History Film / HailTheJudge

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Fong Tong Kan (Fang Tang Jing in Hanyu Pinyin) was a historical character. While Eunuch Li and the Emperor were not named, they were heavily alluded to be [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Lianying Li Lianying]][[note]]Li Lianying was a head henchman of Empress Cixi, the Tongzhi Emperor's mother. He was aged up in the story as historically, he was only about 7 years older than Tongzhi.[[/note]] and the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongzhi_Emperor Tongzhi Emperor]][[note]]Officially, the Tongzhi Emperor died from smallpox. However in folklore, he was said to have died from syphilis contracted during his undercover visits to prostitutes outside the palace.[[/note]].

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Fong Tong Kan (Fang Tang Jing in Hanyu Pinyin) was a historical character. While Eunuch Li and the Emperor were not named, they were heavily alluded to be [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Lianying Li Lianying]] and the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongzhi_Emperor Tongzhi Emperor]][[note]]Officially, the Tongzhi Emperor died from smallpox. However in folklore, he was said to have died of syphilis contracted while during his undercover visits to prostitutes outside the palace.[[/note]].

* KilledOffscreen: [[spoiler:The Emperor passes away at the end of the movie from syphillis.]]

When a noble family is massacred and the sole survivor, Chi Siu Lin (Sharla Cheung), is raped and framed for the murder. Pao Lung Sing embarks on a journey to bring her proper justice and to take down the corrupt judges.

Upon making a wish on a night with a full moon as a child, Pao Lung Sing aspires to be an official. However, he is widely despised by the public for his money-digging ways.

When a noble family is massacred and the sole survivor, Chi Siu Lin, is raped and framed for the murder. Pao Lung Sing embarks on a journey to bring her proper justice and to take down the corrupt judges.

* AmoralAttorney: Fong Tong Kan is a famous lawyer but instead of bringing proper justice in court, [[spoiler:he resorts to bribery and evidence tampering to have things work out his way.]]

''Hail The Judge'' is a 1994 Hong Kong comedy film starring Creator/StephenChow, his co-star Ng Man Tat, and Sharla Cheung Man.

* TheChewToy: Fong Tong Kan in the final trial gets insulted by Pao, beaten up to point he gets a black eye, then [[LaserGuidedKarma gets his mouth slapped the same way as Mrs. Chi]] and then knocked out cold. Given his {{Jerkass}} nature, it's deserved.

* EveryoneHasStandards: [[spoiler:Eunuch Li, upon Shang Wai blurting out he did indeed rape Mrs. Chi on the night he murdered her family, disowns him and bails on the trial.]]

* MassOhCrap: PlayedForLaughs in the very last scene [[spoiler:where Pao steals the Emperor's underwear and shares it with others for them to smell the aroma. After his son announces that he died from syphillis, Pao and everyone around him throw the underwear in a panic.]]

-->'''Yu Yin''': Sir, don't do this. I'll scream for help.\\

* HopeSpot: After a long journey, Pao reaches the Judicial Secretary to file an Imperial appeal and retry Siu Lin's case. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, the secretary is allied with Shang Wai's father and they throw Pao out onto the capital's streets to live as a beggar.]]

* MagicPotion: A medicine formula of the Chi family, which [[spoiler:restored the reproductive abilities of Siu Lin's husband]]. Following the retrial, Pao retires and opens a medicine shop to sell the formula.

* NonActionGuy: Pao, justified as he is an official and not a martial artist. When the Emperor makes him Supreme Judge, Panther is assigned as his bodyguard.

'''Suitor''': Scream all you want! It's useless!\\

* FailureMontage: Pao quite thoroughly botches his circus training, being a complete novice to it. He riddles an unfortunate performer with [[KnifeThrowingAct throwing knives]] while blindfolded, [[InvisibleHoles leaks water]] after lying on a bed of nails, and snaps the blade while learning to sword-swallow.

* KarmaHoudiniWarranty: Shang Wai had the case be turned so Mrs. Chi was the murderer and be backed up by Fong Tong Kan and Chan Pak Cheung. All seems well for them until Pao gets promoted to Supreme Judge by The Emperor, [[spoiler:he reopens the case and was able to deduct the inconsistencies to the tampered evidence, revealing Shang Wai to be the real culprit who massacred the Chi family.]]

* NonActionGuy: Pao, justified as he is an official and not a martial artist. When The Emperor makes him the Supreme Judge, Panther is assigned as his bodyguard.

** During his rampage, Shang Wai massacres 13 members of the Chi family... [[AndYourLittleDogToo and the family dog.]]
* TitleDrop: Done with the film's Chinese title [[note]]"九品芝麻官", roughly meaning "ninth-grade lowly official"[[/note]], which Fong Tong Kan uses to deride Pao Lung Sing.

'''Suitor''': Go ahead! It's useless!\\

** Pao Lung-sing is his father's 13th son, his previous 12 brothers having all met untimely deaths that Pao's father considered divine punishment for his former corrupt ways.

* AmoralAttorney: Fong Tong Kan is a famous lawyer but instead of bringing proper justice in court, [[spoiler:he resorts to bribery and evidence tampering into having things work his way.]]

* EthicalSlut: Auntie San may be the head owner of a brothel and [[TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior once bragged about seducing men as young as 10]], but supports Pao in becoming the Supreme Judge to bring justice to Mrs. Chi's case.

