This movie was released in 1962, the same year I was born, and it's one of the few things that has aged less gracefully than I have.
The plot involves a Catholic mission in Revolutionary China, where a couple of priests find themselves caught up in the machinations of the local Communist boss. Meanwhile, a young girl has a crush on the younger priest, while the Communist Boss lusts after her, eventually culminating in a rape.
A few things.
First, the characterizations of the Chinese Characters is really pretty racist. They are shown as dumb an child-like, being pulled by the Russian adviser on one side and the benevolent priests on the other.
Second is the whole issue of the rape. At the end of the story, the girl marries her rapist to give her son a name. I guess that is a reflection of a society where women are considered second class citizens (again, one of the ills communists were nominally trying to end!) Third, the William Holden character. I'm sorry, I just don't see William Holden, cynical character that he was, being a priest, where you just have to accept a lot of idealistic nonsense on face value. Maybe part of this view is based on all the other movies I've seen him in, from "Sunset Boulevard" to "Network" to "Stalag 17", playing these hard-boiled characters, but there was never anything spiritual about the guy.
Fourth, it is a cold war film, which means that any portrayal of communism is going to be negative.
Not to say that his character wasn't a joy to watch, because he's always a joy to watch, even when miscast.
Still, I'm giving this movie a positive review because of the solid performances. If it were made today, the rape scene would have been graphic, the priests would have been portrayed as huge hypocrites, and there would be a lot more explosions.
The plot involves a Catholic mission in Revolutionary China, where a couple of priests find themselves caught up in the machinations of the local Communist boss. Meanwhile, a young girl has a crush on the younger priest, while the Communist Boss lusts after her, eventually culminating in a rape.
A few things.
First, the characterizations of the Chinese Characters is really pretty racist. They are shown as dumb an child-like, being pulled by the Russian adviser on one side and the benevolent priests on the other.
Second is the whole issue of the rape. At the end of the story, the girl marries her rapist to give her son a name. I guess that is a reflection of a society where women are considered second class citizens (again, one of the ills communists were nominally trying to end!) Third, the William Holden character. I'm sorry, I just don't see William Holden, cynical character that he was, being a priest, where you just have to accept a lot of idealistic nonsense on face value. Maybe part of this view is based on all the other movies I've seen him in, from "Sunset Boulevard" to "Network" to "Stalag 17", playing these hard-boiled characters, but there was never anything spiritual about the guy.
Fourth, it is a cold war film, which means that any portrayal of communism is going to be negative.
Not to say that his character wasn't a joy to watch, because he's always a joy to watch, even when miscast.
Still, I'm giving this movie a positive review because of the solid performances. If it were made today, the rape scene would have been graphic, the priests would have been portrayed as huge hypocrites, and there would be a lot more explosions.