As Tears Go By (1988) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A violent loyalty between Wah and Fly collides with Wah's fragile romance with Ngor and ends in irreversible tragedy.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

Cousin In The City

Ngor arrives in Mong Kok and temporarily stays with Wah. Wah's criminal obligations and Mabel's breakup expose the emotional damage caused by his life.

Key Events

• Wah Receives Ngor's Visit — Wah learns that his younger cousin Ngor will stay with him briefly. Characters: Wah, Ngor Location: Mong Kok
• Debt Collection Job — Wah leaves Ngor to help Fly collect a debt. Characters: Wah, Fly Location: Mong Kok
• Mabel Ends Their Relationship — Mabel breaks up with Wah and reveals that she aborted his baby. Characters: Wah, Mabel Location: Mong Kok
• Wah Apologizes — Wah apologizes for threatening Ngor and offers to take her to a movie. Characters: Wah, Ngor Location: Wah's home

Debt And Retaliation

Fly's failed snooker bet creates a violent debt crisis. Wah treats Fly, confronts Tony, and robs the establishment when the interest cannot be paid.

Key Events

• The Failed Snooker Bet — Fly makes a desperate bet, then flees with his younger brother when he cannot win. Characters: Fly, Tony, Tony Location: Snooker hall
• Fly Is Severely Beaten — Tony's gang chases and severely beats Fly after his escape. Characters: Fly, Tony, Tony Location: Mong Kok streets
• Ngor Questions Wah — Wah and Ngor treat Fly's wounds, leading Ngor to question Wah's criminal work. Characters: Wah, Ngor, Fly Location: Wah's home
• Ngor Leaves For Lantau — Ngor returns to Lantau and leaves Wah a note asking him to visit. Characters: Wah, Ngor Location: Mong Kok
• Wah Robs Tony's Establishment — Unable to pay the interest, Wah robs the establishment Tony protects. Characters: Wah, Tony Location: Tony's protected establishment
• Forced Debt Compromise — The mob boss forces Wah and Tony to reach a compromise over the grievance. Characters: Wah, Tony Location: Mong Kok

A Brief Lantau Haven

Wah tries to redirect Fly into legitimate work and travels to Lantau to see Ngor. Their growing closeness offers a temporary alternative to the streets.

Key Events

• Forced Debt Compromise — The mob boss forces Wah and Tony to reach a compromise over the grievance. Characters: Wah, Tony Location: Mong Kok
• Fly Gets A Food Cart — Wah gives Fly legitimate work selling fishballs from a food cart. Characters: Wah, Fly Location: Mong Kok
• Mabel Is Now Married — Wah encounters Mabel and discovers that she is now married. Characters: Wah, Mabel Location: Mong Kok
• Wah Reaches Lantau — Wah waits a whole day before finally meeting Ngor at the ferry terminal. Characters: Wah, Ngor Location: Lantau ferry terminal
• Wah Helps At The Restaurant — Wah helps at the restaurant and grows closer to Ngor. Characters: Wah, Ngor Location: Lantau restaurant

Violence Reclaims Them

Tony's insult and Fly's retaliation reignite the feud. Wah frees Fly, but the pair are brutally attacked, sending Wah back to Ngor wounded.

Key Events

• Fly Retaliates Against Tony — After Tony insults Fly at work, Fly wrecks Tony's car and is beaten by the gang. Characters: Fly, Tony, Tony Location: Mong Kok
• Wah Forces Fly's Release — Wah holds Tony at gunpoint and forces him to release Fly. Characters: Wah, Fly, Tony Location: Tony's place
• The Bar Attack — Tony and his gang attack Wah and Fly, leaving them severely beaten. Characters: Wah, Fly, Tony, Tony Location: Outside a bar
• Wah And Ngor Reconnect — Ngor helps treat Wah's wounds, and the two rekindle their relationship. Characters: Wah, Ngor Location: Lantau restaurant

The Fatal Assignment

Fly accepts an assassination mission and humiliates Tony while waiting for the hit. At the police station, Fly fails, Wah completes the shooting, and both are killed.

Key Events

• Fly Accepts The Assassination — Fly agrees to assassinate a police informant while Wah unsuccessfully urges him to stop. Characters: Fly, Wah Location: Mong Kok
• Fly Humiliates Tony — Fly humiliates Tony at a mahjong parlor, causing Tony's thugs to abandon him. Characters: Fly, Tony, Tony Location: Mahjong parlor
• The Informant Shooting — Fly shoots at the informant but fails, and the police gun him down. Characters: Fly, Wah Location: Police station
• Wah Finishes The Job — Wah takes Fly's gun and finishes the assassination before being shot himself. Characters: Wah, Fly Location: Police station
• Wah Remembers Ngor — As Wah lies dying, he remembers his first kiss with Ngor. Characters: Wah, Ngor Location: Police station

Story Breakdown

• Mong Kok Foundations — Wah's criminal routine and Fly's reckless dependence establish the central conflict.
  • Debt Collection — Wah works as a mob enforcer and helps Fly collect a debt.
  • Ngor Arrives — Ngor comes to Mong Kok for a medical appointment and stays with Wah.
• Mabel's Departure — Wah's neglected personal life collapses when Mabel ends their relationship.
  • Aborted Future — Mabel tells Wah that she aborted his baby.
  • Wah Apologizes — Wah apologizes to Ngor after drunkenly threatening her.
• Tony's Debt Spiral — Fly's failed gamble turns a financial problem into a violent feud.
  • Snooker Escape — Fly flees a losing bet and is beaten by Tony's gang.
  • Robbed Establishment — Wah robs the establishment Tony protects when the debt cannot be paid.
• Lantau Possibility — Wah briefly imagines a life outside crime through his growing closeness with Ngor.
  • Food Cart Plan — Wah gets Fly legitimate work selling fishballs.
  • Restaurant Romance — Wah helps at the Lantau restaurant and grows closer to Ngor.
• Violence Returns — Fly's pride reignites Tony's hostility and overwhelms Wah's attempt to protect him.
  • Car Retaliation — Fly wrecks Tony's car after being insulted at work.
  • Bar Ambush — Tony's gang severely beats Wah and Fly after Wah secures Fly's release.
• Fatal Loyalty — Wah's loyalty to Fly finally becomes a shared death sentence.
  • Failed Assassination — Fly shoots at a police informant but is gunned down.
  • Final Memory — Wah completes the shooting, is killed, and remembers his first kiss with Ngor.

Directed by

Wong Kar-Wai

Key Cast

• Andy Lau — Wah
• Maggie Cheung — Ngor
• Jacky Cheung Hok-Yau — Fly
• Alex Man Chi-Leung — Tony
• Wong Aau — Mabel