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Drama

In the Face of Demolition (1953): Cast & Plot

In the Face of Demolition (1953) movie poster

In the Face of Demolition is a 1953 drama directed by Lee Tit, starring Cheung Ying, Wong Man-Lei and Bruce Lee. It runs 2 hours 10 minutes.

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In the Face of Demolition (1953) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 10m (130 min)
Director
Lee Tit
Genre
Drama
Original language
Cantonese
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is In the Face of Demolition About?

The premise of In the Face of Demolition without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

This early leftist Hong Kong drama portrays a crumbling apartment block and its down‑and‑out residents—a taxi driver, an unemployed teacher, a professional forced to sell his blood, and a corrupt landlord. It underscores the cinema theme of the urban poor’s plight and exemplifies the period’s melodramas starring displaced Mainland actors.

In the Face of Demolition Themes & Keywords

· 2 tags
  • child actor
  • hong kong child actor
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Cast & crew

In the Face of Demolition Cast

Cheung Ying leads the cast, with Wong Man-Lei and Bruce Lee. Directed by Lee Tit; 11 actors are credited in all.

Plot

In the Face of Demolition Plot Summary

What happens in In the Face of Demolition from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Set in 1950s Hong Kong, this intimate drama paints a portrait of life among the city’s working poor, centered on a crumbling building of subdivided flats at Fife Lane. The story follows Lo Ming, a teacher who rents a room in the building, and his arrival upends a family of five who can no longer keep paying the rent. The tenants come from all walks of life: a club girl Pak Ying, [Cheung Ying], a loyal taxi driver Leung Wai, [Wong Man-Lei], and his wife, an unemployed Second Uncle Tam, his wife and their son Wah, a snobbish landlady Third Aunt and her husband the Drunken Immortal, a domineering loan shark Wong Tai-pan and his wife, Mrs. Wong, and Yuk-fong, a countryside girl who is Wong Tai-pan’s sister-in-law.

Full summary

The whole story of In the Face of Demolition, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know In the Face of Demolition?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

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  3. Question 3: not answered
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  10. Question 10: not answered

In which city and era is the film primarily set?

Details

In the Face of Demolition Also Known As

4 alternative titles, including “Wei lou chun xiao” and “A Dangerous Building”.

Also known as
  • Wei lou chun xiao
  • A Dangerous Building
  • 危楼春晓
  • Перед лицом разрушения

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FAQ

In the Face of Demolition FAQ: Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of In the Face of Demolition, each answered in a sentence.

How long is In the Face of Demolition?

In the Face of Demolition runs 2 hours 10 minutes (130 minutes).

When was In the Face of Demolition released?

In the Face of Demolition was released on November 26, 1953.

Who directed In the Face of Demolition?

In the Face of Demolition was directed by Lee Tit.

Who is in the cast of In the Face of Demolition?

In the Face of Demolition stars Cheung Ying, Wong Man-Lei and Bruce Lee, among 11 credited actors.

Does In the Face of Demolition have a post-credit scene?

No. In the Face of Demolition has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is In the Face of Demolition in?

The original language of In the Face of Demolition is Cantonese.

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