View source for Winners & Sinners

{{Short description|1983 Hong Kong film by Sammo Hung}}
{{Hatnote|This page is about the Hong Kong film. For Theodore Bernstein's New York ''Times'' newsletter, see [[Theodore Menline Bernstein#References|the reference on his page]].}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{One source|date=April 2019}}
{{Use Hong Kong English|date=June 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Winners & Sinners
| image          = Winners-and-sinners-poster.jpg
| caption        = Film poster for ''Winners and Sinners''
| native_name    = {{Infobox Chinese|child=yes| t    = 奇謀妙計五福星
 | s     = 奇谋妙计五福星
 | p         = Qí Móu Miāo Jǐ Wŭ Fú Xīng
 | j       = Kei4 Mau4 Miu6 Gai3 Ng5 Fuk1 Sing1}}
| director       = [[Sammo Hung]]
| producer       = [[Raymond Chow]]<br/>[[Leonard Ho]]
| writer         = Sammo Hung<br/>[[Barry Wong]]
| starring       = Sammo Hung<br/>[[Jackie Chan]]<br/>[[Yuen Biao]]<br/>[[Richard Ng]]<br/>[[Charlie Chin]]<br/>[[Stanley Fung]]<br/>[[Cherie Chung]]
| music          = [[Frankie Chan]]<br>[[Chris Babida]]
| cinematography = Ricky Lau
| editing        = Peter Cheung
| distributor    = [[Orange Sky Golden Harvest|Golden Harvest]]
| released       = {{Film date|df=yes|1983|7|7}}
| runtime        = 101 minutes
| country        = Hong Kong
| language       = Cantonese
| gross          = {{HK$}}21,972,419 {{nowrap|([[Hong Kong]])}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Winners and Sinners (1983) |url=http://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=6493 |website=[[Hong Kong Movie Database]] |access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref> <br> 285,579 tickets {{nowrap|([[Seoul City]])}}<ref>{{cite web |title=영화정보 |trans-title=Movie Information |url=http://www.kobis.or.kr/kobis/business/mast/mvie/searchMovieList.do |website=KOFIC |publisher=[[Korean Film Council]] |language=ko |access-date=26 August 2019 }}</ref>
}}

'''''Winners & Sinners''''' ({{zh|t=奇謀妙計五福星}}, also known as '''''5 Lucky Stars''''') is a 1983 [[Hong Kong action cinema|Hong Kong action]] [[comedy film]] written and directed by [[Sammo Hung]], who also starred in the film. The film co-stars [[Jackie Chan]] and [[Yuen Biao]], the latter serving as one of the film's [[stage combat|action directors]]. It was the first in the ''[[Lucky Stars]]'' series of films, a highly successful series in [[Hong Kong]].

The film co-stars Chan in a significant role as an error-prone [[police officer]]. It also features a cameo appearance from Yuen as another police officer who gets into a fight with Chan's character.

The film is followed by ''[[My Lucky Stars]]'' and ''[[Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars]]'', insofar as the "Five Lucky Stars" concept and many of the same actors return in those latter films. However, the character names and indeed their roles differ: [[Stanley Fung]]'s character is the nominal "leader" of the quintet in ''Winners & Sinners'', whereas Hung's character takes the mantle in the latter films.

==Plot==
Five prisoners - Teapot (Sammo Hung), Curly (John Sham), Exhaust Pipe (Richard Ng), Vaseline (Charlie Chin), and Rookie (Stanley Fung) meet in their cell to form a friendship. Rookie assumes the leadership of the group, whilst Teapot is bullied by the others (in the later films, Roundhead, played by [[Eric Tsang]], is the group's victim and Hung's character is the leader). Following their release, they team up with Curly's beautiful sister, Shirley (Cherie Chung), and form a company called the Five Stars Cleaning Co. While most of the group attempt to vie for Shirley's affection, Teapot ultimately forms a relationship with her.

A sixth convict, the wealthy Jack Tar (James Tien), is released on the same day. Upon his release, he commences work on his next criminal project: trading [[counterfeit]] US and Hong Kong currency with an American crime boss. Jack sends his chauffeur to do the exchange at a skating competition, but the chauffeur's insecure attitude attracts the attention of two muggers.  The muggers steal the briefcase containing the counterfeit US money and take off. Police officer CID 07 (Jackie Chan) attempts to recover the briefcase containing the phony money, but the case accidentally ends up in the Five Stars Cleaning Co. van. CID 07 continues his pursuit of the muggers, which results in a massive freeway pile-up.

