The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
Director: Mark Robson
Year Released: 1958
Rating: 1.5
It's a film that's not only not interesting to see, it's also not interesting to write about either. Saintly, perfect, all knowing, all-wise Ingrid Bergman (who gets a chance to cry on a moment's notice; when she's not crying, she's ridiculously over-exuberant) gets call from God to go to China (of all places) and be a missionary. As expected, she's treated as a white devil when she arrives; eventually everyone warms to her and her splendorous tales of Christ. Preachy blather abounds - I had a hard time discerning whether she thinks she's playing Mother Teresa or Joan of Arc. Robert Donat is campy as one of the Chinese rulers; Curt Jurgens plays the cold mixed-breed role the way John Wayne might (also, the always-essential love relationship between Jurgens and Bergman is poorly developed and played out). The least director Robson could have done was spared us (and China) the lecturing and trimmed a bit of the deadening three-hour running time.
