The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

source: The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

Trailer—The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

Ingrid Bergman demonstrates her acting and creative skills portraying a lady who shall be remembered in China history. Her determination to go to China and do everything she could to bring Christianity to a part of the world that looked upon Christians as strange at best. She is supported by Curt Jurgons and Robert Donat in very unusual roles. Donat who is the Mandarin of the Province and Jurgons who is a Chinese soldier. Bergman is confronted with roadblocks which say she is unqualified to work in China as a Missionary. She proves her worth by working for the Mandarin as his foot inspector, running her inn and becoming endeared with the people as a person that is trying to help them. She is also instrumental in effecting prison reform. She overcomes many obstacles and saves the lives of close to a hundred Chinese orphans who are fleeing from the Japanese. Finally she was considered qualified.

I don't know if the real Ingrid Bergman was a saint, but she was better than any other actor or actress at conveying the saintly in us. Bergman positively glows in this simple tale of a maid, who is rejected as a missionary and achieves greatness all the same. She is incredibly moving. The art direction is also magnificent, and wholly convincing. The rest of the cast is doing their best, but neither Curt Jurgens nor Robert Donat are very convincing as Chinese characters. Also disappointing is Sir Malcolm Arnold's score. It is certainly not overly Chinese. As a matter of fact, it could be used for any British war film. I also just saw a very similar movie "The Devil at 4 O'Clock." Sixth Happiness is considerably better, thanks to Bergman, and the decision not to have a subplot for the teenagers. Next to Happiness, Devil seems calculating and a bit cynical too.

I love this movie! From the first time I saw it, I dreamed of being a strong and positive influence in the lives I touched. Perhaps not so far away, but even in my own little town such influence is possible. What better role model than that of Gladys Aylward. What a powerful statement that everybody is important, that God loves us all. It is only small men (and women) that divide people up into worthy or unworthy categories. I highly recommend that this film should be in everybody's collection. If your are looking for role models…here is a good place to start. Having Ingrid Bergman in the lead is an added bonus. I loved the whole movie. The scenery, the characters,the cast, the photography, the story. Everything about the film makes it well worth your time. Now if they would only make more movies with this much integrity in them today.

Inn of the Sixth Happiness is a great epic. The story is surprisingly a true one - Gladys Aylward was a British servant who believed her calling was to preach in China. Inn of the Sixth Happiness was done in the old Hollywood style with a bit of romance built in, but that seems to be the only way they deviated from the real story. Ingrid Bergman does a wonderful job of recreating Gladys and the movie cinematography really captures the old China I knew. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to be entertained, and to anyone with a sense of adventure.

Despite its length, the mish-mash of accents and the alarming number of handkerchiefs needed to watch this film, 'The Inn of the Sixth Happiness' overflows with love of life and humanity. Bergman is luminous in her role, and the intense emotion she pours into every scene lifts this otherwise average film onto a higher plane. Robert Donat was terminally ill with a brain tumour when he made this film, and (much to his professional embarrassment) had to have his lines on cue-cards dotted around the set for his last few shots. Ingrid Bergman's tears are desperately real, for Donat's final words are the farewell of a dying man where art and life fold together into a brief unity. One of the most poignant moments in cinema.

Once more, in this film as she had in her earlier films, Ingrid Bergman proves she was "A PERFECT ACTRESS!" In this film, "Inn of the Sixth Happiness," she plays Englishwoman Gladys Aylward who knew that China was the place where she belonged. Not qualified to be sent there as a missionary she worked and saved her money until she had enough to go on her own. Once there, she meets up with people who manage to help her through her first days. Then, she is nearly all alone and must make it or leave China. She stays. Eventually, just as WW2 is breaking out, she rescues over 100 children and takes them to freedom. Again, I repeat, it clearly shows Ingrid Bergman as a perfect actress. She shows her talent and charm all through this film and it is one everyone in the family can watch and appreciate. I highly recommend it.

I speak as an Asian who understands that it is not always easy to play an Asian, even if you are an Asian. And when an English person stays amongst the Asians for some time, they very rarely speak English the way they're supposed to. And that would probably explain the second half of the movie where Ingrid doesn't speak with the same strong accent, great acting, I believe! For the Asian watching such a movie, there was very little to complain about. However, the spoken Chinese by the Chinese assistant was not always correct - but only a Chinese would have noticed that, not a Westener nor any other non-Chinese Asian. And then there were great scenes that were screened in Wales(?). How many would have realized that it wasn't filmed in China? Not many, I am sure. Kudos to the producer and director of The Inn of the Sixth Happiness. It was a great effort. One can only pray that Hollywood will be able to make movies like this again!