The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

Ingrid Bergman stars as Gladys Aylward—an English maid who travels to China as a missionary in the 1930s because she believes that God wants her there—in this 1958 screen adaptation of Alan Burgess' novel The Small Woman, which was inspired by Aylward's real-life story. One in a long line of screen portrayals of selfless Westerners heading to Asia in the name of religion and charity, Oscar-nominated director Mark Robson's The Inn of the Sixth Happiness is a well-meaning, handsomely mounted, but also somewhat ponderous travelogue drama that rests on the shoulders of Bergman, who brings a believable commitment and strength of character to the role. Depicting Aylward's chronicle through her heroic rescue of hundreds of villagers from Japanese troops invading China during World War II, the film was shot entirely in Great Britain, with highland locations substituting for the mountains of northern China. It also features Western actors in the two most prominent Chinese roles: Curt Jürgens as the dedicated Capt. Lin Nan, a Eurasian who falls in love with Gladys, and Robert Donat (under elaborate makeup) as Yang Cheng, the local Mandarin ruler straddling traditional culture and government attempts to modernize the country. Very much a product of its era, this is both a romanticized version of a true story and a Western representation of Chinese culture; as such, fans of classic movies will appreciate it more than history buffs. Extras include audio commentary by film historians Nick Redman, Aubrey Solomon, and Donald Spoto, and Fox Movietone News clips. A strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)