Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- heroic
- propulsive
- witty
- martial arts movie night
- hong kong cinema marathon
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Wong Fei Hung intervenes amid the mistreatment of Chinese railroad workers and hostility from American workers and criminal groups.
The film combines Wong Fei Hung's Chinese martial arts identity with American western landscapes, mobs, and frontier violence.
Wong Fei Hung is summoned to help Dr. So after So's attempt to establish a martial arts school draws conflict with Americans and the mob.
The film foregrounds Wong Fei Hung's mastery and the action-film tradition of elaborate hand-to-hand combat.
Films like Once Upon a Time in China and America, and why
Once Upon a Time in China
martial arts choreography, heroic master figure, and period cross-cultural conflict
Fist of Legend
hong kong action filmmaking, historical Chinese setting, and stylized kung fu combat
Shanghai Noon
martial arts spectacle blended with a western frontier setting and clashes between cultures
The Legend of Fong Sai-Yuk
kung fu action, immigrant experience, and anti-colonial historical themes
Movie Details
- Director
- Sammo Hung
- Release Date
- 1997-02-01
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (120)
Cast
- Jet Li
- Rosamund Kwan Chi-Lam
- Xiong Xinxin
- Power Chan Kwok-Pong
- Jeff Wolfe
- Joseph Sayah
- Chrystabell
- Patrick Lung Kong
- Richard Ng Yiu-Hon
- William Fung Kwun-Man
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel, Darkroom
- Rent
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Once Upon a Time in China and America about?
- Wong Fei Hung brings disciplined kung fu and moral courage to a violent American frontier where Chinese immigrants face exploitation, racism, and organized crime.
- What is Once Upon a Time in China and America like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Once Upon a Time in China and America as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Once Upon a Time in China and America violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Once Upon a Time in China and America as brutal.
- Which films are like Once Upon a Time in China and America?
- Films with a similar feel include Once Upon a Time in China, Fist of Legend, Shanghai Noon, and The Legend of Fong Sai-Yuk.
- How long is Once Upon a Time in China and America?
- Once Upon a Time in China and America runs 102 minutes.
- Where can I watch Once Upon a Time in China and America?
- In United States, Once Upon a Time in China and America streams on Criterion Channel, Darkroom.
