JohnHowardReid Copyright 3 December 1942 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Roxy: 20 January 1943. U.S. release: 9 December 1942. Australian release: 18 November 1943. 8,736 feet. 97 minutes.OPENING SYNOPSIS: Johnny Williams (George Montgomery), an American newsreel photographer captured by the Japs in China, makes a breath-taking escape with the aid of a tough soldier-of-fortune, Major Weed (Victor McLaglen), and the Major's girl-friend, Captain Fifi (Lynn Bari).NOTES: Domestic rentals gross: $1.4 million. Although this wasn't sufficient to put the movie into the topmost branches of the box-office tree, it's a most respectable total - more money in fact that either Ninotchka or Grapes of Wrath or even The Women took on original release in the U.S./Canada. PRINCIPAL MIRACLE: Hathaway, Hecht and company turn wartime propaganda into first-rate entertainment.COMMENT: Even by Hathaway's highly polished standard, this is a stylishly fascinating entry in the wartime propaganda mill. The camerawork and the lighting are absolutely out of this world. We can't imagine why the movie wasn't nominated for any of the year's major awards. The sets are really magnificent too. In fact, I'll go further. I'd say that the sets would rank amongst the finest (the most artistic, the most imaginative, the most eye-catching, the most aesthetically appealing) ever created for a motion picture. But no awards. Not even a nomination. True, there's one thing - and only one thing - about China Girl that's not top-flight, and that's Ben Hecht's cornball script, with its stereotyped characterization and strictly conventional brash-American-boy-meets-beautiful-but-elusive-Eurasian-girl romance. All the same, Miss Tierney is suitably beautiful as the heroine and Mr Montgomery routinely brash as the diamond-in-the-rough hero. The supporting cast, however, is even more interesting, with some fine studies in villainy from Bari, McLaglen, Rumann and Baxter.OTHER VIEWS: Superbly photographed, well played, with great art direction (the hotel set is most ingenious and imaginative), stylish direction, snappy dialogue, and a good music score (abetted by that great 20th Century-Fox sound track), this film lacks only one thing - a satisfactory conclusion. SPOILERS: This must be one of the few Hollywood films in which justice does not triumph. Although this is certainly a novel idea, the conclusion doesn't even cash in on this novelty because it's blatant propaganda swamps any other ideas out of an audience's mind. Great supporting cast. Pace is A-1 too, and the plot moves like a crackerjack until about halfway through. It's Gene Tierney who slows down the action; but she's so beautifully lit and costumed, we don't really care. - JHR writing as George Addison.

christopher-underwood I picked this up for very little, drawn partly by the fact it had Gene Tierney in and I had never heard of it. I was also drawn by the reminder of the David Bowie song! Maybe I should have steered clear, for while this probably does have its fans, this war drama was certainly not my cup of tea (Chinese or otherwise - sorry about that!). It is a ridiculous tale set in the early days of WW2 and George Montgomery spends about a third of his time escaping or avoiding the Japanese and the rest flirting, first with Lynn Bari and then quite unbelievably, Gene Tierney, who just as unbelievably plays the titular Chinese girl! Apart from Gene Tierney who is very effective, allowing for the fact you cannot accept there is anything Chinese about her, but the only other interest in the film are the politics. Here the Americans are sympathetic with the poor Chinese and try to help them as much as possible defend themselves against the Japanese who are portrayed appallingly. So Chinese good, Japanese bad - how things change.

Pearly_Gates This is an underrated film that has received reviews too dismissing, I feel. I agree with the above reviewer on some of its shortcomings, but would also point out that there is a very nice tension set up between Gene Tierney and Lynn Bari throughout most of the story — which certainly had me watch it through to the very end. Contrary to other opinions, Tierney fans will not be disappointed here, although I agree she doesn't truly shine as in some others; and Lynn Bari is at her best and definitely makes us wish she had been given more prominent parts. Some feel that Bari actually makes this movie, but this may be going too far. Moreover, I don't believe China Girl was ever intended as a war movie per se, rather a drama. The war-scene ending just happens to be the bitter twist that closes what is essentially a war-time drama between a guy and two gals — it's no more complex than that.Also, the camera is no slouch either, in this movie. It has excellent shots in the hotel rooms where much of the action takes place, giving it a somewhat noir feel that definitely generates an overall stylish period polish that is in synch with the true noirs of the period. If you like this style, as I do, China Girl is worth seeking out. One can only hope that it will eventually become part of a Tierny Collection. I'm certainly keeping my fingers crossed!

it_teach20 I was very eager to see this film because it had one of my favorite actresses (Gene Tierney) in it. I started watching it and was so turned off by George Montgomery, who imitates Clark Gable through the whole thing, that once she was on screen, I was hoping it would be over soon. Needless to say I watched it for awhile and finally turned it off. Bad film. Would not recommend.