Scenes 41 to 50
Zhu Zhixin fights with his army against rivalling warlord troops in Humen. He wants to stop the unnecessary killing. Therefore he plans to go to the enemies’ side and convince them to surrender. On his way on the open field, he is hit by a shot but continues to walk, shouting "I am Zhu Zhixin". Finally he falls to the ground when hit by another bullet, and dies. (This scene is very theatrical and artificial).
Sun listens to a Guangdong opera from his gramophone, and thinks of Zhu Zhixin (– cf. scene 39); some of his reflections about live and death appear as text.
Officers of the Guangdong Army attend a performance of Guangdong opera as they celebrate the homecoming of the army. Chen Jiongming and Deng Keng accompany Sun. They drink to their victory, even Sun drinks exceptionally (obviously to forget about his grief for Zhu Zhixin). Sun propagates his idea of the Northern Expedition with the aim to reunite China, but still is affected by the loss of Zhu Zhixin.
Chen Jiongming talks with Sun about the Northern Expedition. Chen thinks it is still too early for the unification of China and the establishment of a central government. For him, China also could become a confederation of states, but Sun harshly criticises him. For Sun it is important that his army is a revolutionary army that has to fight for revolution. When Chen wants to explain what he actually intended to say, Sun would not allow it.
(Sun appears here as an ardent revolutionary; for him there is no alternative to revolution. What is quite interesting here is, that Sun also is strictly against any form of federalism, as is the policy of the PRC today).
The envoy of the Soviet Union Maring talks to Sun while the new Northern Expedition Army marches with torches in the dark. Maring explains that, from the Soviet experience, the most important thing for a successful revolution is to above all organize all classes, organize a political party that unites the masses of workers and farmers, and to found a military academy in order to establish a revolutionary military core. Sun agrees with Maring. They talk about Lenin who is a "revolutionary saint" in Sun`s eyes. Their conversation stops when Sun receives a telegram from Liao Zhongkai which says that according to Chen Jiongming, Guangdong alone cannot take on the pay of the Northern Expedition Army. (In his first encounter with the Communists in this movie, Sun absolutely agrees with their ideas; he even adores Lenin).
Chen Jiongming declares that Sun dismissed him because he refuses to take part in the Northern Expedition. Chen still likes the federalist idea, because Guangdong could be stabilised this way and the soldiers would not have to die far away from home. After Chen has left, the officer Ye Ju turns around and says: "Comrades, this is insult to the Commander!".
The president's office is attacked and destroyed. A subtitle says: "Chen Jiongming commits betrayal of the revolution by attacking the president's office".
Sun attends a press conference and delivers a speech. He says he wants to go to the South to command the troops himself and start a punitive expedition against Chen Jiongming, and that he will not give up as long as he lives. The people applaud.
Sun Yat-sen, Ma Xiang and a high officer of the Yunnan army stand in front of a train that is about to leave to the front (against Chen Jiongming). The soldiers run away because the enemy is better equiped; no one listens to Sun who shouts at them to return. Sun stands very alone in a river of fleeing soldiers. In the evening Sun makes fire and cooks. He feels very desperate and frustrated. Then he talks with Liao Zhongkai about the preparations for the reorganisation of the party that is by and large completed; the only problem is that several party members refuse to let Communists enter. Sun thinks the soldiers should get some ideological training, otherwise they even will not be able to hold Guangdong.
Sun turns around sleepless in his bed and sees tears rolling down Qingling's face while sleeping. He gets up, goes to the bathroom and looks into the mirror. He sees his own old face, is troubled by it and goes outside. Qingling joins him to talk. Sun says this defeat was his most tragic one. He has to find a new way and asks, if he can start all over again. Qingling tells him that he still can do it – but should first sleep some hours.
(It does not become clear while watching the movie, that in this scene – and the next – a flashback has taken place, as the screenplay suggests. It is not very clear which defeat Sun is actually talking about, probably Chen Jiongming's treason which would be two month before this night. The next defeat would be the one from the former scene, which seems to be talked about but was almost one year later. In fact, the struggle with Chen drew on various months. – Here Qinglings appears as a caring wife and it is the only more intimate scene in the movie).
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