Panglima Besi ('The Iron Commander', 1964); a Nas Achnas and M. Amin period film with anti-war theme

Directed by M. Amin
Written by Nas Achnas (story, dialogue & screenplay)
Music by Wandly Yazid, Rahim Hamid
Produced by Cathay-Keris Films
In Malay
Starring: Nordin Ahmad, Roseyatimah, M. Wari, Malek Selamat, Ghazali Sumantri, Umi Kalthoum, Mahyon Ismail

Panglima Besi (“The Iron Commander”) is good at making weapons of war, hot-headed, courageous and ever combat-ready. He wishes his son, Anggun, to follow in his footsteps. However, Anggun is mild, good with crafting artistic objects and loves peace. He is opposed to the ways and mindset of his father. His pacifist and calm soul finds endearment to Baiduri, who lovingly accepts a bird cage Anggun made for her. In return, Baiduri gives him her beloved flute. The couple are separated when Baiduri’s father decides to betroth her to Panglima Berantai in exchange for more wealth. But, Berantai soon realises that Baiduri’s heart is not with him but with Anggun. His jealousy is exacerbated by Baiduri’s ‘passive resistance’ through verbal taunting and flaunting her body to his guards.

Even as the conflict between the warring commanders led to the death of his father, Anggun remains a pacifist right to the very end, barring a final confrontation with the antagonists next to a burial ground where he has entombed his father’s weapons.

“It would normally be a narrative flaw to have a passive rather than active hero, but it works here because the whole movie is about the futility of violent revenge. ‘Panglima Besi’ is nominally an action movie but it’s a subdued, melancholy one; even the music seems mournful. The screenplay is written by Nas Achnas, an Indonesian artist who fled his home country during the independence war of 1945-49. In Malaya/Singapore, he pioneered comic art. [He was also a film director with Nusantara Films; his debut film ‘Pelangi’ (Rainbow, 1951) was also Nusantara’s first. It’s now lost.] The anti-violence theme of ‘Panglima Besi’ might have come from his own trauma of wartime. It’s also apposite that the movie was made during the Indonesian-Malaysian Confrontation. Indonesia had launched military attacks against Malaysia, and hundreds of forces (mostly from the British Commonwealth rather than locals) were killed in defending the new nation.” (Amir Muhammad, ‘120 Malay Movies’, 2010, pages 287-289.)

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