From Riches to Rags
dir. John Woo · 1980
Life's true value is found not in wealth or success, but in the connections we make and the compassion we show to others.
Plot
Ricky and Fatso are friends in need. They are in dire need of money since they are only paid slave wages at the bottling factory. However, they become millionaires overnight after buying a winning lottery ticket. During one of their swingin' nights on the town, Ricky is suddenly attacked by an upset stomach; and in no time, a quack doctor diagnoses the seizure as terminal cancer. Ricky seriously considers suicide. But he is appalled by the drawbacks inherent in the available methods of doing himself in--primarily the pain! It is on a rooftop from which he is supposed to make a plunge that he saves a poor man from suicide by giving the latter all the money he has. In gratitude, the newly rich man promises to hire a killer to finish off his suffering benefactor...
Why watch
"From Riches to Rags" artfully juxtaposes the absurdity of wealth with the gravity of existential crises, creating a darkly comedic commentary on friendship and the fleeting nature of fortune. This film invites viewers to explore the chaotic interplay between money and morality, offering a unique blend of humor and heartbreak.