Today’s movie is a biographical drama with a scene that happens on
November 12. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS
Gladys Aylward comes to London in
hopes of becoming a missionary in China, but the mission society says she is
not qualified. However, they do get her a job as a second maid with Sir Francis
Jamison. She buys a ticket to China via the Trans-Siberian Railway in
installments. She starts secretly reading Sir Francis’s books about China. When
he learns about this, instead of firing her, Sir Francis writes to Jeannie
Lawson, a friend of his in China. After a long and difficulty journey, she
arrives at Jeannie Lawson’s mission in Yang Cheng. Lawson has bought an inn
that she plans to run and tell Bible stories to the guests. Gladys works hard
to become assimilated, then Miss Lawson is killed in a fall. The missionary
society wants to close the inn, but she refuses to go. At the suggestion of the
Eurasian Captain Lin Nan, the local mandarin appoints Gladys as the inspector
to ensure that the law against foot binding is obeyed. She becomes almost fully
assimilated and is called Jin Ai (The One Who Loves People) by the Chinese. She
gains great face among the Chinese when she goes into the local prison during a
riot and diffuses the situation. Jin Ai and Col. Lin Nan tour the villages and
their attraction grows. Jin Ai starts taking in orphans. Word comes that the
Japanese are preparing to attack China. The Japanese bomb the city. The city is
evacuated and Jin Ai is left behind. Col. Lin Nan finds her when his men reach
the city after a temporary Japanese retreat. Impressed by her bravery and
compassion the Mandarin converts to Christianity. She stays behind with the
orphans when the city is permanently evacuated. She leaves with 100 orphans for the city of Sian. She brings the
orphans through difficult terrain and avoids the Japanese. On November 12, 1938
[2:32:56 to 2:37:27] Jin Ai and the orphans reach the safety of Sian.
A truly inspirational story.
However, Bergman looked nothing like Aylward and a romance was added to the
storyline. Still, as entertainment and not history, it is a decent film.
Date given in film at 2:33:21-22
Awards – It was nominated for Best Director Oscar at the 31st
Academy Awards.
Producer - Buddy Adler
Director - Mark Robson
Screenplay - Isobel Lennart
Runtime – 2 hours 38 minutes
Released – December 11, 1958
Starring –
Ingrid Bergman as Gladys Aylward
Curt Jürgens as Captain Lin Nan
Robert Donat as The Mandarin
Michael David as Hok-A
Athene Seyler as Jeannie Lawson
Ronald Squire as Sir Francis Jamison
Moultrie Kelsall as Dr. Robinson
Richard Wattis as Mr. Murfin
Peter Chong as Yang
Tsai Chin as Sui-Lan
Edith Sharpe as Secretary
Joan Young as Sir Francis' cook
Lian-Shin Yang as Woman with Baby
Noel Hood as Miss Thompson
Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.
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