The transcript below is from the video “Top 10 Things The Ip Man Movies Got Factually Right and Wrong” by WatchMojo.com.
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
We know Ip Man was a Grandmaster, but did the “Ip Man” movies get it right… or wrong? For this list, we’ll be looking at For this list, we’re sticking with the core four “Ip Man” movies in which Ip Man is the central character, and thus discounting the spinoff “Master Z: Ip Man Legacy” in which he does not appear. Our countdown of everything the “Ip Man” movies got factually right and wrong includes Ip Man training Bruce Lee, Ip Man traveling to America, Ip Man practicing Wing Chun, and more! Did YOUR favorite “Ip Man” moments make the list? Let us know in the comments!
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
We know Ip Man was a Grandmaster for a reason, but he couldn’t have done all this stuff. Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’re counting down our pics for the top 10 things the Ip Man movies got factually right and wrong. For this list, we’re sticking with the core four Ip Man movies, in which Ip Man is the central character and thus, discounting the spin-off Master Z: Ip Man Legacy in which he does not appear.
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“Number Ten: Ip Man Trained Bruce Lee – TRUE (Ip Man 2008). As many people know, Bruce Lee had the kind of screen and real-life presence that overshadowed all others. So, it’s not surprising to note that Ip Man is arguably best remembered for bringing up the young dragon.”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man 2 (2010) – Donnie Yen & young star playing young Bruce Lee):
“What’s your name?”
“I’m Bruce Lee.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“While the franchise does well to keep the spotlight on Ip, they do give fans some proper teases in the second and third Ip Man movies, with a child Bruce Lee propositioning Master Ip in the former and a grownup Bruce Lee strutting his stuff in the latter. While their adventure together in Ip Man 4: The Finale has no basis in reality, we can’t deny that actor Danny Chan adds a dynamic layer to the series with his embodiment of Lee.”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man 2 (2010) – Danny Chan as Bruce Lee):
“Bruce just wants Kung Fu to have a wider following.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“Number Nine: Ip Man Practiced Wing Chun – TRUE (Ip Man (2008).”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man 2 (2010) – Donnie Yen):
“Wing Chun, Ip Man.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“Okay, if the movies had gotten this one wrong, then we’d have a serious problem. The form of Kung Fu, Wing Chun is a light, composed form of self-defense that sees practitioners use their opponent’s forcefulness against them. Towards the end of his life, Ip Man himself described it as “Maintaining one’s flexibility and softness all the while keeping in the strength to fight back much like the flexible nature of bamboo.”
To prepare for the role of Ip Man, mixed martial artist Donny Yen practiced Wing Chun for nine months under the tutelage of his character’s real-life son, Ip Chun, who was in awe of Yen’s ability to pick it up so fast. Yeah, us too!”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man 3 (2015) – Mike Tyson & Donnie Yen):
“Okay, let’s deal. It seems to me that your Wing Chun fist is the fastest, so fast you’re invincible.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“Number Eight: Ip Man Fought a British Boxer – FALSE (Ip Man 2 (2010).”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man 2 (2010) -Darren Shahlavi, coach & Donny Yen):
“This will be a piece of cake, mate.”
“Just go out there and get him slicker.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“As great as this fight is at the end of Ip Man 2, which showcases martial arts going up against boxing, it has more in common with Rocky 4 than actual history. Sure, it’s an exhilarating climax to end the film on but never did an English boxer by the name of Taylor “The Twister” Miller come to Hong Kong in an effort to accentuate Western fighting styles over Eastern ones. Not only did Ip Man never engage in such a fight, but he only retroactively came to such prominence in the worldwide martial arts site Geist upon the advent of Bruce Lee. So, just chalk this one up as another fictional climax like his supposed bout with Sum Nung in Ip Man 3.
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
Number Seven: Ip Man Opened a School in Hong Kong – TRUE (Ip Man (2008).”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man (2008) – Donnie Yen):
“Learning Kung Fu isn’t cheap. You paying their fees? Guess you owe me again.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“In the first Ip Man film, Ip Man refuses to teach Wing Chun publicly, only engaging in private sparring matches with friends. Upon his immigration from Foshan to Hong Kong however, Ip Man is forced to open a Wing Chun school to support his family.”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man 2 (2010) – Donny Yen):
“No need to trouble yourselves, pay tuition fees first.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“All this mostly falls in line with reality, the circumstances surrounding Ip vary. For one, his family only briefly lived with him in Hong Kong. More on that later… The 1960s saw Ip dealing with financial instability, prompting him to form the Wing Chun Athletic Association in 1967. According to former student Duncan Leung, some of his money went towards his opium addiction. Something the movie certainly did not acknowledge.”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man 2 (2010) – Lynn Hung & Donny Yen):
“It’s so little… what shall we do?”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“Number Six: Ip Man Travelled to America – FALSE (Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019).”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man 4 (2019) – Linda-Jean Barry & Donny Yen):
“So you’re a teacher?”
