November 12 - Inn of the Sixth Happiness

This movie has a scene that happens today – November 12. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.  

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

Producer - Buddy Adler

Director - Mark Robson

Awards – The film was nominated for the Best Director Oscar at the 31^st Academy

                 Awards.

Screenplay - Isobel Lennart

Runtime – 2 hours 38 minutes

Released – December 11, 1958

Starring –

Ingrid Bergman as Gladys Aylward

Curd Jürgens as Captain Lin Nan

Robert Donat as The Mandarin of Yang Cheng

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 at China Inland Mission

Joan Young as Sir Francis' cook

Lian-Shin Yang as Woman with Baby

Noel Hood as Miss Thompson

Burt Kwouk as Li

André Mikhelson as Russian Commissar