Beware Of Pickpockets

1981 1h 30m CN

🤯

9.0

MASTERPIECE

★9.0TMDB · 1

ComedyCrime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Big Nose Pao is a faithful and honest constable that has been tasked to arrest Three Hands, a pickpocket. However, each time the pickpocket is caught, he's released by the lack of evidence. Although Three Hands steals for a living, the money that he takes from the rich people, is spent on the seven poor orphans with whom he lives in an old shaky church.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Wu Ma
Superintendent
Dean Shek Tin
Three Hands
Karl Maka
Big Nose Pao
Annie Liu On-Lai
Pao's sister
Hon Kwok-Choi
Dog Lice
Kwok Bo-Keung
One of the seven orphans
Hui Yiu-Fai
One of the seven orphans
Lok Wai-Ming
One of the seven orphans

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Wu Ma
Writers: Raymond Wong
Languages: Cantonese
Countries: Hong Kong

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

90 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

45 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Wu Ma, shot by Manny Hoh Ming. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Joseph Koo. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Tony Chow Kwok-Chung shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Wu Ma and Dean Shek Tin and Karl Maka carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0082536 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 1 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Wu Ma directs. Manny Hoh Ming behind the camera. Joseph Koo scores. Tony Chow Kwok-Chung cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Hong Kong. Dialogue in Cantonese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

190 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
245 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Wu Ma, shot by Manny Hoh Ming. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Joseph Koo. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Tony Chow Kwok-Chung shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Wu Ma and Dean Shek Tin and Karl Maka carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0082536 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 1 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.