The 400 Million
Director Joris Ivens
Countries United States
Duration 53 min
Synopsis
Made by the "Spanish Earth" team of Ivens, Robert Capa, this is a story of a fight for freedom against the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1938. Opening with a stunning montage of scenes depicting the bombing of coastal cities, the film then takes us on an eloquent tour of the history, landscape, and art of the old China. The last section portrays modernization underway throughout the country, linking its struggle to those in the West for democracy. With amazing footage of Sun Yat Sen, Chang Kai Shek. Ivens , Ferno and Capa witnessed part of the battle of Taierchwang, near Soochow in Shantun province, the only major setback in the Japanese advance to Chengchow. Later they were working in a situation of defeat for Kuomintang forces, their work was hampered by the interference of Kuomintang censors, who attempted to control all filming and feared that too much proeminence might be given to their communist allies, to overcome that Ivens contacted the communists and arranged to leave them a camera and some reels of film. This film failed the commercial distribuition, and was banned in UK and France. When it was finally released in London, in 1939, all references to fascism had been cut.
Made by the "Spanish Earth" team of Ivens, Robert Capa, this is a story of a fight for freedom against the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1938. Opening with a stunning montage of scenes depicting the bombing of coastal cities, the film then takes us on an eloquent tour of the history, landscape, and art of the old China. The last section portrays modernization underway throughout the country, linking its struggle to those in the West for democracy. With amazing footage of Sun Yat Sen, Chang Kai Shek. Ivens , Ferno and Capa witnessed part of the battle of Taierchwang, near Soochow in Shantun province, the only major setback in the Japanese advance to Chengchow. Later they were working in a situation of defeat for Kuomintang forces, their work was hampered by the interference of Kuomintang censors, who attempted to control all filming and feared that too much proeminence might be given to their communist allies, to overcome that Ivens contacted the communists and arranged to leave them a camera and some reels of film. This film failed the commercial distribuition, and was banned in UK and France. When it was finally released in London, in 1939, all references to fascism had been cut.