The
Shaw Brothers’ Mulan is not just another retelling of Mulan’s story. It
combines the folktale with traditional Mandarin-language Huangmei opera, which
was growing in HK popularity at the time, due to a mid-1960s surge of immigration
from the Mainland region. It is all singing, all the time, because when the
principles and secondary leads are not communicating through song, the unseen
chorus handles exposition and chronicles the march of time.
Hua
Mulan is indeed Hua Mulan, so she takes her ailing, aged father’s place when
her family receives their draft notice. In fact, she is keen to serve, because
she has trained for years with the spear. Her skills are so sharp, she wins the
new recruits’ tournament, bringing her to the attention of General Li. They
will serve together for years, fighting to beat back the Mongol invasion, but
only her cousin Hua Ming knows her true gender and helps cover for her.
Apparently, the pre-Tang Imperial Army admirably respected the personal space
of enlisted grunts and junior officers. Of course, Hua could fight, so presumably
allowances could be made.
Hua
Mulan is a perfect subject for the Shaw Bros. studio, because her heroic story was
compatible for the audiences of both their budding operatic films and their established
martial arts historicals. Wisely, they cast Huangmei star Ivy Ling Po, who
dubbed her own arias. She has the pipes and the action chops. Yet, she also
manages to be both boyish and weirdly saucy and coquettish at times. As a
result, we can suspend disbelief, even though she never remotely looks like a
man, while buying into her chemistry with Chin Han’s handsome Gen. Li.
Surprisingly,
the action sequences are less consistent. The tournament sparring and Hua’s proving-herself
bout with her father are nicely choreographed, but the grand battle scene is a
bit muddled. Nevertheless, the long marching armies and colorful, fur-trimmed costumes
give the film a suitably epic vibe.
Right
now, Hong Kongers are afraid to exercise the rights of free speech, free press,
and free assembly that we take for granted. Beijing’s puppet government has
rounded up known critics, forcing young leaders like Nathan Law to seek
sanctuary abroad. After her arrest, his colleague Agnes Chow has been hailed as
“Hong Kong’s real Mulan.” Even identifying with Hong Kong’s local culture (demonized
“localism”) is dangerous under the current repressive climate.
Sadly, the rich tradition of HK cinema is in jeopardy, because Hong Kong’s freedoms of expression are already being sharply curtailed by Carrie Lam’s regime. If you love the films of the Shaw Brothers, Golden Harvest, and their successors, do not support Disney’s Mulan. Show the studio and its stars there is a price to pay for either supporting or acquiescing to the repression of what was once one of the freest societies in the world. Boycott Disney’s Mulan and watch the Shaw Brothers’ Lady General Hua Mulan instead, if their marketing has you in the mood for some gender-crossed warfighting.
