IMDb >
The Good Earth (1937)
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsThe Good Earth (1937) More at IMDbPro »
Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
6 August 1937 (USA)
more
Tagline:
China . . . . Land of unrest . . . tomorrow they may Starve !
Plot:
The story of a farmer in China: a story of humility and bravery. His father gives Wang Lung a freed slave as wife...
more
| add synopsis
Awards:
Won 2 Oscars.
Another 3 nominations
more
NewsDesk:
(5 articles)
Music: Review:The Feelies: Crazy Rhythms / The Good Earth
(From The AV Club. 14 September 2009, 10:00 PM, PDT)
The Feelies: Crazy Rhythms and The Good Earth
(From PasteMagazine. 8 September 2009, 6:00 AM, PDT)
(From The AV Club. 14 September 2009, 10:00 PM, PDT)
The Feelies: Crazy Rhythms and The Good Earth
(From PasteMagazine. 8 September 2009, 6:00 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Classic story given distinguished screen treatment and cast to perfection
more (43 total)
Cast
(Complete credited cast)| Paul Muni | ... | Wang Lung | |
| Luise Rainer | ... | O-Lan | |
| Walter Connolly | ... | Uncle | |
| Tilly Losch | ... | Lotus | |
| Charley Grapewin | ... | Old Father | |
| Jessie Ralph | ... | Cuckoo | |
| Soo Yong | ... | Aunt | |
| Keye Luke | ... | Elder Son | |
| Roland Lui | ... | Younger Son | |
| Suzanna Kim | ... | Little Fool | |
| Ching Wah Lee | ... | Ching | |
| Harold Huber | ... | Cousin | |
| Olaf Hytten | ... | Liu - Grain Merchant | |
| William Law | ... | Gateman | |
| Mary Wong | ... | Little Bride |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
138 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Black and White (Sepiatone)
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Certification:
USA:Passed (National Board of Review) |
West Germany:12 |
UK:A |
South Korea:All |
Sweden:15 (DVD rating) |
Australia:G |
Finland:K-16 |
USA:Approved (PCA #2584)
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The play by Owen Davis and Donald Davis, based on Pearl S. Buck's novel, opened in New York on 18 October 1933 at the Guild Theater with Claude Rains and Alla Nazimova in the lead roles and ran for 56 performances.
more
Goofs:
Continuity: Unexplained sequence of events or possible error in continuity. Toward the beginning of the film, Farmer Wang walks to the Great House to meet his bride, O-Lan. He is carrying a basket. It appears to be empty. As he enters a market, the farmer declines to buy peaches. We don't see him purchase goods or trade for anything. We don't see him filling the basket. However, the next scene shows him at the door of the house with a full basket. Later, he does buy peaches. At this point, however, we're still not made aware how he has money or silver.
more
Quotes:
O-Lan:
When I go back in that house, it will be with my son in my arms. I'll have a red coat on him... and red flower trousers... and a hat with a gilded Buddha and tiger-faced shoes, and I'll go into the kitchen where I spent my days as a slave and into the great hall where the old mistress sits with her pipe, and I'll show myself and my son to all of them.
O-Lan: [Smiles, contented] Hmm.
Wang Lung: Well... Now, I... I haven't heard you speak so many words since you came to this house.
more
O-Lan: [Smiles, contented] Hmm.
Wang Lung: Well... Now, I... I haven't heard you speak so many words since you came to this house.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The Slanted Screen (2006)
more
FAQ
How closely does the movie follow the book?Why are there so few real Chinese actors in this very Chinese story?
Is "The Good Earth" based on a book?
more
more (43 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Good Earth (1937) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Gone with the Wind | L'albero degli zoccoli | Novecento | The Kite Runner | Kaidan |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Drama section | IMDb USA section |
| Add this title to MyMovies |

Pearl Buck's story of the ups and downs of a Chinese peasant family is adapted for the screen in a stately and dignified manner. Extreme respect is paid to the characters, who are given ample screen time to mature and develop. The roles are filled by actors who are able to get inside their characters without ever giving the impression that they are `performing,' and their performances are all the richer for it.
The story begins on the wedding day of Wang Lung (Paul Muni), a kind and gentle farmer. His wife, O-Lan (Luise Rainer), bears his sons and quietly encourages him to pursue his dreams, no matter what sacrifices they entail from her. The family lives through a famine and finally achieves prosperity and success. However, with success comes greed and corruption, and soon Wang is buying large plots of land and the Great Hall at which O-Lan was a servant. Eventually, he takes a second wife and breaks ties with all who were once close to him. It takes a tragedy for him to see the error of his ways.
All the while O-Lan stands behind him, supporting every decision he makes in her own tranquil way. Rainer's Oscar winning portrayal, like O-Lan herself, is the glue that holds the story together. Muni, often prone to hamminess in his work, shows restraint here and contributes a beautiful, multifaceted performance. The cinematography, which also received an Oscar, is excellent, as are the special effects. A sequence which involves locusts, invading the crops by the million, is nothing short of unforgettable. It is storytelling in the grandest sense of the word, with strong characterizations, high production values, and an engrossing story which more than justifies `The Good Earth's status as a classic.