Knockabout
Knockabout
雜家小子
Overview
"Two con-artist brothers get swindled by a seemingly unassuming man whom they later force to take them on as martial arts students. They soon discover their new master is a dangerous, wanted murderer, forcing them to find a real master to learn enough kung fu to survive and exact revenge."
Iconic Tracked Scenes
- ▶
The con-artist brothers try to hustle people at a casino but get severely beaten when caught.
"casino scam gone wrong""brothers getting beaten" - ▶
Yipao undergoes intense acrobatic training with the fat beggar, including dodging attacks while jumping rope.
"jump rope training""acrobatic dodging" - ▶
The climatic, incredibly fast-paced fight where Yipao and the beggar team up against the Silver Fox using jump rope techniques.
"skipping rope fight""acrobatic final fight"
Why It's Remembered
- ★The grueling jump-rope and monkey bar training montage.
- ★The brothers getting constantly outsmarted by their treacherous first master.
- ★The final hyper-acrobatic fight involving a skipping rope style.
Cultural Context
- ◈Marks Yuen Biao's first major starring role.
- ◈Directed by Sammo Hung, who also co-stars as the eccentric beggar master.
- ◈Features incredible acrobatic training sequences showcasing Yuen Biao's physical prowess.
About the Action Elements
Knockabout is widely celebrated among martial arts cinema fans for sequences involving casino, gambling, hustle, con, caught. One of the most memorable sequences features Yuen Biao naturally executing casino scam gone wrong, where the choreography and unique set pieces become the unexpected highlight of the film.