China Sky (1945)

The conflicts of war-torn China are reflected in miniature within an American mission hospital.

Director:

Ray Enright

Writers:

Pearl S. Buck (novel), Joseph Hoffman,

Stars:

Randolph Scott, Ruth Warrick, Ellen Drew

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Randolph Scott	...	Dr. Gray Thompson
Ruth Warrick	...	Dr. Sara Durand
Ellen Drew	...	Louise Thompson
Anthony Quinn	...	Chen-Ta
Carol Thurston	...	Siu-Mei
Richard Loo	...	Col. Yasuda
'Ducky' Louie	...	Little Goat
Philip Ahn	...	Dr. Kim
Benson Fong	...	Chung
H.T. Tsiang	...	Magistrate
Chin Kuang Chow	...	Little Charlie

Storyline

In a hill city of war-torn China, the American mission hospital is run by Dr. Gray Thompson and Dr. Sara Durand, who secretly loves him. Then Gray comes back from the USA with new equipment ...and new wife Louise, who is jealous of Sara, shows herself a coward in the first Japanese air raid, and wants to take Gray back to the States. Others have similar troubles; and Japanese prisoner Colonel Yasuda manipulates them for his own ends.

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Plot Keywords:

china | shot in the arm | steel helmet | doctor | bayonet | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 May 1945 (USA)

Also Known As:

Under Kinas himmel

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Jingle Bells"
(uncredited)
Written by James Pierpont
Sung by the children

User Reviews

Ruth Warrick & Ellen Drew square off----

----to fight over Randolph Scott in WWII China. Anthony Quinn, in an early role, plays the leader of the mountain fighters after the Japanese have taken over much of the country.

Scott and Warrick are doctors in hospital at the village that supports the fighters. At the beginning of the film, Scott has gone back to America to raise funds for supplies and while there, meets and marries a spoiled beauty (Drew) and brings her back to the daily air raids and death at the village.

Warrick, who has always loved her fellow doctor, tries to make the best of the situation, but as the weeks go by it becomes clear that Drew only came back with Scott to make him see that he should leave the war zone and come back with her to America.

The verbal cat fight scenes between Warrick and Drew are the best part of the film. The people of the village being herded into the mountain caves during air raids; the fight near the end between the invaders and the mountain fighters and villagers, is handled very well.

Despite the "A" list performers, this was considered a "B" film for the lower half of a double bill in the war years. As a preteen who first saw this the year it came out, I remember the Sat. matinee kids cheering for the good guys and booing the baddies. Watch it for a look at the past. 7/10