Teapot and his friends are unaware of the mishap, and drive away with the case. The chauffeur informs Jack, who orders his men to search for them. Later, Jack hosts a party at his mansion. Teapot and his friends decide to gatecrash, hoping to expand their business with the wealthy guests. They successfully enter the mansion undetected, and while socializing with the other guests, Jack privately meets a Triad boss to discuss a new deal for the counterfeit plates. A bodyguard then realizes the Five Stars Cleaning Co. are there, and alerts Jack, who interrogates Curly. Curly insists he has no knowledge about the case, and the ensuing ruckus causes a physical confrontation between the friends and Jack's bodyguards. The friends narrowly escape, only to be kidnapped by the Triad boss, who secretly wants to cut off the deal with Jack and obtain the plates himself. He orders the friends to give up the case, and holds Shirley hostage. The friends return home and finally discover the case. When they leave to make the dropoff, however, Jack's men arrives. Teapot, Exhaust Pipe, and Vaseline engage them in battle, while Curly leaves to fetch the Triad boss and Rookie goes for help. The Triad boss and his bodyguards arrive, where Jack learns of his motives and turns the fight against him instead. The police arrive, led by Rookie, who reveals himself to be undercover. They arrest Jack and the Triad boss and their men and rewards the friends for their assistance.

==Cast==
{{colbegin}}
*[[Sammo Hung]] as Teapot
*[[John Shum]] as Curly / Jack So
*[[Richard Ng]] as Exhaust Pipe / Wind Pipe
*[[Charlie Chin]] as Vaseline
*[[Stanley Fung]] as Rookie / Ranks
*[[Cherie Chung]] as Shirley
*[[Jackie Chan]] as CID 07 / Cop #7086
*[[James Tien (actor)|James Tien]] as Jack Tar
*[[Cecilia Yip]] as Ceci (CID 07's Girlfriend)
*[[Yuen Biao]] as CID Agent
*[[Moon Lee (Hong Kong actress)|Moon Lee]] as CID Agent’s Girlfriend
*[[Philip Chan (actor)|Philip Chan]] as Inspector
*[[Mars (actor)|Mars]] as Robber
*Tai Bo as Chai
*Fung Hak-on as Pat
*Fung Ging-man as Angry Fisherman
*Paul Chang as Inspector
*[[Dick Wei]] as Henchman
*[[Wu Ma]] as Postman
*[[Chiu Chi-ling]] as Master Chiu
{{colend}}

==Production==
Sammo Hung got the idea for the film from an old TV show, in which a group of police officers from different backgrounds worked together, each displaying their own particular skills. By giving the characters humorous and disparate backgrounds, he hoped to make an entertaining film.<ref name="DVDInterview">{{cite video
  | people = Sammo Hung
  | title = Winners and Sinners, "Tango Teapot" interview with Sammo Hung
  | medium = DVD
  | publisher = Contender Entertainment Group
  | date = 2004-08-02}}</ref>

The film's Chinese title, ''Five Lucky Stars'' was chosen as it was evocative of the [[Peking Opera School#The Seven Little Fortunes|Seven Little Fortunes]] (aka "The Lucky Seven"). The Seven Little Fortunes was the name of the performance troupe that included Hung, Chan and Yuen, whilst they attended the [[Peking Opera School]], The China Drama Academy, as children.<ref name="DVDInterview" />

==Release==
A dubbed version was released in the UK in the late 1980s, and later on VHS and DVD in Sweden, which omitted a karaoke sequence in the market stall (with the song performed being [[Young Turks (song)|Young Turks]] by [[Rod Stewart]]). On 2 August 2004, DVD was released by [[Hong Kong Legends]] at the United Kingdom in [[DVD region code#2|Region 2]].

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|+List of awards and nominations received by ''Winners and Sinners''
! Ceremony !! Category !! Nominee !! Result
|-
|rowspan=2|'''[[3rd Hong Kong Film Awards]]'''
|[[Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
|[[Richard Ng]]
|{{Nom}}
|-
|[[Hong Kong Film Award for Best Action Choreography|Best Action Choreography]]
|[[Yuen Biao]], [[Lam Ching-ying]], Billy Chan
|{{Won}}
|-
|}

==See also==
{{Portal bar|Hong Kong|Film|Comedy|1980s}}
*[[Jackie Chan filmography]]
*[[List of Hong Kong films]]
*[[Sammo Hung filmography]]
*[[Yuen Biao filmography]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0086605|title=Winners & Sinners}}

{{Lucky Stars franchise|state=expanded}}
{{Sammo Hung}}
{{Best Action Choreography HKFA}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Winners And Sinners}}
[[Category:1983 films]]
[[Category:1983 action comedy films]]
[[Category:1980s buddy comedy films]]
[[Category:1980s crime comedy films]]
[[Category:1980s martial arts comedy films]]
[[Category:1980s Cantonese-language films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Sammo Hung]]
[[Category:Films set in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Films shot in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Golden Harvest films]]
[[Category:Hong Kong action comedy films]]
[[Category:Hong Kong buddy films]]
[[Category:Hong Kong martial arts comedy films]]
[[Category:Police detective films]]
[[Category:1980s Hong Kong films]]
[[Category:Lucky Stars]]