If you are looking for a faithful telling of a Pearl Buck novel, my guess is (though I have not read Buck) that this is not it. If you are looking for a typical Hollywood melodrama -- albeit set in China -- then you'll probably enjoy this flick. I rather liked it.
It's a love triangle between an American male doctor (Randolph Scott), a female American doctor (Ruth Warrick) who is subtly in love with him, and a new American wife (Ellen Drew) who has other plans for her new husband that do not include China.
The cast here is quite strong. I always preferred Randolph Scott in this era of his career, rather than later when he mostly did Westerns. He's very good here as the romantic lead.
Ruth Warrick is really good as Dr. Sara Durand. I was not very familiar with her, but -- at least here -- I enjoyed her performance.
I couldn't quite decide if I disliked Ellen Drew as Louise Thompson, or I just disliked her role. At any rate, she plays it for all its worth.
Anthony Quinn is very interesting here as a sort of Chinese war lord. He actually looks authentic (with the eye makeup), and of course, this was that era in his career when he played a variety of ethnic characters.
Carol Thurston as a Chinese nurse is interesting. Made up well, she appeared to be Chinese.
Richard Loo as Colonel Yasuda -- the evil Japanese -- overplays the role a bit by always shining his teeth in a way that's very unreal.
Ducky Louie is a heck of a good Chinese child actor.
Philip Ahn as a Koren-Japanese doctor is very good and brings some intrigue into the film in a sub plot.
I enjoyed this film as a slightly different angle of a World War II romance.
It's a love triangle between an American male doctor (Randolph Scott), a female American doctor (Ruth Warrick) who is subtly in love with him, and a new American wife (Ellen Drew) who has other plans for her new husband that do not include China.
The cast here is quite strong. I always preferred Randolph Scott in this era of his career, rather than later when he mostly did Westerns. He's very good here as the romantic lead.
Ruth Warrick is really good as Dr. Sara Durand. I was not very familiar with her, but -- at least here -- I enjoyed her performance.
I couldn't quite decide if I disliked Ellen Drew as Louise Thompson, or I just disliked her role. At any rate, she plays it for all its worth.
Anthony Quinn is very interesting here as a sort of Chinese war lord. He actually looks authentic (with the eye makeup), and of course, this was that era in his career when he played a variety of ethnic characters.
Carol Thurston as a Chinese nurse is interesting. Made up well, she appeared to be Chinese.
Richard Loo as Colonel Yasuda -- the evil Japanese -- overplays the role a bit by always shining his teeth in a way that's very unreal.
Ducky Louie is a heck of a good Chinese child actor.
Philip Ahn as a Koren-Japanese doctor is very good and brings some intrigue into the film in a sub plot.
I enjoyed this film as a slightly different angle of a World War II romance.