To Be No. 1

Fai Chuen is a young man who wants to rise in the triad of Hong Kong. He's tough; he's respected by his friends; he loves Apple, daughter of his boss in the small-time Hung Lok gang in Wanchai; and, he encourages the studies of Chun, the son of his mother's closest relative. When Chuen comes to the attention of Piu, a top triad boss, the Hung Lok gang is assigned a hit; Chuen commits the murder and then is frustrated when Apple's father takes the fall. Chuen's cockiness gets him in trouble again when he disobeys Piu to revenge a friend's death. Chuen, who's reached the police bulletin board's most wanted, is now expendable. Can he and Apple escape to the Mainland?

Directed by Raymond Lee Wai-Man, To Be No. 1 leans on a strong ensemble — Julian Cheung Chi-Lam, Allen Ting Chi-Chun, Simon Yam — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about crime titles of 1996.