When most of us think about the martial art, Kung Fu, we often think of the late Bruce Lee. But many of us don’t give a second thought as to who was Bruce Lee’s teacher or master. Who taught Bruce Lee what he knew? The answer is Yip (also spelled Ip) Man. He was a grandmaster at the martial art of Wing Chun and the master of Bruce Lee.
I recently watched the semi-biographical movie, “Ip Man.” It is very loosely (and I emphasize the word ‘loosely’) based upon the life of Yip Man and his time in the city of Foshan during the Sino-Japanese war. If you’re looking for a biography of this martial arts grandmaster – this movie is not it. It stretches the truth almost to the point of breaking. However, if you are looking for a movie with excellent fight scenes in the martial art of Wing Chun, there is none better than this one. Actor Donnie Yen is simply fantastic as Ip Man. He plays the role calmly and understatedly and brings much grace to his character.
While I won’t spoil the film by giving away the plot, I will tell you that it is much more than a struggle between good and evil. It is a story of a man who places honor above all. It’s the story of a quiet, but skilled practitioner of martial arts who prefers practicing his craft to opening a school of his own. It is a story of a man who refused to fight when his country was invaded until forced to do so for the honor of his community. It’s not a true story, but it makes a good movie.
In the 1962 John Ford western, “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance,” a reporter says to Senator Stoddard, “…when legend becomes the fact, print the legend.” This movie is the legend that is worth watching for the stunning martial arts fight choreography. It is streaming on Netflix right now and should be part of your “must” watch list.