THIS TIME, THE PRINCESS SAVES THE PRINCE. 

When each family is given a conscription notice from the Chinese Emperor so he can build an army to fight the Hun, a young girl pretends to be a man to save her ailing father from going.

Disney was hoping (in vain) to reach a wider Chinese audience with this adaptation of an old folk tale, but it was more notable for its feminist message and gender themes. The tagline says it all pretty much.

Lively and colorful, with some impressive battle sequences, it follows a traditional Disney formula, complete with romance, musical numbers and funny sidekicks. Jerry Goldsmith’s music is a robust accompaniment.

1998-U.S. Animated. 88 min. Color. Directed by Barry Cook, Tony Bancroft. Screenplay: Rita Hsiao, Chris Sanders, Philip LaZebnik, Raymond Singer, Eugenia Bostwick-Singer. Music: Jerry Goldsmith. Song: “Reflection” (Matthew Wilder, David Zippel). Voices of Ming-Na Wen (Mulan), Lea Salonga (Mulan’s singing voice), Eddie Murphy (Mushu), B.D. Wong, Donny Osmond, Harvey Fierstein, Miguel Ferrer, Pat Morita, George Takei. 

Trivia: In the Chinese version, Jackie Chan provided one of the voices. Joe Pesci and Richard Dreyfuss were considered for the voice of Mushu. Followed by a direct-to-DVD sequel, Mulan 2 (2004). Remade as a live-action film, Mulan (2020).