Hollywood will continue its tradition of ripping off popular films from other countries after a studio agreed to remake the Hong Kong romantic comedy Love Undercover.

 

 

Hong Kong director Joe Ma's 2002 smash is about a young policewoman who is picked for an undercover job.

 

Her assignment is to get close enough to a gangster's son so that she can plant a microphone at a table where the gangsters make their deals. Complications arise when she finds herself falling in love with the son.

 

The film, featuring Hong Kong actress Miriam Yeung and actor Daniel Wu, became a trilogy.

 

Miriam Yeung was delighted by the news.

 

"It proves again Hong Kong films perform well on the market. And I hope the news will attract more investors," she said.

 

Director Joe Ma has expressed his hope Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore gets the leading role.

 

Another big Hollywood remake of Hong Kong hit was crime flick Departed, based on Hong Kong director Wai Keung Lau's awards-winning film Infernal Affairs.

 

The Departed won Martin Scorsese the 2006 best director Oscar.

 

(CRI July 13, 2007)