[FILM] Mulan Joins the Army 木蘭從軍, Bu Wancang 卜萬蒼 (director), 1939

• English subtitles
• Chinese subtitles
• No subtitles: This clip is briefly discussed in How To Read Chinese Drama, p. 161.

The black-and-white film Mulan Joins the Army (Mulan congjun), directed by Bu Wancang/Richard Poh 卜萬蒼 (1903–1974), was produced by Hwa Cheng Studio (Huacheng zhipianchang 華成製片廠) in 1939. In 1937, Japan had begun a large-scale invasion of China and by 1939 occupied the French Concession of Shanghai where the Hwa Cheng Studio was located. At the time, the Shanghai film industry was neither willing to cooperate with the Japanese army nor was it able to openly defy it. The producer Zhang Shankun 張善琨 came up with the idea of adapting the story of Mulan, a staple of Beijing opera performances, for a film. Although the film is about the Huns, it apparently alludes to the Japanese army. Written by Ouyang Yuqian (1889-1962), a famous Beijing opera actor, playwright and screenwriter, the script points the Northern steppe people of the Huns as a stand-in for the Japanese army.  The film's subtle patriotic flavors is also reflected in the modification of the characters. The scenario adds several villains, especially the army advisor (junshi), who seeks power and wealth by betraying his country.

The story takes place in the Northern Dynasty. When the war breaks out, the imperial court recruits soldiers and each household must send one male to the battlefield. Hua Shirong is already old, and his son is still too young to go on the expedition. Seeing the dilemma of his father, the eldest daughter Hua Mulan (played by Chen Yunshang 陳雲裳,1919-) decides to disguise herself as a man and join the army in place of her father. Over the next three years, Hua Mulan and her comrades eat and live together. While hiding her female identity, her service is as distinguished as that of her male peers, thus winning her male persona the trust of her comrades and generals. Among them, Hua Mulan and Liu Yuandu (played by Mei Xi 梅熹,1911-1983), a comrade-in-arms, build up a solid friendship. One day, Mulan sees through the enemy's trap. She and Liu Yuandu, pretending to be brothers and sisters, go to the enemy’s camp area for a reconnaissance mission. In the end, Hua Mulan becomes the general and wins the battle. After returning to the court, Hua Mulan rejects the emperor's reward and returns to her hometown to serve her family. Upon returning home, Mulan immediately changes back to women's clothing and eventually is married to Liu Yuandu.

Mulan's father asks Mulan's mother to take out his military armor

For the transformation scene, Mulan persuades her parents to allow her to go to the battlefield in place of her father. She promises that she will not regret it no matter how much hardship she has to face. Mulan's father is glad and thus asks Mulan’s mother to take out his military armor.

Mulan dresses up with her father's military armor and play a set of routines with a spear

Mulan plays a set of routines with a sword

Mulan changes her voice

Mulan's transformation

The transformation of Mulan from a young girl into a male warrior is accomplished with the help of change of dress and voice. At the end of the movie, Mulan returns to her hometown, acccompanied by Liu Yuandu. The director uses a superimposition, an editing technique showing two images on the same film strip, to let audience see how Mulan changes from her military armor and helmet back into her feminine attire and hairstyle.

Mulan introduces Liu Yuandu to her mother