The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
Recommended. Age: 6+. A Catholic review of this movie for parents.
Our review
A woman named Gladys goes to China to tell people about God. She runs an inn, helps end the cruel binding of girls' feet, and cares for orphans. When war comes, she leads about 100 children over the mountains to safety. This is a warm, big-hearted film about a plain woman God uses in great ways. Her faith drives everything she does, and the Mandarin's conversion is moving. The romance is Hollywood's invention, and the real Gladys did not like it. The one age is 6, set by Lumen's own call for the air raid and wartime deaths; the Legion of Decency rated it A-I.
For parents
Good for the whole family from about 6. The one age is 6, set by Lumen; the Legion of Decency rated it A-I (all ages). Expect a fatal balcony fall, a prison riot, a bombing raid that kills the cook, and the death of a friend, Li, who dies saving the group from a Japanese patrol. There is a love story with a kiss. Tell older kids the real Gladys never kissed anyone and stayed with orphans her whole life, so the romance is made up. Ask: why did God choose someone the experts said was not qualified? What did the Mandarin see in Gladys that made him want to become a Christian?