The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1932)

American missionary Megan Davis arrives in Shanghai during the Chinese Civil War to marry the missionary Dr. Robert Strife. However, Robert postpones their wedding to rescue some orphans in an orphanage in Chapei section that is burning in the middle of a battlefield. While returning to Shanghai with the children, they are separated in the crowd, Megan is hit in the head and knocked out, but is saved by General Yen and brought by train to his palace. As the days go by, the General's mistress Mah-Li becomes close to Megan and when she is accused of betrayal for giving classified information to the enemies, Megan asks for her life. The cruel General Yen falls in love with naive, pure Megan and accepts her request to spare the life of Mah-Li against the will of his financial advisor Jones. Meanwhile, Megan feels attracted by the powerful but gentle General Yen, but resists to his flirtation. When Mah-Li betrays General Yen and destroys his empire, Megan realizes that to be able to do good works, one has to have wisdom and decides to stay with him while the General drinks his bitter last tea.

Frank Capra

Edward E. Paramore Jr. Grace Zaring Stone

Adda Gleason Barbara Stanwyck Clara Blandick Edward E. Paramore Jr. Ella Hall Emmett Corrigan Frank Capra Gavin Gordon Grace Zaring Stone Helen Jerome Eddy Jessie Arnold Knute Erickson Lucien Littlefield Nils Asther Nora Cecil Richard Loo Robert Bolder Toshia Mori Walter Connolly Willie Fung Wong Chung