The 400 Million (1939)
Joris Ivens’s wartime documentary of China’s resistance to the Japanese invasion, cross-cutting civilian exodus and bombing with the Nationalist state’s mobilization—schools, industry, dispersed war production, foreign relief—and guerrilla fighting. Framing an ancient nation of “400 million,” it contrasts tradition with modernization and closes on the unresolved question of victory.
- Date of release
- 1939-03-07
- TMDB
- 6.2 / 10 (8)
- Runtime
- 54m
- Genres
- Documentary
- Director
- Joris Ivens, John Fernhout
Casting
- Fredric March — Narration (voice)
- Morris Carnovsky — Additional Voice (voice)
- Sidney Lumet — Additional Voice (voice)
- Robert Q. Lewis — Additional Voice (voice)
- Alfred Ryder — Additional Voice (voice)
- Adelaide Bean — Additional Voice (voice)
- Lai Sek — Himself (archive footage)
- Madame Chiang — Herself (archive footage)
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