Wikipedia
The 'W' Files
The 'W' Files (衛斯理) is a 2003 Hong Kong science fantasy-action-adventure-mystery television period drama serial based on Ni Kuang's novel series Wisely Series, starring Gallen Lo as Wisely. The series was first broadcast on TVB in Hong Kong from 2 June to 11 July 2003. The 30-episodes long series contains a total of eight different stories, set in China in the 1930s.
| The 'W' Files | |
|---|---|
DVD cover | |
| Genre | Period drama Action Science fantasy Adventure Mystery |
| Created by | Nelson Cheung Wong Kwok-fai |
| Based on | Wisely Series by Ni Kuang |
| Written by | Wong Kwok-fai Lilian Chan Au Wing-ting Tsang Po-wah Tong Kin-ping Law Chun-kei Chan Kei Tsui Sze-lok Wong Mei-seung Lee Ho |
| Directed by | Joe Chan Wong Kwok-fai Lee Kin-wo Ho Nam-chuen Hui Sui-ping |
| Starring | Gallen Lo Yoyo Mung Matt Yeung Mak Cheung-ching Michael Tong Tavia Yeung Power Chan Eddy Ko Roger Kwok Anne Heung |
| Theme music composer | Chan Tsung-hung |
| Opening theme | Mei Loi Dik Sau Mong Je (未來的守望者) performed by Gallen Lo |
| Ending theme | Yu Gwo Sai Kai Mat Yau Nei (如果世界沒有你) performed by Gallen Lo |
| Country of origin | Hong Kong |
| Original language | Cantonese |
| No. of episodes | 30 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Nelson Cheung |
| Production locations | Hong Kong Shanghai, China |
| Camera setup | Multi camera |
| Running time | 45 minutes (each) |
| Production company | TVB |
| Release | |
| Original network | Jade |
| Original release | 2 June – 11 July 2003 |
| The 'W' Files | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 衛斯理 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 卫斯理 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "Wisely" | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Plot
In the 1930s, Wisely returns to China from his overseas studies and runs a detective agency in Shanghai to investigate paranormal events. He meets a doctor named Pak So and she becomes his love interest, but they encounter several trials and tribulations to test their love before they finally get together. The series is divided into eight different stories, with Wisely and his team setting off to investigate and crack each mystery case. The stories are listed as follows:
- Paper Monkey (紙猴)
- Deadly Body Change (屍變)
- Charcoal (木炭)
- Searching Dreams (尋夢)
- Bug Suspect (蠱惑)
- Supernatural Beings (神仙)
- Ghost Story (鬼混)
- Disturbing Graves (盜墓)
Cast
Detective agency
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Gallen Lo | Wisely | Boss of the detective agency |
| Tavia Yeung | Wong Hung-hung | Wisely's cousin |
| Mak Cheung-ching | Kwok Tsak-ching | Wisely's assistant |
| Power Chan | Chan Cheung-ching | Wisely's assistant |
| Fiona Yuen | Choi May-sin | Wisely's secretary |
Pak family
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Eddy Ko | Boss Pak | Boss of the Green Gang |
| Michael Tong | Pak Kei-wai | Boss Pak's son; Pa-chu's husband |
| Yoyo Mung | Pak So | Boss Pak's daughter; Wisely's girlfriend |
| Halina Tam | Pa-chu | Pak Kei-wai's wife |
| Suet Nei | Aunt Ho | Pak family's servant |
Green Gang
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Benz Hui | Sung Kin | Sung Fuk's brother |
| Chan Wing-chun | Sung Fuk | Sung Kin's brother |
| Yeung Ka-nok | To Chung | |
| Daniel Kwok | Ma Cheung | |
| Peter Pang | Shum Ming | |
| Tsui Wing | Chow Chung | |
| Lee Kai-kit | Ho Mou | |
| Lee Kong-lung | Ching Yee | |
| Leo Tsang | Hon Sam | |
| Hoi Sang Lee | Lau Ah-kan |
Wan family
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Mimi Chu | Mrs. Wan | Medicine shop boss Wan Po-yu's mother |
| Mat Yeung | Wan Po-yu | News journalist |
| Sharon Chan | Lam Tai-yuk | Wan Po-yu's cousin |
| Yu Mo-lin | Deaf Granny | Wan family's servant |
Police
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Bowie Wu | Keung Wai-tai | Police chief |
| Jimmy Au | Tit-dan | Police inspector; Wisely's former classmate |
| Ngo Ka-nin | Wong Tong | Policeman |
| Kam Chi-ching | Policeman | |
| Adam Ip | Policeman | |
| Hoffman Cheng | Policeman |
Others
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Chun Wong | Old Choi | Wisely's housekeeper |
| Apple Ha | Sister Fan | Wisely's house servant |
| John Tang | Wu Suet | Doctor |
| Joe Junior | Uncle Sam | Performer in restaurant |
| Deno Cheung | Gobi | Inventor; Wisely's friend |
| David Do | Desert | Inventor; Wisely's friend |
| Ken Lok | Lei Yau-wai | Newspaper agency boss |
| Brian Wong | Ha Kwai-jo | Reporter |
| Wilson Tsui | Uncle Po | Pawn shop boss; Chan Cheung-ching's uncle |
| Ho Man-kit | Pau Siu-lung | Pawn shop worker |
| Nancy Wu | Lau Lai-ling's fan | Train station extra; appears in Ep. 11 |
Characters in Paper Monkey
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Lau Kong | Chun Cheng-hei | |
| Wong Man-piu | Yu Ting-man | |
| Cheng Fan-sang | Ka Number Two | |
