‘The Good Earth’: Money Without Morality Is Madness

Pearl S. Buck’s story of a humble Chinese farmer shows the soul of China in this film.

O-Lan (Luise Rainer) and Wang (Paul Muni) are Chinese peasants, in “The Good Earth.” MGM/MovieStillsDB

NR | 2h 18m | Drama | 1937

Producer Irving Thalberg’s introductory text reads, “The soul of a great nation is expressed in the life of its humblest people. In this simple story of a Chinese farmer may be found something of the soul of China—its humility, its courage, its deep heritage from the past and its vast promise for the future.”