Looking Back in Anger - Plot - 1960s

1960s

The young Kin (played by Gregory Lee) was born into a poor and struggling family. Kin's parents are always fighting over money because his father, Ding Wing Cheung (also played by Felix Wong) is addicted to gambling and has used up the family's savings, much to the displeasure of his wife, Mui Fan Fong (Yammie Nam.) However, despite Ding Wing Cheung's weak personality and lack of self-control, he is still a caring and loving father.

Desperate for money to spend for the New Year, Fong, an ex-thief, steals a man's purse. When she is caught by the police, it turns out that the purse belongs to a high-ranking official who was murdered shortly after the pickpocketing, and Fong is framed for the murder. Cheung, ashamed of his addiction, cuts off his fingers in front of the shocked Kin. Even though she is pregnant, Fong is forced through a humiliating trial, helped by retiring lawyer Martin Chu Siu-shan (Cheng Gwan Min) who defends her against the ruthless prosecutor, Henry Fung Sai Bong (Ngok Wah).

Fong nearly wins her freedom when suddenly an eye-witness, Mr. Szeto (Lok Ying Kwan), is put on the stand and accuses her of the murder. It turns out that Mr. Szeto had molested a deaf-mute student of his, and has lied about seeing Fong commit murder in order to get immunity. Fong loses the trial and is sentenced to death by hanging once her son, Ben Ding Yau Hong, is born.

Martin uses up all his resources to appeal her case, and finally moves Mr. Szeto into revoking his statement. Fong is rescued from the gallows by the warden just in time. The true murderer finally confesses to the crime to Martin before dying of cancer in the hospital. As the lawyer is the only witness to this statement, he has to refer the case to a colleague. Unfortunately the colleague is very distracted by his wife's affair with his brother, and ends up losing the appeal. Fong is dragged off to the gallows again, with the sympathetic warden waiting for another phone call to stop the execution, but it never comes. Before Fong dies, she makes Kin promise to always protect Hong.

Upon his wife's death, Cheung goes mad and tries to jump off a building with his children, and luckily is stopped by his childless ex-boss, Lee Ho Cheun (Wu Fung), who takes in the two children after Cheung is admitted to a mental asylum. His wife, Yip Sau Wan (So Hung Shuen) is ecstatic even though she already has two other adopted children, Chow Zhi Mun and Chan Siu Ling.

Cheun dies suddenly from a brain haemorrhage following a stroke, and the family is bankrupted. Gossipers tell Wan that it is all because of Hong, who is a jinx. Wan is shocked, but refuses to abandon Hong.

Taking her four children, Wan travels to Macau to seek help from her brother-in-law (Kong Ngai), who insults her and tells her to become a prostitute. She leaves angrily and works very hard menial jobs to support all four kids.