* GuileHero: Pao would even weaponize his own negative reputation to defeat Panther. [[spoiler:At the retrial, he seemingly arranges a blood test to check the paternity of Mrs. Chi's newborn child but actually uses Shang Wai's own son to get a positive result and goad him into accidentally confessing.]]

* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: The wealthy upper class families, who resort to corruption in order to win their court cases against the lower classes.

Upon making a wish on a night with a full moon as a child, Pao Lung Sing aspires to be a lawyer. However, he is widely despised by the public for his money-digging ways.

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: Pao at first is hated by everyone, he would get harassed, have traps set up in his home, and have stinky bean curd named after him. His reputation would get saved a bit for capturing Panther and vowing to bring justice to Ms. Chi.
* BittersweetEnding: PlayedForLaughs. [[spoiler:Shang Wai is executed, the corrupted judges are fired and are subjected to public shame. Pao is HappilyMarried to his two wives, and has also [[BreadEggsMilkSquick stolen the Emperor's underwear.]] But the Emperor passed away... from syphillis, thus Pao and everyone immediately regret sniffing his underwear and throwing it away in a panic.]]
* TheChewToy: Fong Tong Kan in the final trial gets insulted by Pao, beaten up to point he gets a black eye, then [[LaserGuidedKarma gets his mouth slapped the same way as Ms. Chi]] and then knocked out cold. Given his {{Jerkass}} nature, it's deserved.
* ChildByRape: [[spoiler:The child Ms. Chi gives birth to is revealed to be fathered by Shang Wai.]]
* EthicalSlut: Auntie San may be the head owner of a brothel and [[TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior once bragged about seducing men as young as 10]], but supports Pao in becoming the Supreme Judge to bring justice to Ms. Chi's case.
* EveryoneHasStandards: [[spoiler:Eunuch Li, upon Shang Wai blurting out he did indeed rape Ms. Chi on the night he murdered her family, disowns him and bails the trial.]]

* GuileHero: Pao would even weaponize his own negative reputation to defeat Panther.

* KarmaHoudiniWarranty: Shang Wai had the case be turned so Ms. Chi was the murderer and be backed up by Fong Tong Kan and Chan Pak Cheung. All seems well for them until Pao gets promoted to Supreme Judge by The Emperor, [[spoiler:reopens the case and was able to deduct the inconsistencies to the tampered evidence and reveal him to be the father of Ms. Chi's child.]]

* MassOhCrap: PlayedForLaughs in the very last scene [[spoiler:where Pao steals the Emperor's underwear and shares it with others for them to smell the aroma. After his son announces that he died from syphillis, Pao and everyone around him threw the underwear in a panic.]]

** [[spoiler:When Loi Fook confesses that Tong Kan bribed him to take part in the framing of Ms. Chi, Tong Kan shouts at him for outing him, which Loi Fook immediately takes the chance to use his breakdown as evidence.]]
** Shang Wai, when the blood test conducted on the child reveals [[spoiler:for him to be the father, denounces the possibility of Ms. Chi getting pregnant after he raped her. Which causes Eunuch Li and his wife to disown him and at that point there was nothing left for him but execution.]]
* NonActionGuy: Pao, justified as he is a lawyer and not a martial artist. When The Emperor makes him the Supreme Judge, Panther is assigned as his bodyguard.

* RapeAsDrama: Ms. Chi on the night when her family was murdered, she was also revealed to be pregnant [[spoiler:with Shang Wai's child.]]
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: Fong Tong Kan is a famous lawyer but instead of bringing proper justice in court, [[spoiler:he resorts to bribing everyone into having things work his way.]]
* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Shang Wai has one when he is pleaded guilty and physically resists execution.]]

* TheChewToy: Fong Tong Kan in the final trial gets insulted by Pao, beaten up to point he gets a black eye, then gets his mouth slapped the same way as Ms. Chi and then knocked out cold. Given his {{Jerkass}} nature, it's deserved.

* EveryoneHasStandards: [[spoiler:Eunuch Li, upon Shang Wai blurting out he did indeed rape Ms. Chi on the night he murdered her family, disowns him and bails.]]

* KilledOffscreen: [[spoiler:The Emperor passes away at the end of the movie from Syphillis.]]

* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Shang Wai has one when he is pleaded guilty and physically resists execution.]]

* {{Expy}}: Panther is played by Elvis Tsui, and shares the exact same appearance as Ao Bai in Stephen Chow's previous film ''Royal Tramp''. Though unlike Ao Bai, he has a HeelFaceTurn at the end of the movie.

* NiceJobFixingItVillain: [[spoiler:When Loi Fook confesses that Tong Kan bribed him to take part in the framing of Ms. Chi, Tong Kan shouts at him for outing him, which Loi Fook immediately takes the chance to use his breakdown as evidence.]]

''Hail The Judge'' stars Creator/StephenChow, his co-star Ng Man Tat, and Sharla Cheung Man.

* HateSink: Shang Wai, Magistrate Chan Pak Cheung, and Fong Tong Kan are all characters designed to be despised by the audience. [[LaserGuidedKarma Thankfully they all get their comeuppance one way or another at the end of the movie.]]

* MotorMouth: Auntie San when she quarrels, Pao Lung Sing takes after her example.