In some ways this film resembles Shakespeare's play Henry V; the bard begins his play with scenes of the political situation between England and France. This isn't easy to follow for non history students but once we get past that you can wallow in the verse. This film is similar; you need a degree in the Sino-Japanese war to follow what's happening but again once you turn Ladd and Bendix loose, give them their heads and throw in Loretta Young the entertainment element kicks in and the audience can sit back and relax. Seeing it today, some seventy years after the historical events is even more of a challenge. Ladd is something like Bogie in Casablanca, sticking his neck out for nobody until, inevitably, he realizes he lives in the world and owes it something. Apart from the three co-stars all the rest of the cast are Chinese which was unusual to say the least; John Farrow does a workmanlike job and it's well worth a look.
Review of China
