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.
Directors: Joris Ivens, John Fernhout.
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Fredric March as Narration (voice) |
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Morris Carnovsky as Additional Voice (voice) |
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Sidney Lumet as Additional Voice (voice) |
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Robert Q. Lewis as Additional Voice (voice) |
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Alfred Ryder as Additional Voice (voice) |
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Adelaide Bean as Additional Voice (voice) |
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Lai Sek as Himself (archive footage) |
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Madame Chiang as Herself (archive footage) |
| Directing | Joris Ivens | Director |
| Sound | Hanns Eisler | Music |
| Writing | Joris Ivens | Writer |
| Writing | Dudley Nichols | Writer |
| Editing | Helen van Dongen | Editor |
| Camera | John Fernhout | Director of Photography |
| Camera | Robert Capa | Director of Photography |
| Directing | John Fernhout | Director |
| Camera | Joris Ivens | Director of Photography |
| Crew | H.S. Wong | Cinematography |
| Sound | Harry Robin | Assistant Music Supervisor |
| Sound | Eric Simon | Assistant Music Supervisor |
| Sound | Dr. Fritz Stiedy | Conductor |
| Sound | Chung-Lo Wei | Musician |
| Production | Pearl Mullin | Researcher |
