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Historical war film

Mulan Joins the Army (1939): Cast & Plot

Mulan Joins the Army (1939) movie poster

Mulan Joins the Army is a 1939 historical war film directed by Bu Wan-Cang, starring Nancy Wan-Seung Chan as Mulan, He Jianfei and Mei Xi. It runs 1 hour 30 minutes.

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Mulan Joins the Army (1939) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 30m (90 min)
Director
Bu Wan-Cang
Genres
History , War
Original language
Chinese
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Mulan Joins the Army About?

The premise of Mulan Joins the Army without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

The film retells the legendary tale of Hua Mulan, a young woman who disguises herself as a man to take her ailing father’s place in the imperial army. The story, rooted in Chinese folklore over fifteen centuries old, has inspired countless operas, stage plays, and the Disney animated feature.

Mulan Joins the Army Themes & Keywords

· 4 tags
  • mulan character
  • warrior
  • china
  • female protagonist
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Cast & crew

Mulan Joins the Army Cast & Characters

Nancy Wan-Seung Chan leads the cast as Mulan, with He Jianfei as Mulan's father and Mei Xi as Liu Yuandu. Directed by Bu Wan-Cang; 9 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Mulan Joins the Army

· 5 more
From the director

More from Bu Wan-Cang

More films directed by Bu Wan-Cang: Dream of the Red Mansions, The Peach Girl, A Spray of Plum Blossoms and Love and Duty.

Full filmography
Plot

Mulan Joins the Army Plot Summary

What happens in Mulan Joins the Army from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Hua Mulan, Nancy Wan-Seung Chan, is a young woman living with her aging father, He Jianfei, in the Tang Dynasty. She is fearless and skilled in martial arts and archery, traits her father has nurtured even as she indulges in a bit of mischief. After a day of hunting, she crafts an elaborate ruse to win an impossible archery challenge, fooling the Li village into granting her freedom. When she returns, she discovers that her father has been conscripted to fight, and she resolves to take his place, stepping into a role that challenges the expectations placed on her.

Full summary

The whole story of Mulan Joins the Army, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Mulan Joins the Army?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
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  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What motivates Mulan to join the army in place of her father?

Details

Mulan Joins the Army Also Known As

5 alternative titles, including “Mulan cong jun” and “Hua Mulan Joins the Army”.

Also known as
  • Mulan cong jun
  • Hua Mulan Joins the Army
  • Maiden in Armour
  • 木兰从军
  • 목란종군

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FAQ

Mulan Joins the Army FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of Mulan Joins the Army, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Mulan Joins the Army?

Mulan Joins the Army runs 1 hour 30 minutes (90 minutes).

When was Mulan Joins the Army released?

Mulan Joins the Army was released on February 1, 1939.

Who directed Mulan Joins the Army?

Mulan Joins the Army was directed by Bu Wan-Cang.

More films by Bu Wan-Cang

Who is in the cast of Mulan Joins the Army?

Mulan Joins the Army stars Nancy Wan-Seung Chan as Mulan, He Jianfei as Mulan's father and Mei Xi as Liu Yuandu, among 9 credited actors.

Does Mulan Joins the Army have a post-credit scene?

No. Mulan Joins the Army has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Mulan Joins the Army in?

The original language of Mulan Joins the Army is Chinese.

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