Synopsis
In 1942, Henan Province was devastated by the most tragic famine in modern Chinese history, resulting in the deaths of at least three million men, women and children. Although the primary cause of the famine was a severe drought, it was exacerbated by locusts, windstorms, earthquakes, epidemic disease and the corruption of the ruling Kuomintang government.
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Cast
- Zhang GuoliFan Dianyuan
- Xu FanHua Zhi
- Zhang MoShuan Zhu
- Zhang HanyuAn Ximan
- Chen DaomingJiang Jieshi
- Adrien BrodyTheodore Harold White
- Tim RobbinsBishop Megan
- Wang ZiwenXing Xing
- Fan WeiLao Ma
- Feng YuanzhengXia Lu
Recommendations
- 63
Washington Post
It's a grim tale, and Back to 1942 doesn't pretend otherwise. - 50
Slant Magazine
In painting a large-scale tableaux of the Henan disaster, Feng Xiaogang has inevitably been forced to sacrifice the specificity and focus on individual characterization that are generally so important for allowing the viewer a point of entry into such an important piece of history. - 50
The Hollywood Reporter
There is surprisingly little emotional resonance with the well-drawn and acted characters, making it a tiring two and a half hour trek for filmgoers who don't have a stake in the history it recounts. - 50
Variety
Shifting between individual suffering (performed, not felt) and extended political and business deliberations, the picture displays its budget but not its heart. - 40
Los Angeles Times
Director Feng Xiaogang captures the epic scale of the exodus as well as the often-harrowing details, yet emotional connection proves more elusive. - 40
The New York Times
It catalogs agony without making you feel it.
