The Happy Ghost is a comedy-drama film directed by Clifton Ko and was released in 1984. The film's plot revolves around a group of college students who become friends with the ghost of a scholar who hanged himself with an ancient rope.
The story begins with a college girl named Esther, who goes on a camping trip with her two friends, Ho and May. While on the trip, Esther finds an ancient rope and takes it home to use on her backpack. However, unknown to Esther, the rope was used by a disgraced scholar, who hanged himself decades ago.
Soon after, the ghost of the scholar appears at Esther's school and befriends her and her friends, encouraging them to excel in their studies and teaching them valuable life lessons. The ghost, who is now known as "Happy Ghost," helps the students with their assignments, and teaches them about love, family, and friendship.
The students soon realize that the ghost is not there to scare them but to help them. They start to appreciate his company and become better people both academically and socially. Happy Ghost reminds them that life is too short to waste it on unimportant things and to enjoy every moment with their loved ones.
As the school year progresses, the students encounter various challenges, including academic pressure and relationship problems. However, with the help of Happy Ghost, they learn to overcome these obstacles and grow as individuals.
The Happy Ghost is a heartwarming and entertaining film that provides valuable life lessons. It features a stellar cast, including Raymond Wong, Loletta Lee, and Clifton Ko, who also directed the film. After the success of the movie, The Happy Ghost became a franchise, with several sequels being released in subsequent years.