China Cry

{{Short description|1990 film by James F. Collier}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox film | name = China Cry | image = China cry cover.jpg | alt = | caption = | director = James F. Collier | producer = Don L. Parker | screenplay = James F. Collier | based_on = {{based on|''China Cry''|Nora Lam and Irene Burk Harrell}} | starring = Julia Nickson-Soul<br>France Nuyen<br>James Shigeta | music = Joel Hirschhorn, Al Kasha; "No One But You" performed by Irene Cara | cinematography = David Worth | editing = Duane Hartzell, Ruby Yang | studio = Parakletus, TBN Films | distributor = Penland Productions | released = {{Film date|df=y|1990|11|2|USA}} | runtime = 101 minutes | country = USA | language = English | budget = | gross = {{Currency|4,212,828}} }} '''''China Cry''''' is a 1990 American biographical film set during rise of the communist state in China, based on the book by Nora Lam.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/chinacrynoralams00lamn|title=China Cry: The Nora Lam Story|first1=Nora|last1=Lam|author-link1=Nora Lam|first2=Richard H.|last2=Schneider|edition=Paperback|publisher=Thomas Nelson|location=Nashville|orig-year=1st pub with Irene Burk Harrell HarperCollins 1983|year=1991|isbn=978-0840731876|url-access=registration}}</ref>

It is set in the 1950s based on the true story of Sung Neng Yee (played by Julia Nickson-Soul), and also stars Russell Wong.

Born into a wealthy Chinese family, Nora is first eager to become part of Mao Zedong's "new society". But the Maoist regime brings hardship and misery to her family. She is arrested by authorities, and she believes that only the Lord Jesus Christ must have saved her when she miraculously survives a firing squad whilst being condemned as a Committed Christian from a Christian Intellectual family (by a Northern Chinese State Security Woman Officer- after she urges her to kiss the Red Flag).

She is then taken to a labour camp while pregnant, but once again, survives to take her children and family to freedom, which is finally granted after she sends (from the Labour Camp in Shanghai) three copies of the same telegram: one to Chairman Mao; and the other two to Prime Minister Chu & Beijing Police Headquarters.

The film was directed by James F. Collier (who also directed The Hiding Place and Joni), and is an example of positive Asian characters in a Christian-themed film.

The film's theme song "No One But You" is performed by Irene Cara.

==Box office== The ''Los Angeles Times'' reported in 1991 that despite mostly "downbeat" reviews it did not stop ''China Cry'' from grossing over $4 million since its release in the previous autumn.<ref name=L>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-05-08-ca-1424-story.html|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|title=Critics' Slaps Fail to Hinder 'China Cry' Receipts : Movies: Film produced by Tustin-based TBN goes into general re-release. Ticket sales have already topped $4 million.|author=Pinsky, Mark I.|date=May 8, 1991}}</ref>

==Critical reception== ''Los Angeles Times'', "In style and tone it's old-fashioned, melodramatic and occasionally ponderous, but it is also marked by the solid craftsmanship, unmistakable commitment and genuine spirituality typical of the work of its capable writer-director James F. Collier, long associated with Billy Graham’s now-defunct World Wide Pictures."<ref name=L2>{{cite web|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|title=Movie Review : 'China Cry': An Inspirational Epic|author=Thomas, Kevin|date=November 2, 1990|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-02-ca-3506-story.html}}</ref>

''The New York Times'', ""China Cry" would like to be the Asian-American answer to "Ben Hur" but the tale is told too choppily to gather much momentum, and the acting is tentative."<ref name=N>{{cite web|newspaper=The New York Times|title=Ben Hur Meets Red Guards|author=Holden, Stephen|date=May 3, 1991|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725220000/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/03/movies/ben-hur-meets-red-guards.html|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/03/movies/ben-hur-meets-red-guards.html|archive-date=July 25, 2009}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == * {{IMDb title|id=0101578|title=China Cry}} * {{TCMDb title|442891|China Cry}}

Category:1990 films Category:British biographical films Category:Films about Christianity Category:Films directed by James F. Collier Category:1990 English-language films Category:1990 British films