Once upon a time, the birds and the beasts fought each other in a war. It was a terrible conflict, and the clever bats would side with the birds when the birds were looking victorious, and then they would become allies of the beasts when that side was winning battles. At last the war came to an end, the two parties reached an amicable settlement, and a great party of friendship was held. But when it came to the turn of the bats to perform in the program, their fence-straddling tactics were exposed, and everyone refused to associate with them. Since that time, the bats have been too ashamed to show their faces during the day, coming out only at night to flit silently around.

1960年，年仅17岁的李世英告别了年迈的双亲和饥饿的故乡，只身闯到新疆谋生。为了帮助两个素不相识的家乡姑娘，他卖掉了身上的衣服，甚至把刚找到的工作也丢了。一个偶然的机会，他结识了老司机徐师傅，热心的徐师傅收下他当了徒弟。"文化大革命"开始后，感到苦闷、寂寞的李世英满心希望建立一个幸福的小家庭。在车队司机们的关心下，他匆忙地与从陕北逃荒来的姑娘巧珍结了婚。婚后，尽管李世英对巧珍百般体贴，可是巧珍却始终……

话说唐僧（筱昌顺 饰）师徒一行四众，跋山涉水，历经千辛万苦从东土大唐前往西天求取大藏真经。这一日，师徒们来到一处崇山峻岭的凶险所在。齐天大圣孙悟空（六龄童 饰）忖度猪八戒（七龄童 饰）一向偷懒耍滑，于是怂恿师傅派八戒先行寻山。正当师兄弟戏耍打闹之际，不提防早已被此处的一个妖精盯上了踪迹。该妖精住在波月洞，是一只善于变化、狡猾多端的白骨精。她知晓孙悟空的本领，于是三番变化哄骗唐长老和八戒、沙僧（傅马潮 饰），进而离间师徒的信任，上演了流传千古的孙悟空三打白骨精的精彩好戏！本片根据中国古典四大名著《西游记》的故事改编。

黑道大哥宝（徐克 饰）为人凶暴，却有一个慢性子老好人亲弟弟雄（曾志伟 饰）鞍前马后，雄连女友被人夺走这种事也要宝出面抻头。宝犯罪事发即将入狱半年，他在服刑前嘱托雄照顾好老情人萍（李殿朗 饰）和小情人咪咪（李丽珍 饰）。雄一照面就被萍给了下马威，又卷入她和高利贷团伙的纷争，两人脱身后匆匆赶赴日本寻找咪咪，发现咪咪的处境也颇为棘手，雄为帮两个大嫂脱身绞尽脑汁，另一方面又要各种欺瞒来防止她们发现彼此的身份。三人回到香港后事情终于败露，萍大哭大闹却被宝喝止，在等待宝出狱的日子里，雄与咪咪之间产生了感情，但如何去面对大哥，又成了雄无法化解的心结……本片获1988年香港电影金像奖最佳剪辑奖。