perceived relationship with the ongoing Sino-Japanese war, to the extent that they not only boycotted the screening of the film but also burnt the film itself. On the second day of the incident, the National Government's Central Telegraphic Inspection Committee's spokesperson released a written statement stating that the film did not go against the Committee's regulations and that it did not go against anti-Japanese resistance as was alleged and criticized. There were, however, opposing views to this. Ma Yanxiang, a dramatist, and director had watched a small-scale trial screening of Mulan Joins the Army. He and his mentor tried to publicly call for the cancellation of the screening of the film, but their request was rejected by the local newspaper agency. Today, the film is seen as an obvious appeal to the Shanghai audience's own wartime sensibilities. The weak Chinese generals and the outside nomad invaders all would have reminded the audience of the country's woes at that time, namely the corrupt warlords within the Nationalist establishment and the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War. As one scholar posits, the film was seen as a call to arms, with the Chinese hero (or in this case, heroine) rising up to defeat foreign attackers striking a particularly resonant chord. The director used various cinematic techniques and angles to implore the public to reflect on the current political situation, drawing the parallel with reality at the time. Real-life political figures, such as Chiang Kai-Shek and Wang Jingwei (Wang Ching-wei), inspired the portrayal of some characters in the movie. Themes Themes of warfare and feminism can be identified throughout the movie. In 1939, the movie premiered in theaters, and China was suffering from the Second Sino-Japanese War. This film significantly glorified warfare and focused on the fame and recognition of soldiers received from serving the nation. The movie is a blend of modern and urban thoughts along with traditional cultural ideas. When China citizens needed the motivation to defend the nation from foreign aggression, the film helped inspire Chinese people to enlist and liberate their country from Japanese occupation. Mulan Joins the Army was rich in "double entendre" dialogue and was one of the primary tools to convey the political message. The author underlines the idea of a citizen's duty, not only to one's family but to the country as a whole, by describing Mulan's life after her heroic acts. During the isolated