The Bitter Tea of General Yen
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Categories: 1933 films | American films | Black and white films | English-language films | Films directed by Frank Capra
The Bitter Tea of General Yen is a pre-Code 1933 film, directed by Frank Capra and starring Barbara Stanwyck. The film was the first to play at the Radio City Music Hall upon its opening in January, 1933. General Yen was a box office failure upon its release and has since been overshadowed by Capra's later efforts. In recent years, the film has grown in critical acclaim however. In 2000, the film was chosen by British film critic Derek Malcolm as one of the hundred best films in The Century of Films. PlotMegan Davis (Barbara Stanwyck) comes to China to marry a missionary (Gavin Gordon) and help in his work. During the Chinese Civil War, Davis and her fiancee enter the war zone to rescue orphans. They become separated at a railway station, and Davis is rescued/kidnapped by warlord General Yen (Nils Asther). Yen is infatuated with Davis, and knows that the foreign community believes her to be dead. Davis is kept at Yen's summer palace, where she attempts to save the General's concubine, Ma Li, who has been spying for the enemy. Yen realizes that Ma Li will not change her ways, but sees this as an opportunity to 'convert a missionary'. He dismisses Davis' appeal to 'Christian' ideals of forgiveness as empty words, but accepts Davis as a hostage against the future conduct of Ma Li. Ma Li betrays the location of the General's money to the enemy, and his army deserts him. Realizing that she has destroyed Yen, Davis comes to him willingly, just as Yen drinks his poisoned tea. Cast
External links
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