The Children of Huang Shi (2008)

Director:

Roger Spottiswoode

Writers:

Jane Hawksley (writer)
James MacManus (writer)

Release Date:

3 April 2008 (China)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

War made them orphans, one man made them legends

Plot:

About young British journalist, George Hogg, who with the assistance of a courageous Australian nurse, saves a group of orphaned children during the Japanese occupation of China in 1937.

Plot Keywords:

China | Nurse | Journalist | British | Orphan

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Jonathan Rhys Meyers	...	George Hogg
Radha Mitchell	...	Lee Pearson
Yun-Fat Chow	...	Chen Hansheng
Michelle Yeoh	...	Mrs. Wang
Guang Li	...	Shi-Kai
Lin Ji	...	Horse Rider
Matt Walker	...	Andy Fisher
Anastasia Kolpakova	...	Duschka
Ping Su	...	Eddie Wei
Imai Hideaki	...	Japanese Officer
Sciichiro Hashimoto	...	Urbane Japanese Officer
Shinichi Takashima	...	Hostile Kempetai Officer
Xing Mang	...	Young Communist
Ruixiang Zhu	...	Japanese Officer II
Yuelong Fang	...	Rou Ding

Also Known As:

Children of the Silk Road (Australia)
Die Kinder der Seidenstrasse (Germany)
Escape from Huang Shi (Singapore: English title)
Huang Shi de hai zi (China: Mandarin title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some disturbing and violent content.

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

Australia | China | Germany

Language:

English | Japanese | Mandarin

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | USA:R | Singapore:PG | Hong Kong:IIA | Australia:M | South Korea:12 | New Zealand:M | Mexico:B15 | UK:15 | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Chedun Studios, Shanghai, China

Company:

Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC)

Trivia:

Marks the first official co-production between Australia and China.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: There's several scenes of Japanese Mitsubishi A6M2 'Zero' fighter planes strafing Chinese civilians and Nationalist soldiers in 1937-38. The Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighter plane would make its combat debut over Chungking, China in August 1940. Prior to that time, the Japanese were employing imperial Army Nakajima Ki-27 fighter planes with the fixed landing gear and the imperial Navy Mitsubishi A5M, also with fixed landing gear, later codenamed, "Claude", by the Allies. The Allies later codenamed the Ki-27, "Nate".

Quotes:

[first lines]
George Hogg: Shoot some hoops?
Andy Fisher: No thanks. I have to save my strength, I'm getting married on Tuesday.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2008-05-24)" (2008)

The Children of George Hogg

'The Children of Huang Shi' tells an important story of how a journalist rescued 60 Chinese orphans during the war between China and Japan. It is a heroic story but one that has tragic consequences. At first I thought it was a Hollywood movie as the dramatization was apparent and some of the sequences felt very Hollywoodish. However, it's actually an Australian production. I still wonder why Spottiswoode chose to dramatize it so much.

The landscape is beautifully captured on screen as it juxtaposes with the tragedy of the war that is shown through the killings and the dead bodies. The movie feels slightly rushed in the beginning as one thing happens after another in rapid succession. However, once George makes it to the orphanage, the story unfolds smoothly. Initially, Jonathan Rhys Meyers looks very uncomfortable but once George settles in the orphanage, Meyers seems more at ease and does a brilliant job from then on. Radha Mitchell oscillates with her accent but otherwise she's quite decent. Chow Yun Fat provides some wonderful comic relief while playing his part naturally and Michelle Yeoh shines as a 'great lady'. The children actors too do a splendid job.

There isn't much of a history lesson about the war but then again the story stays focused on Hogg and the orphans. Their relationship to him is the key part of the story which is superbly depicted. In addition, while the closing credits role, we get to witness a moving montage of some of the real children of Huang Shi, now aged, talking about Hogg and what he meant to them. Though dramatized, 'The Children of Huang Shi' is very much a watchable film and, every once in a while, the world needs to be reminded of such heroes who made a difference against all odds.