| Luk Chun-kwong | Kwai Fu Bong | |
| Suen Kwai-hing | Factory supervisor |
Characters in Deadly Body Change
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Ku Feng | Cheng Tin-luk | Deceased patriarch of Cheng family |
| Law Lan | Mrs Cheng | Deceased wife of Cheng Tin-luk |
| Timothy Cheng | Cheng Po-wan | Cheng Tin-luk's son |
| Eric Chung | Dr Fai Kak | |
| Wong Wai-tung | Ah-sing | |
| Catherine Chau | Ah-sing's girlfriend | |
| So Lai-ming | Cheng Po-wan's secretary | |
| Yau Piu | Cheng family's servant | |
| Ngai Wai-man | Cheng family's servant |
Characters in Charcoal
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Felix Lok | Kai Sei | |
| Ellesmere Choi | Lam Tsi-yun Lam Pak-chun | Lam Pak-chun is Lam Tsi-yun's son |
| Raymond Tsang | Bin Ng | Kai Say's follower |
| Kwan Ching | Lam Yuk-sing | Lam family's ancestor |
| Janice Shum | Lam Tsi-yun's wife |
Characters in Searching Dreams
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Roger Kwok (Guest star) | Yeung Lap-kwan | Architect |
| Anne Heung (Guest star) | Lau Lai-ling | Singer; introduced in Ep. 11 |
| Lau Yuk-tsui | Hung Yuk-tsing | Yeung Lap-kwan's wife |
| Chan Tik-hak | Wu Hip-sing | |
| Chu Kin-kwan | Siu Chin | Yeung Lap-kwan's previous incarnation |
| Wah Chung-nam | Wong Sing | Wu Hip-sing's previous incarnation |
| Tse Po-law | Leung Pak-tsung | Hung Yuk-tsing's previous incarnation |
| Kwok Tak-shun | Lam Kei-lung | |
| Chan Min-leung | Chin Yung | |
| Ling Lai-man | Uncle Chik | |
| Wong Tsi-wai | Yeung Lap-kwan's secretary | |
| Ting Chu-wai | Ah-say |
Characters in Bug Suspect
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Kong Hon | King-ban | Tribal chief |
| Mok Ka-yiu | Mang-kor | |
| Reyan Yan | Pa-tsi | To Chung's girlfriend |
| King Kong Lam | Yat-ting | King-ban's son |
| Fung Hiu-man | Aunt Kam-fa | Pa-chu's aunt |
Characters in Supernatural Beings
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Kwok Fung | Ka Yuk-tsan | |
| Yu Tze-ming | Lau Sing Lau Hoi | Lau Sing and Lau Hoi are brothers |
| Dickson Lee | San-kau Ya-tsat | Japanese general |
| Cheng On-tung | Fung Yuen-yee | To Chung's wife |
| Yu Tin-wai | Old immortal | |
| Ngan Kin-kwok | Young immortal |
Characters in Ghost Story
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Liu Kai-chi | Chai-wong | Voodoo master |
| Wong Ching | Si-noi | Voodoo master; Chai-wong's apprentice brother |
| Eileen Yeow | Yu Fa / Chuen-to Fa-tsi | San-kau Ya-tsat's follower |
| Ho Chi-cheung | San-kau Ya-tsat's henchman | |
| Cheung Hon-ban | San-kau Ya-tsat's henchman |
Characters in Disturbing Graves
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Derek Kok | Colonel Ching-lung | |
| Savio Tsang | Tsai-pak | Pak Kei-wai's friend |
| Yu Yeung | Commander Wong | Ching-lung's boss |
| Gregory Charles Rivers | Nelson | American secret agent |
| Law Tin-chi | Nelson's follower | |
| Cheung Hak | Man in black | |
| Chuk Man-kwan | Lin-heung |
Popular Culture Trivia
- It Had to Be You (released in 1924) is a popular, romantic song that was written by Gus Kahn and composed by Isham Jones. Joe Junior performed the song throughout the series.
- Ruan Lingyu was a popular silent film actress in Shanghai from 1927 to 1935. Her fame and tragic suicide were occasionally mentioned throughout the series whenever the characters read articles about Ruan Lingyu from the newspaper. After their movie date, Choi May-sin discussed briefly with Wisely about Ruan's character in her notable film The Goddess (1934 film).
- When Will You Return? - 何日君再來 is a classic song that was released in 1937, Shanghai and was first performed by Zhou Xuan in the same year. Lau Lai-ling performed a segment of this song in the Searching Dreams story.
- Loch Ness has garnered national attention in 1933 due to the public's interest in the Loch Ness Monster. At the end of the series, Wisely and Pak So ended up together on a small boat in a lake. Pak So asked Wisely, "This lake is so big. Can you guess what lake is this?" Wisely responded, "I don't care what lake this is, as long as there's no strange things/events that will occur to interrupt our alone time together." The camera zoomed out and showed the sign Loch Ness and then zoomed out even further showing a giant creature swimming and howling underwater.
See also
- Wisely Series, the novel series by Ni Kuang
- Films and television series adapted from the Wisely Series:
- The Seventh Curse, a 1986 Hong Kong film starring Chow Yun-fat as Wisely
- The Legend of Wisely, a 1987 Hong Kong film starring Sam Hui as Wisely
- The Cat (1992 film), a 1998 Hong Kong film starring Waise Lee as Wisely
- The New Adventures of Wisely, a 1998 Singaporean television series starring Michael Tao as Wisely
- The Wesley's Mysterious File, a 2002 Hong Kong film starring Andy Lau as Wisely
External links
- Official TVB site