However, on December 8th, the script became reality.

: Released just before the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the film’s atmosphere of paranoia and helplessness was seen as an allegory for the contemporary anxieties regarding Hong Kong's 1997 handover. Critical Acclaim

The film was released shortly before the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration (1984), and reviewers from the Far East Film Festival note its use of the 1941 invasion as an allegory for the city's uncertain future under Chinese sovereignty.

It was in this charged atmosphere that the Grandview Film Company allegedly began production on a bold project. Initial working titles included “The Battle of the Pacific” and “Island of Fortitude.” However, the script that circulated in the fall of 1941 focused explicitly on the defence of the Gin Drinkers Line and the Volunteer Defence Corps.