Director: Mark Robson
Starring: Ingrid Bergman, Curt Jurgens, Robert Donat
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Retail: $24.99
Running Time: 158 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Review:
Not unless you get TCM finding a classic movie to watch is impossible on cable anymore. Luckily, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has been releasing select classic films to Blu-ray. Early, this month The Inn of the Sixth Happiness was released to Blu-ray for the first time, starring legendary Ingrid Bergman as the real-life Gladys Aylward, an ex-British maid who journeys to China to become a missionary.
The 1958 film is based on the book "The Small Woman" by Alan Burgess (No, relation to me, as far as I know.), which is also based on actual events. Ingrid Bergman plays a British maid, Gladys Aylward, who has dreamed of becoming a missionary in China, but the trip requires more money than she has in her pockets. Plus, there is the small fact that she has been rejected as a missionary because of her lack of education, but she is determined to become a missionary.
Eventually, Gladys convinces the senior missionary, to let her travel to China; therefore he secures her a place to stay there. She saves up enough money from her maid jobs and purchases a train ticket.
After arriving in China, she settles in as an assistant to a veteran missionary, Jeannie Lawson, who has been running an inn for travelers. Tragedy strikes and Gladys has no other choice, but to take over the inn. Soon the local Mandarin appoints her as "foot inspector" - an adviser for the local village. Soon, she wins the hearts of the village and the heart of Captain Lin Nan (played by Curt Jurgens). But life takes an unexpected turn when the country is invaded by Japan.
Special features on the Blu-ray include a commentary with Nick Redman, Aubrey Solomon and Donald Spoto; and Fox Movietone News: The Inn of the Sixth Happiness Rapturous and World Premiere.
Honestly, I have never heard of the movie before reviewing the Blu-ray this month. Actually, I think this is first film I watched with Ingrid Bergman in it. Running at over two and a half hours, the film is a bit too long. All the actors do a wonderful job, especially Ingrid Bergman, who was criticized for playing the part. The film is actually a lovely movie. Surprisingly, the film didn't do very well at the box-office in 1958. Overall, The Inn Of The Sixth Happiness is a well-made film that I enjoyed watching.
*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
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