DRAGON SEED

US, 1944, 145 minutes, Black and White.
Katharine Hepburn, Walter Huston, Turhan Bey, Aline Mc Mahon, Akim Tamiroff, Hurd Hatfield.
Directed by Jack Conway and Harold S. Bucquet.

The Good Earth and Dragon Seed are two M.G.M. film versions of Pearl Buck novels. The first is superior to the second. It boasts a superb performance by Luise Rainer as the wife and yet another characterisation by Paul Muni. It traces the history of a Chinese family over two generations and the rise and decline of the hero coupled with the patience of his accepting wife. It reflects some of the atmosphere of China in the early decades of this century. The second film takes us into the period of Japanese invasions. The characterisations are not so strong, although the acting is good. It is a bit difficult to accept Katharine Hepburn as a Chinese heroine. Walter Huston and Aline Mc Mahon are her parents. There is more action in the latter film. There is more subtlety in the former. Both are interesting as some kind of illustration of Chinese life in the 20th. century, prior to the Communist Revolution.

1. An M.G.M. classic of the 40s? Its reputation and impact in its time? Later?

2. M.G.M. production values, black and white photography, sets and locations, the stars, the score, special effects? The film was criticised at the time for the American actors portraying the Chinese and a criticism of their inauthenticity. How valid is this?

3. The film and its impact during World War Two? Its propaganda role, relevance? How universal is its message, transcending the 40s and World War Two? The themes of war and its bitter realities, impact on people who had not experienced it? The peaceful opening of the film and the war being absent and unknown? The introduction of the talk and the slides in the town? The gradual build-up to the invasion, the experience of the bombings, the presence of the Japanese and their harshness, destructiveness? Maintaining ordinary life under war and invasion conditions? The need for guerrilla warfare, modernisation in warfare? The impact of the war on disruption of families, deaths, involvement of families in war activities, ordinary people involved in killing and even slaughtering the invaders? The end and the final banquet - ends and mans? The importance for the war effort of the 40s? Now?

4. The traditions of China and audience interest in China? How well did the film indicate the family traditions, society, work, lack of sophistication, lack of westernisation? The Chinese traditions as being good and different? Family traditions and styles, respect? Friendliness and love? Work and simplicity, family life? Relationships and marriage? Good manners and circumlocutions, decorum? The hierarchy of the family? This continuing although changing in the 20th. century? As illustrated Jade's reading, machines, warfare? The impossibility of changing "progress"?

5. The Ling Tan family? The parents and their personalities, their love, bantering, wisdom, likes and dislikes? Property, work? Living in the country? Their sons, their wives, hopes for grandchildren? The bonds of family relationships and city cousins? The suspicions of the city? Their experience of war, rumours, hearing of the invasions, the first experience of the bomb and its crater? Their courage in continuing to survive during the invasion? Mutual support, their being changed, experiencing suffering, being involved in heroism?

6. Jade and her husband? Jade being in the city, her husband at work, the possibility of jealousy? His buying her the book? Their talking together, opening their hearts, love, the conception of the child? Jade and her attitude towards changes? Her husband following her? The importance of their leaving, the birth of the child, their return? Seeing the invasion, being involved in the transportation of the cannon and all its difficulties, endurance? Jade and the family becoming involved in guerrilla warfare? The espionage, the build-up to the final banquet and Jade's confrontation of the enemy? Jade as the symbol of resistance during the war? The importance of the woman's role in this emerging world?

7. The presentation of the city relations, the old city cousin and his moving to the country? Wu Lien and his shop, his collaboration with the Japanese and the students destroying it? Collaboration, pain and suffering?

8. The portrait of the Ling Tan families - the sons and their involvement in the war, guns? The wife and child fleeing and the mother leaving her child her lure on her oppressors, rape and death? The motivation for being involved in guerrilla resistance?

9. The picture of the Japanese invaders ~ in the light of the 40s? Arrogance, demands, meals, wine, shops. collaboration? The build-up to the final banquet and death?

10. The conventions of a war drama and battle sequences? Espionage and guerrilla warfare?

11. The presentation of traditional values, vision of society, hopes, ordinary living and their threat and the need for defence?