City on Fire

City on Fire is a 1987 Hong Kong action film directed by Ringo Lam, who also produced with Karl Maka. The film stars Chow Yun-fat, Danny Lee, and Sun Yueh. Following A Better Tomorrow (1986), it helped establish Chow's popularity as an action star in Asia and to a lesser degree, North America. Plot An undercover cop, Chan Kam-wah, investigating a group of jewelry thieves, is killed by three attackers. Inspector Lau assigns Ko Chow, another undercover officer, to continue the investigation. Chow hesitates due to a past experience where he had to betray a friend during an undercover mission. The thieves attempt to rob a jewelry factory but are interrupted by the police which ends with one of the robbers killing a police officer. A task force led by Inspector John Chan is formed to investigate the gang, leading to a rivalry between Chan and Lau. Chow offers the gang weapons for sale through Tai Song, a middleman, but is followed by Chan's team during the meeting. Chow successfully plants a recording device on himself and arranges to meet the gang again. Chow's girlfriend, Hung, plans to leave with another man, Tso, to Canada. Chow tries to stop her and proposes marriage, but she challenges him to prove his sincerity by meeting her at the registry office the next day. However, Chow is arrested by Chan's team for the weapons deal. Chow is tortured by Chan's men, but Lau intervenes and suggests that Chow participates in the gang's planned robbery to catch them in the act. The police are unaware of which jewelry store the gang will target but have teams ready to respond. Chow spends time with the gang before the heist, growing closer to Fu, one of the gang members. The gang leader designates the Tai Kong jewelry store as their target. During the heist, a shootout occurs, and several gang members are killed. Chow realizes that Fu is the one responsible for killing the officer during the jewelry factory heist. Chow and Fu escape to a hideout at the harbor, and Chow is mortally wounded in the process. He confesses to Fu that he's an undercover cop and asks for a quick death. However, Fu can't bring himself to do it. The police surround the hideout, and in the ensuing confrontation, Chow dies from his wound. Fu is arrested, and Inspector Lau is devastated by Chow's death and violently confronts Inspector Chan for his arrogance and actions. Cast Sources: Production Filming began in Hong Kong in 1986 and concluded around the Christmas season.