Dragon Seed (1944)
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44% of users liked it
(1,060 ratings)
This lavish, 145-minute cinemadaptation of the Pearl Buck best-seller Dragon Seed was intended by MGM as a followup to the studio's successful film version of Buck's The Good Earth. In true Hollywood fashion, the Chinese protagonists are all played by Caucasian actors, with fascinating if… More This lavish, 145-minute cinemadaptation of the Pearl Buck best-seller Dragon Seed was intended by MGM as a followup to the studio's successful film version of Buck's The Good Earth. In true Hollywood fashion, the Chinese protagonists are all played by Caucasian actors, with fascinating if not always convincing results. When a peaceful Chinese village is invaded by the Japanese prior to WW2, the men elect to adopt a peaceful, don't-rock-the-boat attitude towards their conquerors-and it is understood that the women will stoically acquiesce as well. But Jade (Katharine Hepburn), a headstrong young woman, intends to stand up to the Japanese whether her husband Lao Er (Turhan Bey) approves or not. She even goes so far as to learn to read and to handle a weapon, so that she may properly equipped for both psychological and physical combat. Jade's attitude spreads to the rest of the village, convincing even the staunchest of male traditional that the Japanese can be defeated only by offering a strong united front-male and female. Alas, there are a few Quislings in their midst, notably avaricious merchant Wu Lien (Akim Tamiroff), who learns all too late the terrible cost of collaboration. While it seems odd to see so many non-Orientals-Walter Huston, Agnes Moorehead, Hurd Hatfield, J. Carroll Naish-in the major roles, Dragon Seed manages to retain its power and entertainment value even 50 years after the fact (Incidentally, there are a few genuine Chinese in the cast-most of them playing Japanese!) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Agnes Moorehead, Akim Tamiroff
- Written By
- Marguerite Roberts, Jane Murfin
- Genres
- Drama, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1944 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Quite moving, strong drama featuring Kate Hepburn.
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
One of MGM's worst melodramas of the 40s and a low point in the career of Hepburn, here miscast as a young and alert Chinese woman. Propaganda picture was made to please the government (and its Chinese allies) but by today's standards it's racist.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
That Caucasian actors are cast in the primary Oriental roles greatly detracts from the film's authenticity.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
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Cast
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Katharine Hepburn
as Jade
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Walter Huston
as Ling Tan
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Aline MacMahon
as Mrs. Ling Tan
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Akim Tamiroff
as Wu Lien
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Turhan Bey
as Lao Er
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J. Carrol Naish
as Japanese Kitchen Overseer
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Agnes Moorehead
as Third Cousin's Wife
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Hurd Hatfield
as Lao San
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Henry Travers
as Third Cousin
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Robert Bice
as Lao Ta
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Robert Lewis
as Capt. Sato
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Frances Rafferty
as Orchid
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Jacqueline de Wit
as Mrs. Wu Lien
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Clarence Lung
as Fourth Cousin
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Paul E. Burns
as Neighbor Shen
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Anna Demetrio
as Wu Sao
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Philip Ahn
as Leader of City People
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Lionel Barrymore
as Narrator
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Claire Du Brey
as Hysterical Woman
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Benson Fong
as Student
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Lee Tung Foo
as Innkeeper
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Roland Got
as Speaker with Movies
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Alex Havier
as Japanese Soldier
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Ted Hecht
as Maj. Yohagi
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Al Hill
as Japanese Officer
- Keye Luke
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Charles Lung
as Japanese Diplomat
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Leonard Mudie
as Old Peddler
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Jay Novello
as Japanese Soldier
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Frank Puglia
as Old Clerk
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Leonard Strong
as Japanese Official
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Philip Van Zandt
as Japanese Guard
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Abner Biberman
as Capt. Yasuda
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Robbie Lee
as Young Farmer
