You are here:

Ferry to Hong Kong

Name: Ferry to Hong Kong
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Released: 1959
Duration: 112 min

Representation Score

1.1/10

Minimal

1959

Approved

Director

Lewis Gilbert

Runtime

112 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Ferry to Hong Kong is a classic mid-century adventure drama that emphasizes individualist, masculine-centered storytelling. The plot centers on a man's journey from a troubled drifter to a reformed citizen, reinforcing traditional social hierarchies. The film relies on established genre conventions of its time, lacking multi-layered complexity. While the setting offers a colonial atmosphere, the narrative remains anchored in Western-centric clichés and conventional moral structures.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Ferry to Hong Kong have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities. It follows traditional heterosexual relationships.

How does Ferry to Hong Kong portray gender?

Limited

The story revolves around a male protagonist's struggle for redemption. Although not explicitly sexist, it does not provide much room for female characters to take charge or challenge gender roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Ferry to Hong Kong?

Fair

Set in Hong Kong and Macao, the film uses a colonial-era backdrop. However, the narrative focuses on a Western protagonist's personal journey within these settings.

How does Ferry to Hong Kong represent religion and culture?

Limited

The narrative upholds traditional mid-century moral frameworks and social order. It follows a conventional path toward personal responsibility and restoring traditional virtues.

Does Ferry to Hong Kong include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no visible or invisible disabilities portrayed as central to the character arcs or the plot mechanics.

Present on Screen

The colonial-era setting of Hong Kong and Macao provides a unique backdrop for the adventure.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks significant women's ability to drive the story and diverse representation.
The narrative reinforces traditional social hierarchies rather than exploring systemic power dynamics.
The story follows predictable, mid-century moral frameworks with little cultural subversion.

Official Synopsis

Mark Conrad, a habitual drunk and troublemaker with a shady past, is expelled by Hong Kong police after one too many bar fights. He's sent to Macao on the Fa Tsan, a ferry owned by Captain Hart. Conrad's papers are out of order and Macao refuses him entry. Unable to go ashore, Conrad is a permanent passenger on the ferry with Hart, who detests him. It's all one long, lazy voyage for Conrad until one fateful trip when an encounter with a typhoon and pirates forces Conrad to choose between an aimless drifter's life and becoming a man again.

How are these scores produced? →