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‘Call to Arms’ substitutes sweeping action for epic political intrigue

‘Call to Arms’ substitutes sweeping action for epic political intrigue

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Call to Arms

Written by San Kong and Siu Laap-Man

Directed by San Kong

Hong Kong, 1972

It is the era of the Chin Dynasty. The emperor himself (Cheng Miu) shows his true megalomaniacal self by invading a series of states to reinforce his iron grip over the land. Region after region falls prey to Chin’s invading forces, merciless and overpowering. Word of mouth tells of the Chao and Wei states being the the next two targets on the power hungry leader’s agenda. Chao is desperate to survive, but its leaders, Su Song (Yeung Chi-Hing), Prince Shun Ling (Chung Wa) and Princess Su Yu (Ha Faan) have not the resources to fend off the oncoming battalions. They seek the help of the Weis, whose leader (Chan Shen) seemingly has no interest in allocating much needed military capital. The Chaos devise a  scheme by which the Princess will offer herself to the Wei leader and, with the aid of the gifted swordsman and spy Zhu Hai (Cheung Chi-Hing), steel the military tally, a wooden token by which state leaders must comply to demands for military involvement…

That is arguably as succinct a plot synopsis as one is to get for director-screenwriter San Kong’s 1972 historical drama Call to Arms. The film impressively packs a staggering amount of politico-military jargon into its scant 79 minutes, so much so that it is somewhat confusing at times when names of people, lands, establishments and tokens are brought up every now then, sometimes multiple scenes after being uttered the first time. Yes, in what is a rarity when it comes to Shaw, here is a film for which the viewer is asked to genuinely pay attention to the shared details of the plot, for the plot informs Call to Arms’ compelling and emotionally rich story of sates and their leaders having to mentally wrestle and mull over notions of both self-preservation and self-sacrifice, two ideals that do not necessarily produce compatible plans of action in times of war.

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Truth be told, remaining astutely aware of all the faces and names tossed out and about during the film’s numerous, prolonged conversation-driven scenes is no easy task, especially for certain viewers who may not be up to snuff on Chinese names (watching countless number of these films does not, alas, equip one too well for following along as effortlessly as one would like). Whilst having a fuller understanding of such details can certainly result in a viewer’s greater appreciation of the movie as a whole, there is enough surface-level material, so to speak, that can grab the attention the film warrants. As previously stated, several of the story’s desperate leaders are confronted with two zero-sum game outcomes: survive an invasion in order to pursue their magnanimous rule over their respective lands or suffer the wrath of a warmongering emperor.

The incurred risk of severe political upheaval leaves one state, Chao, in a unbearably desperate predicament by which their internal military capabilities are unquestionably no match for Emperor’s Chin’s blitzkrieg. On the other hand, the Wei state can, in theory, defend itself in the face of the approaching onslaught, yet is asked to assist the neighbouring Chaos, a request for which it holds strong reservations. The Chao’s inner political circle brainstorms through multiple scenarios that could rescue their fates, one of which is to offer the Princess as a sacrificial lamb of sorts, the likelihood of her survival following the theft of the war tally (provided she even succeeds in nabbing it), is slim to none.

hqdefaultThe Princess, played by Ha Faan, is asked to offer herself as a gift of sorts to the Wei Prince and, considering the dangers involved with her covert assignment, possibly give her life away. Her initial hesitation is perfectly understandable, as is her eventual reluctant acquiescence to the heavy-hearted request made by her peers. The film spends a fair amount of time with the Princess, nearly making her the chief protagonist for a solid portion of the run time. Her sadness in the wake of Su Song’s assassination and the mixed emotions towards giving herself up for the sake of her state are communicated incredibly well by actress Ha Faan. It is not a traditionally big performance, avoiding any scenes of showy largess with respect to outpouring emotions. Rather, Ha Faan’s work is surprising measured for how much her character suppresses potentially sweeping emotional outbursts. Despite that, through her quietly strong personality there is much evidence of how conflicted she is over the twist of fate that could very well conclude with her execution for treason. One smartly executed scene has her play a lute in a garden at under moonlight for the Chao Prince, the words to the song provided via non-diegetic singing from a female chorus. It is presumed the two characters know the worlds well enough to understand what is being communicated to one another.

Considering that so much emphasis is devoted to dialogue between individuals of high social and political status rather than physical action, it comes as no surprise that a great amount of effort is put into making the costumes and sets look as pristine as possible. The garments warn by the Princess and Prince of Chao strike a sublime balance between ostentatiousness and class. Colours, design patterns, headgear all clearly denote their haughty status within their society yet remain tasteful through. With so many Shaw films featuring plainly-clothed renegade villains and vagabond heroes with only the occasional peak into royal courts and the like, it is quite impressive to witness a film from the same studio that seems content to luxuriate in costume and set design to the extent that it does in Call to Arms.

Director San Kong’s Call to Arms stands apart insofar as its interests lie far more in the sweeping political and societal ramifications of one emperor’s insatiable desire to engulf more territories under his umbrella than in contests of martial arts mastery. What action scenes occasionally sprout are serviceable but offer little that demands particular attention from action junkies. The film is inclined to explore the drama stemming from high stakes political and military gamesmanship. For that reason, Call to Arms is somewhat of a tricky recommendation, but those with an ounce of patience will be handsomely rewarded.

-Edgar Chaput

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