“I am a teacher. I teach Chinese Kung Fu.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“To wrap up the series, Ip Man 4: The Finale sees the titular Grandmaster accepting Bruce Lee’s invitation to visit San Francisco in an attempt to find better schooling for his son Ip Ching. There, because he’s Ip Man, he of course, gets embroiled in the Kung Fu controversies happening overseas. Although the plot manages to incorporate multiple branches of Ip Man’s life, there’s no reason to believe that Ip Man ever left Hong Kong let alone Asia, especially if he’d been recently diagnosed with throat cancer.”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man 4 (2019) – Zhang Jin & Donny Yen):
“You don’t live here. You won’t understand.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“And seeing as the movie takes place in 1964, Ip Ching would in reality have been 28 at the time. A tad too old to attend high school anywhere.
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
Number Five: Ip Man Was Wealthy – TRUE (Ip Man (2008).”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man (2008) – Ze Li & Donnie Yen):
“Mommy said, “Start fighting or everything will be broken.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“Although the Ip Man franchise typically shows the Grand master in dire straits, his depiction at the beginning of the first film as a wealthy homeowner was right on the money. Upon seeing the first film, Ip Man’s son Ip Chun did comment that the mansion shown was larger than the real one. But Ip Man’s comfortability with not needing to teach Wing Chun in Foshan was indeed accurate.”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man (2008) – Donnie Yen & Gordon Lam):
“I was just lucky.”
“Whatever! You were the treasure of Canton.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“That isn’t to say that Ip didn’t hold down work there however, as the real Ip Man spent much of his time serving as a police officer in Foshan.”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man (2008) – Donnie Yen):
“It would be our honor if you placed it in your house.”
“Thank you very much.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“Number Four: The Japanese Invasion Forced Ip Into Poverty – FALSE (Ip Man (2008). In 1937, the second Sino-Japanese War saw Japan’s forces invading mainland China and that’s about where the similarities end. Although depicted as being taken over almost immediately, Ip Man’s hometown of Foshan was not occupied until late 1938. Ip Man soon left to stay with one of his former students Kwok Phu.”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man (2008) – Kwok Phu & Donnie Yen):
“My friend… Yeah, come on up.”
“Thank you.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“He wouldn’t return until the war ended in 1945. When Ip Man essentially resumed his status as a police officer, he began training his son Ip Ching in Wing Chun some years later.”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man (2008) – Ze Li & Donnie Yen):
“Daddy, you practice martial arts, right? Why did you stop it?”
“I get hungry when I exercise, so I need to exercise less.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“Number Three: Ip Man Fled Foshan From the Japanese – FALSE (Ip Man (2008). Ip Man fled Foshan, that much is true but when and from whom are all wrong in the film. Seeing as he worked as a police officer for the Nationalist Part Kuomintang, the Communist Party winning the Chinese Civil War in 1949 was bad news for Ip. So, he and his family left their life of luxury and started over in the nearby British controlled Hong Kong.”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man 2 (2010) – Donnie Yen):
“Mr and Mrs Yip! Pay your rent!”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“While its conduct in the wake of defeating a Japanese general in hand-to-hand combat and getting shot for his troubles is cinematic, it isn’t the slightest bit true. It’s so untrue in fact, that he only left Foshan for good roughly a dozen years after the film said he did.
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
Number Two: Ip Man’s Wife Died of Cancer – TRUE (Ip Man 3 (2015).”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man 3 (2015) – Donny Yen & Lynn Hung):
“Don’t cry.”
“Darling, I’m so afraid.”
“It’s alright now.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“Ip Man 3 is arguably the most poignant of the three movies, deriving much of its pathos from the relationship between Ip Man and cancer-stricken wife Cheung Wing-sing. While Ip Man putting his marriage over his martial arts reputation is touching, it’s not exactly how things actually played out as the two hadn’t seen each other for a total of nine years upon her death in 1960.”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man 3 (2015) – Lynn Hung & Donny Yen):
“Doctor, how much time do I have?”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“Shortly after arriving in Hong Kong, Cheung Wing-sing returned to Foshan to retrieve identity cards, only to be blockaded by the subsequently established orders between China and Hong Kong in 1951, keeping here there. Not to burst your bubble further, but Ip Man even had a mistress from 1955 until 1968, with whom he had an illegitimate son. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them. If you’re on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on Notifications.
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
Number One: Ip Man Fought a Japanese General – FALSE (Ip Man (2008).”
(Scene from the movie Ip Man (2008) – Hiroyuki Ikeuchi & Donnie Yen):
“He wants you to come back.”
“I didn’t come here for the rice.”
WatchMojo.com (WatchMojo.com YouTube Channel – Top 10 lists on Music, TV, Film and Video Games – Narration by Rebecca/ WatchMojoLady):
“In what is undeniably one of the most rousing and cinematic scenes in the Ip Man franchise, Ip Man takes down the Japanese Karate master General Miura in front of a zealous crowd of supporters in Foshan. It’s a spectacular finale but it didn’t exactly go down that way in reality, if at all. While some reports corroborate the notion that Ip Man rejected the Japanese’s offer for him to train their soldiers, he definitely didn’t seek a match itself.
If anything, it’s more likely he was challenged by the Japanese and any subsequent bout that did transpire, most certainly did not involve a general or take place in a public square. So, take this climax with a big grain of salt. Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from WatchMojo and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.”
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