The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958)

The BEST movie and my favorite.

Geneva's Branch: Book Two of Geneva's Series I don't remember when I first watched this program, but I fell in love with the story. It is based on some facts about the heroine, but not completely. Hollywood changed it into a part love story. This time I'm on the side of Hollywood. The drama is touching to the soul and the heart. Whenever I feel like a good cry, and I do need them once and a while, I put in this movie. August 9, 2008

Settle In to 6th Happiness

Loved the movie. I checked out the life of Gladys Alward... the movie stayed pretty close to her life. The Chinese characters are a little contrived, but the history and setting were fairly accurate. Movie was a little long to today's standards, but thoroughly enjoyable. July 14, 2008

Hard life in China

This book is about saving children from the ravages of a hard life in China. It demonstrates the persistence of one women and the children's trust in her. This missionary, played by Ingrid Bergman, faced many hardships yet she kept her goal in mind - helping orphaned Chinese children. July 7, 2008

The real New Testament faith in action.

If you decide to watch this, keep a hanky handy. Though the movie has been Hollywood-ed somewhat from the original story, it is still pretty true, and very inspiring to say the least, even humbling. How many of us come close to Gladys Aylward's love and faith in action? Ingrid Bergman was fantastic every minute. (I heard that she later commented she did not feel worthy to play the part.) The children are adorable and there is never a dull minute. The only reason I didn't give four stars is because I really wish they had left in one true event - but again, for Hollywood it was wonderful overall. The event they left out is where Gladys and her 100 orphans were making their dangerous trek over the mountain and encountered an impassable river. The movie shows them solving their dilemmna with a rope strung from one side of the river to the other, for the children to cling to. What actually happened is that some of the children reminded the missionary that nothing was impossible with our Heavenly Father. So they prayed for a way to get across the river. And like Paul and Silas in chains, they sang to Him. A Chinese boat captain heard them singing and came to investigate, then got them across on his boat. June 22, 2008

Expecting an inspirational film, instead got a B comedy

This movie allegedly takes place in China, but all of the main actors are whites pretending to be Chinese. The zillions of extras are "Asians" of all sorts (e.g. Chinese, Korean, Japanese, etc., because, after all, "they" all look the same to a white audience) who run around subserviently speaking bad English. The most I could say for this movie is that it provides deep belly laughs because it seems like a perverse parody. "Surely," you'll keep asking yourself, "they can't be serious!"

If there's anyone who can keep a straight face when this Complete White Man (who's supposed to be half Chinese/half white, as if the audience wouldn't notice the difference) asks Ingrid Bergman: "Would you be insulted to be loved by a man of a different race?" I tip my hat to them for being either blind or mentally retarded.

Unless you are mentally impaired, the only entertainment value to this movie would be to mock it. It is truly an insult to not only the Chinese people, but to the woman this movie is supposed to be about (it's allegedly a true account; Gladys would be appalled). Since I did not intend to purchase a farce and/or have my intelligence affronted in such a bigoted manner, I was extremely disappointed. Therefore it earns zero stars.
May 25, 2008

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