The Inn of the Sixth Happiness Reviews

Set in pre-WW II China and based on the true story of Gladys Aylward, THE INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS is an inspiring film. Aylward (Ingrid Bergman), an English domestic, ventures to an inn high in the mountains of northern China, where she helps a British missionary (Athene Seyler) save souls. In the process, Aylward earns the grudging respect of an old mandarin (Robert Donat), who, however, does his best to see that she is occupied with do-gooding and out of his hair. When invasion by the Japanese becomes imminent, Capt. Lin Nan (Curt Jurgens), a Chinese army officer, appears and enlists Aylward's help in informing the locals of the coming danger. The captain and Aylward fall in love, but when the invasion begins, he rejoins his unit, and she leads the villagers' children on an arduous journey to the safety of a mission located in the country's interior. A touching film with a lovely performance from Bergman, whose interaction with her young wards is unforgettable, THE INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS also marked the last screen appearance for the great Donat, making his final line--"We shall not see each other again, I think. Farewell."--all the more memorable. He died before the film was released. Director Robson garnered an Academy Award nomination for his work here.