Did You Know?
A gold-painted statue of Buddha, which was part of a set for this film, is now in the Italianate village of Portmeirion, North Wales.
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This was Robert Donat's last film, he died during its making. In the scene where he is saying goodbye to Gladys as the elders prepare to take their leave of the city, he says as though he was prophesying his death, "I fear we shall never see each other again."
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The Chinese gave Gladys the name Ai-weh-deh, Chinese for Virtuous One, not Jan-Ai as used in the movie.
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The song "The Children's Marching Song", more commonly known as "This Old Man", was better-known in England than the U.S. at the time this film was made. When the film became a hit in America, so did the song, helped in no small measure by Mitch Miller's popular recording.
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The real Gladys Aylward (1902 - 1970), born in London, was a former domestic turned missionary in China, best known for her work with children. She became a Chinese citizen in 1936. Four years later, despite being in ill health herself, she shepherded over 100 children over the mountains to safety at the height of the Sino-Japanese war. In 1958, the year this film was released, she founded a children's home in Taiwan, which she continued to run until her death. Known in China as "Ai-weh-deh", or "Virtous One", she continues to be regarded as a national heroine.
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The real Gladys Aylward was reportedly very embarrassed at the romantic part of the film. She did fall in love with a Chinese soldier but they never married and it was very brief.
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Buddy Adler's last production. He died July 12, 1958, which was shortly before this movie was released.
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