The General Died at Dawn (1936)

58% of users liked it
(164 ratings)

General Yang (Akim Tamiroff) is a politically ambitious Chinese bandit who holds the Northern districts in a grip of terror. Yang is opposed by O'Hara (Gary Cooper), an American mercenary who fights on behalf of the peasants. When he is entrusted with a large sum of money to buy guns, O'Hara becomes… More General Yang (Akim Tamiroff) is a politically ambitious Chinese bandit who holds the Northern districts in a grip of terror. Yang is opposed by O'Hara (Gary Cooper), an American mercenary who fights on behalf of the peasants. When he is entrusted with a large sum of money to buy guns, O'Hara becomes the target of Yang and his minions. Betrayed by a cowardly Caucasian (Porter Hall), O'Hara nonetheless falls in love with his betrayer's daughter Judy (Madeline Carroll). Yang captures both O'Hara and Judy and spirits them away on his junk, where the General intends to torture O'Hara so as to find out where the money is. A bizarre and gloomy ending caps this atmospheric thriller, adapted from Charles G. Booth's best-selling novel by Clifford Odets--who, along with director Lewis Milestone, novelist John O'Hara and Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolsky, appears as an extra in one scene. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 33 min.
Directed By: Lewis Milestone
Written By: Clifford Odets
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

In Theaters: Sep 2, 1936 Wide
On DVD: May 31, 2005
Studio: MCA Universal Home Video

Critic Reviews

Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Perfectly cast, beautifully photographed and just startlingly good entertainment.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Old-fashioned thriller.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Disregarding historical facts, this romantic historical adventure was a good vehicle for Gary Cooper, then at th eheight of his career.

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Cast

            Gary Cooper as O'Hara

            Madeleine Carroll as Judy Perrie

            Akim Tamiroff as Gen.Yang

            Dudley Digges as Mr. Wu

            Porter Hall as Peter Perric

            William Frawley as Brighton

            J.M. Kerrigan as Leach

            Philip Ahn as Oxford

            Lee Tung Foo as Mr. Chen

            Leonid Kinskey as Stewart

            John O'Hara as Reporter

            George Chan as Porter

            Spencer Chan as Killer

            Val Duran as Wong

            Sarah Edwards as American Couple

            Willie Fung as Bartender

            Hans Furberg as Yang's Military Advisor

            Paul Harvey as American Couple

            Barnett Parker as Englishman

            Sidney Skolsky
            
            Kam Tong as House Boy

            Hans Von Morhart as Mandarin

            Walter Wong as Bartender

            Richard Young
            
            Lewis Milestone as Reporter

            Harry Yip
            
            Frank Young as Clerk

            Leo Abbey
            
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