The prudish members of a Christian mission in China are, for the most part, aghast by the arrival of American doctor Anne Bancroft, a rather harsh but brutally honest woman who is considered quite radical, first because she's a woman doctor, second because she smokes and third because she swears. Old fashioned ideals don't fall in line with how Bancroft feels, and this puts her into instant conflict with the mission head, Margaret Leighton, a hard headed missionary who seems to feel that the only way to be blessed is to be miserable.
Leighton has passed this way of thinking on to her assistant, the quieter speaking Mildred Dunnock who feels that Bancroft has blasheemed by disagreeing with the mission's point of view, especially in dealing with fellow missionary Betty Field and her husband, Eddie Albert, who have committed the sin of procreating which Leighton believes has lead to problems in the health of the unborn child. Outside the mission, issues with the Chinese rebellion threaten them, and when another missionary head, Flora Robson and her assistant, Anna Lee arrive, more issues errupt.
The young Sue Lyon seems to be cast against type, having been teen nymphs in "Lolita" and "The Night of the Iguana", innocent in every way until Bancroft arrives, and suddenly finding the world she doesn't know about exciting yet forbidden. Field plays most of her role completely overwrought, and Dunnock plays again yet another bird like performance, but one with hidden talons. Albert, Mike Mazurki and Woody Strode are the only major male roles, with Albert consistently frantic and unintentionally funny. Leighton and Bancroft's conflict is the best part of the story, although Robson and Lee don't get as well defined characters as the others.
In one of her many films for director John Ford, Lee is quite different here, certainly nothing like her gentle classic characters in "How Green was My Valley", "The Sound of Music" and her long running role as well as Lila Quartermaine on "General Hospital". She's not as overwrought as Field, but she's close. Ford's last directing of a film is bittersweet because it's a tough subject to watch yet riveting because of its intensity. Beautifully photographed and fast paced (I was surprised by its acceptable length of 97 minutes), although some people might find it extremely depressing and humorless. Strode and Mazurki play truly vile characters, although it's fun to watch Mazurki meet his match in Bancroft. As good of a film as I feel this is, I was emotionally drained by the time it was over.
Leighton has passed this way of thinking on to her assistant, the quieter speaking Mildred Dunnock who feels that Bancroft has blasheemed by disagreeing with the mission's point of view, especially in dealing with fellow missionary Betty Field and her husband, Eddie Albert, who have committed the sin of procreating which Leighton believes has lead to problems in the health of the unborn child. Outside the mission, issues with the Chinese rebellion threaten them, and when another missionary head, Flora Robson and her assistant, Anna Lee arrive, more issues errupt.
The young Sue Lyon seems to be cast against type, having been teen nymphs in "Lolita" and "The Night of the Iguana", innocent in every way until Bancroft arrives, and suddenly finding the world she doesn't know about exciting yet forbidden. Field plays most of her role completely overwrought, and Dunnock plays again yet another bird like performance, but one with hidden talons. Albert, Mike Mazurki and Woody Strode are the only major male roles, with Albert consistently frantic and unintentionally funny. Leighton and Bancroft's conflict is the best part of the story, although Robson and Lee don't get as well defined characters as the others.
In one of her many films for director John Ford, Lee is quite different here, certainly nothing like her gentle classic characters in "How Green was My Valley", "The Sound of Music" and her long running role as well as Lila Quartermaine on "General Hospital". She's not as overwrought as Field, but she's close. Ford's last directing of a film is bittersweet because it's a tough subject to watch yet riveting because of its intensity. Beautifully photographed and fast paced (I was surprised by its acceptable length of 97 minutes), although some people might find it extremely depressing and humorless. Strode and Mazurki play truly vile characters, although it's fun to watch Mazurki meet his match in Bancroft. As good of a film as I feel this is, I was emotionally drained by the time it was over.