Dragon Seed (1944)

The lives of a small Chinese village are turned Upside down when the Japanese invade it. And heroic young Chinese woman leads her fellow villagers in an uprising against Japanese Invaders.

Directors:

Harold S. Bucquet, Jack Conway

Writers:

Pearl S. Buck (novel), Marguerite Roberts (screenplay),

Stars:

Katharine Hepburn, Walter Huston, Aline MacMahon

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Katharine Hepburn	...	Jade Tan
Walter Huston	...	Ling Tan
Aline MacMahon	...	Ling Tan's Wife
Akim Tamiroff	...	Wu Lien
Turhan Bey	...	Lao Er Tan - Middle Son
Hurd Hatfield	...	Lao San Tan - Youngest Son
J. Carrol Naish	...	Japanese Kitchen Overseer
Agnes Moorehead	...	Third Cousin's Wife
Henry Travers	...	Third Cousin
Robert Bice	...	Lao Ta Tan - Eldest Son
Robert Lewis	...	Captain Sato
Frances Rafferty	...	Orchid Tan - Lao Ta's Wife
Jacqueline deWit	...	Wu Lien's Wife
Clarence Lung	...	Fourth Cousin
Paul E. Burns	...	Neighbor Shen

Storyline

Ling Tang and his family live on his prosperous farm in rural Southern China and have not yet felt the impact of the Japanese invasion in the North. Tang's two oldest sons, Lao Ta Tan and Lao Er Tan are married and hard working while youngest son Lao San Tan remains a free spirit. Er's wife Jade is also willfully unconventional and desires to exercises her literacy skills by reading books, a most unfeminine practice in 1930's China. Tang's only daughter is married to Wu Lien, a city merchant who profits from selling Japanese goods. When the dreaded invasion reaches their village, the family is scattered as the sons join the resistance while Wu Lien survives by collaborating with the enemy.

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Plot Keywords:

china | invasion | merchant | student | village | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

August 1944 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Estirpe do Dragão

Filming Locations:

Calabasas, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Loew's

Technical Specs

Runtime:

148 min 147 min (copyright length) 148 min (Turner library print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In January 1944, Harold S. Bucquet took over as director when Jack Conway became ill, and he was awarded co-director credit.

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Quotes

Lao Er Tan - Middle Son: I do not have the words.
Jade Tan: I am not very learned.
Lao Er Tan - Middle Son: Is that why you do not often speak to me?
Jade Tan: Two must speak for understanding.

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Connections

Featured in Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)

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Soundtracks

"Chee Lai"
Composer unknown
Sung by Eugene Dorian and Wong Artarne as part of the score

User Reviews

Great Pearl S. Buck Film

Enjoyed the great acting by the entire cast and especially Katharine Hepburn, who plays the role as Jade Tan who lives with her family on a farm and everything is very peaceful and happy for years. However, when the Japanese evade China these peaceful times turn into a complete disaster for the farming community. Walter Houston, (Ling Tan) plays the role as father and his wife Ling Tan, (Aline MacMahan) both give great supporting roles. Akim Tamiroff, (Lu Lien) becomes friends with the Japanese and is really a traitor to his Chinese family. The Japanese treated the people very poorly and their was rape and constant killing of innocent people. This story reminded me of a book entitled, "The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang" which talks about the horrors that Japanese soldiers performed against innocent Chinese people which is told in this picture.