As most people know, Hong Kong movie stars tend to be type cast (eg Jackie Chan: heroic nice guy; Lam Ching-Ying: One eyebrowed vampire/ghost hunter), and Michael Hui's characters are always one of two categories.
1) The bumbling, miserly guy/detective/P.I.
2) The funny but very tragic 'hero'
All but two movies I have watched have fallen into catergory 1. The two exceptions are 'Mr Coconut' and 'Always On My Mind', which is one of the most tragic HK films I've seen let alone HK comedy.
In the early years of Michael Hui film making, he starred in movies alongside his two brother Sam and Ricky Hui. He constantly portrayed the 'miserly guy'. Sam Hui was typecast as the 'friendly guy who knew martial arts' and Ricky played the sad sidekick. The three brothers produced the most hilarious movies, an accident-prone trio who manage to get themselves into ridiculous situations.
Some of the best scenes include a classic fight scene against a pick-pocket using seafood as weapons ('The Private Eyes'); Sam Hui demostrating his newest creation: the feel-o-vision (that is, a special tv where the audience can get slapped if someone on tv gets slapped)('The Contract'); Michael and Ricky racing down a street in chicken in duck suits in an attempt to get customers ('Chicken and Duck Talk').
Michael Hui movies are my favourite HK comedy films. Any of the following movies are great examples of his work:
The Private Eyes
Games Gamblers Play
The Contract
Front Page
The Magic Touch
Mr Coconut
Always on my Mind
Chicken and Duck Talk