Tragic Hero - Chow Yun Fat (1987) - Tip Choi Villa, Barbecue Gardens

As in the first film, Chai's luxury family home is located in a 1960s era housing estate along Castle Peak Road called Barbecue Gardens. Apparently it was quite famous for having lots of stars living there in the 1960s. These days a few of the original houses remain. Chai's house, as can be seen here in Rich and Famous, was Tip Choi Villa at #11. The house is still around but I have no idea who owns it or lives there.

Rich and Famous - Chow Yun Fat (1987) - Tip Choi Villa, Block 11, Barbecue Gardens

Ah Chai's house in this movie is a property located in the weirdly named "Barbecue Gardens" estate. My chats with fellow "old house/mansion" fan, Rodney, have elicited that this estate was popular with 1980s TV shows as well as housing a few notable local stars over the years, so perhaps it was one of those people who kindly lent this property for the filming?

This is Block/House 11, or "Tip Choi Villa" as it is also known on local maps. The house was constructed in 1962 and so is of an erain Hong Kong when houses were very much still being influenced by art deco and the like. I can only assume the interiors are real because I'm not sure a production like this would have gone to the expense of creating an interior in a studio. We also get to see lots of the garden. The garden terrace backs directly onto the sea here, which is convenient for when they all head off to Macau on Ah Chai's boat (see image 6). The property is still around and doesn't appear to have changed much. If you watch the sequel, Tragic Hero, you'll see that the house was also used for that movie - not surprising given that the films were made back-to-back - and in the scene where Chai escapes from the house on a speedboat, you can see the chimneys of the adjacent Lok On Pai Desalination Plant in the background. Coincidentally, I just posted about that place earlier this week.

You can see the boat beyond the garden