The 400 Million
| The 400 Million | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Joris Ivens |
| Written by |
Joris Ivens John Ferno |
| Narrated by | Frederic March |
| Music by | Hans Eisler |
| Cinematography |
John Ferno Robert Capa |
| Edited by | Helen van Dongen |
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Release date
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Running time
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52 minutes |
The 400 Million, also known as China in 1938, was a 1939 black-and-white documentary film by Dutch filmmaker Joris Ivens about the Second Sino-Japanese War, part of the East Asian theater of World War II. The filmmaker moved between the Republican, Communist, and guerrilla forces of the Chinese resistance to Japanese invasion. Their dialogue in Mandarin is accompanied by English translations read by American actors.
The title refers to the population of China, roughly estimated from the highly untrustworthy official censuses.
The film begins with the carnage left by Japanese bombing in northeastern China, describing it as an unprovoked act of aggression. It then provides a brief overview of Chinese history and its connections and importance to Europe and North America. It discusses the modernization undertaken by the Republic and suggests that nascent development provoked Japan's attack. Japan's history of aggression is detailed, with United States's continuing exports of iron and steel to the country pointedly noted. The film takes pains to present the Chinese factions as united against the invaders and ends with some small Chinese victories to suggest a turning tide of battle, especially praising the 8th Route Army.
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Wikipedia