In the Face of Demolition (1953)

This early leftist social drama from Hong Kong offers a panoramic portrait of a crumbling apartment complex and its down-and-out denizens, including a taxi driver, an unemployed teacher, a professional reduced to selling his blood and, of course, a venal landlord. In addition to establishing an omnipresent theme in Hong Kong cinema – the plight of the urban poor – the film is also a prime example of the popular melodramas of the time, which featured displaced Mainland film stars.

• Release Date: 1953-11-26
• Runtime: 2h 10min
• Production Company: Union Film Production
• Production Country: Hong Kong
• Director: Lee Tit