I decided to watch and annotate Disney’s Mulan (1998). Mulan was directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook and was released in the summer of 1998. Written by Robert D. San Souci and 29 others, Mulan featured stars: Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, and BD Wong. When the film was originally released, it was one of the first Disney movies to feature a minority main character and made a whopping $22,745,143 during its domestic opening. The movie was more popular overseas as the film raked in $183,700,000 gross profit from its releases overseas. Overall, Mulan made Disney $304,320,254 from all of its releases. I read Bob Smithouser’s review from pluggedin.com. He praises Mulan calling her “sweet, smart, strong, noble–and the most modest heroine to inhabit a Disney cartoon since Beauty and the Beast.” He also touches on her appearance stating “Forget Pocahontas’ hourglass figure, Jasmine’s midriff, Megorah’s come-hither charm, and cleavage that made Esmeralda the object of a villain’s lust. This intrepid female is no Barbie doll.”
Mulan proved that a female main character could be successful while refusing to conform to gender roles. Mulan is about a young woman born in the Han dynasty who takes the place of her father in the military. She was raised to be a submissive pretty wife for a hard working husband. She was raised to look and act a certain way or else she would not be able to find a husband and would bring shame to her family’s name. She tries her best to conform to the gender roles that she is expected to follow, but is unable to. Furthermore, she is unlike other Disney princesses as she does not have as much sex-appeal. The woman that tests her housewife abilities says that she is “too skinny. Not good for bearing sons.” (9:30). Despite Mulan's obvious differences from previous Disney princesses, Mulan is a staple in the Disney franchise. The gender constructions found in this film reminds me of the same gender constructions found in Beauty in the Beast. In Beauty in the Beast, Belle is seen as strange and frowned upon by the villagers. Just as Mulan’s family looks down upon her for not being a desirable wife dependent on a husband bringing shame to her family’s name. However, in Beauty of the Beast, Belle refuses to try to act the way she is expected while Mulan tries her best, but ultimately decides that the lifestyle is not for her.
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