor Gor has left us so many years, why are people still trying to stir the pot? Gor Gor in 1998 even worked on my film NINTH HAPPINESS (GAU SING BO HEI). We worked in Nansha for two months and were very good friends. He even gave me a tip that (Connie) Chan Bo Chu was interested in a comeback and asked me to approach her. Finally in 1999 I worked with Chan Bo Chu on the play A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY (GIM SHUET FAU SUN)."

Charlie Yeung Choi Nei spoke with Mainland media about working with Gor Gor on ASHES OF TIME (DUNG CHEK SAI DUK). At age 17 she and Gor Gor called each other "father" and "daughter". At the time she had a scene with a lot of dialogue. Although Gor Gor did not have a part he still got up early to encourage her on the set and went over the lines with her. "Later he saw that I was fine and said that he was going back to sleep. At the time I stared at his back and thought he was very cool. I would never forget that in my lifetime!"

Charlie thanked Gor Gor for helping the younger generations and introducing her to other people. Both Karen Mok Man Wai and Karena Lam Ka yun also benefited from his care.