Kuai can che (1984)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Sammo Hung Kam-Bo

Writers:

Antonio Llorens (writer)
Edward Tang (writer)

Release Date:

1984 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Comedy

Tagline:

Not since Don Quixote has Spain had so much fun!

Plot:

Cousins Thomas and David, owners of a mobile restaurant, team up with their friend Moby, a bumbling private detective...

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Martial Arts | Biker | Thief | Italy

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jackie Chan	...	Thomas
Sammo Hung Kam-Bo	...	Moby (as Samo Hung)
Biao Yuen	...	David (as Yuen Biao)
Lola Forner	...	Sylvia
Benny Urquidez	...	Thug
Keith Vitali	...	Thug
Herb Edelman	...	Matt
Susana Sentís	...	Gloria (as Susanna Sentis)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mercedes Albert
Miguel Aniles
Paul Chang	...	David's father
Josep L. Dallester
Mariló Domínguez
Josep Lluís Fonoll		(as J. Fonoll)
Montserrat Julió		(as Monserrat Julio)
Sau Leung 'Blacky' Ko	...	Motorcycle Punk
Luis Monte
Germán Monzó
Amparo Moreno	...	Susana
Richard Ng	...	Brilliant Patient
Luis Palenzuela
José Sancho	...	Mondale (as Pepe Sancho)
John Sham	...	Laughing Patient
Ma Wu	...	Human Clock

Also Known As:

Comidas a domicilio (Spain)
Los supercamorristas (Spain)
Million Dollar Heiress
Spanish Connection (India: English title)
Spartan X
Weapon X
Wheels on Meals (Hong Kong: English title)

Runtime:

Spain:98 min | USA:100 min | West Germany:104 min (video) | Hong Kong:108 min

Country:

Hong Kong | Spain

Language:

Cantonese | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Norway:15 | West Germany:16 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain

Company:

Golden Harvest Company

Trivia:

Benny Urquidez, a kickboxer with a 58-0 record, was nearly fired for hitting his opponents too hard while filming.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jackie and the others are chased by the gangsters, they hit the cars with their rear bumper, the bumpers deform. Then in the next shot, the bumpers are okay again.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Best of the Martial Arts Films (1990)

Classic Slapstick

The basic synopsis of Wheels on Meals is as follows: Jackie Chan and Yuen Baio are two Chinese immigrants who run a mobile snack van business in Barcelona. Sammo Hung, also a chinese immigrant living in Barcelona, works as a very badly dressed PI. Sammo is hired by a dubious looking gentleman in a bowler hat to track down a Spanish girl, who it just so happens is the daughter of Yuen Baios dad's girlfriend. This sets the scene for, amongst other things, a bizarre retro skateboarding sequence, a ludicrous car/van chase and a top class fight at the end.

For me, Wheels on Meals represents the ultimate combination of comedy kung fu and naive slapstick humor. It's worth pointing out that this film isn't as good a Martial Arts flick as some of the earlier works that it's three main stars were involved in (Young Master, Magnificent Butcher, Prodigal Son, etc). However, the main strength of Wheels on Wheels is it's ability to get new mileage out of some very old gags, and it also proves once and for all that unusual hats can be very funny.

I give it nine out of ten.