The Inn of the Sixth Happiness [DVD] [1958]

Fantastic movie with great acting. I was in north wales once on vacation and realised it looked familiar because I was actually at one of the location most of the movie was filmed. Hollywood made China in Wales lol

These old films are so great no bad language or innuendo they are fantastic really stood the test of tome

"The Inn of The Sixth Happiness" is a biographical film of a domestic second parlour maid, Gladys Alyward, who wants to go to China as a missionary. The China Mission doesn't believe she is qualified and finds her a domestic post as a maid, undeterred Gladys does not accept that she cannot go to China as missionary because her social 'betters' believe her to be unqualified.Bergman plays this indomitable true and real life character, and she plays it well with a natural innocent and stoically determined manner - she is going to be a missionary, against all advice, whatever anyone says. Having visited the China Mission in London and been received with the patronising attitude of the times, she is turned away. Told by Mr Robinson, head of the China Mission in London, that she is 'not qualified to be a missionary'. Bergman plays with empathy the role of a victim of patronising snobbery, she has a lovely way of pronouncing "not qualified" that says it all.After a year or so of working at a job she is deemed qualified for, a second maid in domestic London service. She finally sets off with little more than her passport,and the name of one British missionary.She heads out from London by train across Europe and on to Russia and the Chinese border, having bought her ticket to China by instalments with her palour-maid wages. She is finally seen off by the travel agent and the housekeeper and even her boss, the world famous explorer and China expert who turns up unexpectedly with a warm coat for her. It is a rather touching send off, the people who had tried to dissuade her and who had obviously learnt, it was pointless, are now waving her off with concern and admiration, at the beginning of the ardous train journey.Once there, Gladys becomes established in the Chinese Province at the hotel run by a British missionary, an elderly single woman at The Inn Of The Sixth Happiness. Gladys works for acceptance, striking up friendship with a chinese Government Army officer played by Curt Jergens, they fall in love. She becomes the foot inspector at the behest of the local Mandarin Judge of the province, played wonderfully by Robert Donat. The job offer is a compulsory post demanded by the government for its modernisation of China, the judge can't fill it, it is probably only offered to her because it is a job no-one wants, previous inspectors having been mobbed by angry villagers. Gladys succeeds in convincing the women that foot-binding is cruel and no longer allowed by law.A wonderful and telling scene is a formal dinner and the phrase is used 'the old (Judge) the present (Gladys) and future (Army Colonel) representing the literal transformation of China.She is awarded a Chinese name, meaning "loves People" and when the Japanese invade, bombing and killing in the province, Gladys takes a crocodile of orphans made up of her adopted children and 100s of others, most who have been sent to her from the British Mission, with instructions to get to a pick-up point. The delicious irony is beginning for the 'parlour maid who is not considered qualified to be a missionary'!After miles of hiking and dodging japanese army patrols and not losing a single toddler, Gladys continues across hundred of miles of mountains and raging rivers, to make a deadline to the nearest city where the children will be picked by trucks. These trucks won't wait so there is the tension throughout the journey.She suceeds and Mr Robinson from the China Mission in London is there to receive the children and Gladys asks him "Do you remember me?", somewhat awkwardly he replies "Yes". Hah! Well done Gladys!A wonderful film, stylised understatement yet all the more touching, as it is a true story of a real woman with a clear goal and incredible faith and determination and who will not be put off by anyone or any circumstance. A story of amazing courage. No 'role models' like that today!

What a wonderful inspiring story of the life of Gladys Aylward portrayed by Ingrid Bergman. How God used an ordinary but determined young woman to rescue 100 Chinese orphans and lead them over the mountains to safety. Watch out for Dr Robinson and keep his name in your memory banks as the story unfolds. I warn you though... The romance is the (only) embellishment of a true story. I quickly checked! Truly worth watching

Dated and Holywoodised, but gave us old uns pleasure especially as we knew the REAL story.

Really nice to watch this again after so many years

Loved this film which Is why I bought it

Great Film

Maravillosa película.

Buonissimo

That it was a true story and had a good heartfelt story

I first saw this movie many years ago and lost it as I moved several times. I re-bought it and glad I did. The movie is based on the true life story of Gladys Aylward, who felt a call from God to be a missionary to China. She was turned down by the head of the China Missionary Society because, as he told her, she wasn't "qualified." She was a poor woman, no degrees, no "higher" education, so he felt that it was a waste of time and resources to send such a one to China. He tried to discourage her by telling her to go back to where she came from and continue doing what she knew to do: being a maid. She was not discouraged and stood firm on her decision to go to China. Before she left his office, he felt sorry for her and recommended her for a job at the house of an explorer who have been to China many years. There she reads all the books he has on China, while putting her money into buying a ticket to China. The day came when she finally achieves her dream and embarks in the most difficult, yet rewarding of her life. Once in China, she becomes assistant to a long standing missionary in a far region of the country, until the day her mentor falls from a ladder and dies. She perseveres through many difficulties and without much support from anyone. She perseveres because she is convinced that this is what God had called her to do. The movie is a testament to faith, unconditional and unwavering. No matter what others thought of her, or told her, or discouraged her, her belief never faltered. Her faith is rewarded when, during the Japanese invasion of China, she saves 100 children by bringing them through a very arduous journey to the safety of the Mission in another part of the country. There, as God would have it, the very same person who rejected her because she wasn't "qualified" received her and the children. God humbled him and "rub his face" on the "mud" of his foolish assumptions. Is an uplifting and encouraging movie and an assertion that when God calls someone to do His bidding, men's opinions of that person are useless.

I rated it a top movie as I think this is one of the greatest classics with Ingrid Bergman. It is based on a true story and is such a drama. I watched it several times. It has everything in it that I like in a movie . Lots of drama, laughter and suspense. I would recommend it to any 50 plus person.