Ingrid Bergman is luminous as Gladys. It is one of her very best performances, and my personal favorite. Robert Donat, who passed away before the film was released, is also marvelous as the Mandarin of Yang Cheng, and Curt Jurgens as Captain Lin Nan is handsome and believable as the man who falls in love with Gladys. In a small but pivotal part, Athene Seyler is terrific as Jennie Lawson, the elderly missionary who helps Gladys in her early years, and Peter Chong is a delight as Yang the cook.
It is odd that the only Oscar nomination went to director Mark Robson; perhaps Bergman was overlooked because she had received a "Best Actress" for "Anastasia" two years earlier, but Bergman fans will give this film their own five-star award.

The fabulous location filming by Freddie Young was done in Snowdonia National Park, North Wales, a remarkable substitute for Shaanxi Province, in the heart of China. The village reproductions are very well done, and look incredibly similar to films I have seen shot in China. The lovely score by Malcolm Arnold adds much to the film, and Alan Burgess, whose book "The Small Woman" is the basis of the story, wrote the script, which is witty, wise and wonderful, with Isobel Lennart.
Many times I've laughed out loud , and many times I've cried watching this film; it's good for several viewings, as it is epic in scope, and the script has an intelligence that makes it a rare gem. total running time is 158 minutes.

In the film, Chinese tradition has five "Happiness" wishes: Wealth, longevity, good health, virtue, and a peaceful old age and death. "Each person must decide in their heart what the sixth happiness is".


Inn of the sixth happiness   March 20, 2004
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

i was actually named after Ingrid Bergman in this film... my mum watched it when it first came out. It is an inspiring film, i have watched it many times and will keep watching it. I recommend this film, "this old man, he played one..." all the way to tsian... Gladys Aylward must have been a tremendous woman!


good old film   January 20, 2004
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

This is a very good old film. Almost as good as "It's a Wonderful Life". 5 stars. *****


Must be seen   December 15, 2000
 27 out of 28 found this review helpful

I first saw this film one Christmas when I was about 10 years old and it has remained in my memory ever since. I have never seen a film that takes you through such emotions and i would recommend that it is watched with a loved one, a box of chocolates and a large box of tissues. I can not listen to the song "nick nack paddy wack give a dog a bone" without crying and I don't think you will either.