"Don't Tell My Partner" Chinese DVD Cover
Don’t Tell My Partner (1997)
Director: Otto Chan Juk Tiu
Producer: Norman Wong Chi Hung, Wong Hon Wa
Cast: Siu Chet-Yuen, Wong Shu-Kei, Tong Tak-Wai, Cho Wing-Lim, Ben Ng Ngai-Cheung, Gan Piu-Kwan
Running Time: 91 min.
By Gwailo
Category III meister Otto Chan casts his ‘Grand Gugniol’ violence stylings aside in favor of something a tad different. Chan’s 1997 offering, ‘Don’t Tell My Partner”, is an attempt at the most frightening of all genres, the romantic-comedy hybrid. He’s used both before in other films, but opts to leave the blood and carnage out, solely relying on romance and laughter- not much of either are on display unless you count ‘ye ol’ in-out’ as romantic or comedic. My ex-girlfriends vote the latter. Anyway, a staple of Chan’s film’s stays intact-the nudity. The ever-lovin’ gobs of naked excess-the films strength, naturally.
The paper thin excuse for a plot has an add exec (Jimmy Wong)-nicknamed ‘Little Cock'(My ex’s must have gotten a hold of this film) getting involved with the new office girl (Ozawa Madoka). Little Cock’s close friend has persuaded him to forsake his upcoming nuptials to a fashion photog, and get a bit adventurous. How odd his friends words coincide with the hiring of the new office hottie. Kismet or plot device? You make the call!
The sex scenes in DTMP are just short of x-rated and seems as if shots of penetration were trimmed before release. Jimmy Wong always seems to get sweet tail (see The Fruit is Ripe) and here rides Madoka, holding on for dear life. Ozawa Madoka is rather good looking, but needs to see an orthodontist. The Brits may have left HK, but it seems they have left their legacy of mangled oral hygiene behind.
Though I am a big Chan advocate, in all honest, the film isn’t really good. It’s rather slow and the sex scenes, which I’m sure the film is built upon, are few and far between. There is absolutely no need for the film to exist save for the booty on display. It’s all just softcore, late night skin flick, nonsense (not that I’m complaining, really). One thing seems to be certain and seen in many a Chan flick – he sure knows how to film scenes of carnal pleasure. The kind that make theater floors sticky and the rewind button constant.
Gwailo’s Rating: 3.5/10
