A bit racist and enlightened at the same time. I guess for the period it was a step forward. Chinese are portrayed as intelligent, well-spoken men who want freedom and democracy. Of course the wicked General Yang (and all the bad guys) are blundering, vain, heavily-accented traditionalists. The more Chinese, the more evil in essence.
This aside, it's a suspenseful film noir with Gary Cooper magnetic as the lead. A man sent to help peasants in their revolt against the domineering General Yang. He falls for the beautiful Madeleine Carroll, who was used as bait by her spineless father to lure him onto a train.
Cooper is captured by Yang and robbed of the people's money, which he was delivering. He escapes and begins a mission to retrieve it from Carroll's father.
It all ends in a disturbing mass suicide scene commanded by General Yang, who, of course, dies at dawn.
William Frawley is funny as the hotel drunk.
This aside, it's a suspenseful film noir with Gary Cooper magnetic as the lead. A man sent to help peasants in their revolt against the domineering General Yang. He falls for the beautiful Madeleine Carroll, who was used as bait by her spineless father to lure him onto a train.
Cooper is captured by Yang and robbed of the people's money, which he was delivering. He escapes and begins a mission to retrieve it from Carroll's father.
It all ends in a disturbing mass suicide scene commanded by General Yang, who, of course, dies at dawn.
William Frawley is funny as the hotel drunk.