Ingrid Bergman had a special ability to portray the sort of person who sees straight through a person into their soul and loves them for who they are. It is how she captured the hearts of millions in Casablanca, how she played Joan of Arc so naturally, and how she perfectly embodies Gladys Aylward.

The story begins in London, where Gladys is rejected by the Missionary Society due to her lack of qualifications. Undaunted, she finds work and puts all her income toward buying passage on the Trans-Siberian railway, determined to reach China.

After a long journey, she finally arrives in the county of Yancheng, where she joins an elderly missionary who runs an inn. There, she learns the language, serves the local people, and eventually comes to be known as “Jenai” — the one who loves people. She befriends prisoners and outcasts, adopts abandoned children, and becomes trusted within the community.

Her first formal assignment is “foot inspector,” and she is tasked with enforcing the new law ending the custom of women’s foot binding. She abolishes the practice with gusto and quickly gains the favor and respect of the town’s Mandarin.

When the village is attacked by Japanese forces in the Second Sino-Japanese War, Gladys’s character is tested in ways she could never have imagined, and her true mission is finally revealed.

In every scene, Aylward radiates intrepid optimism and positivity, sustained with moral fortitude. She demonstrates that meekness and humility are not contrary to strength. In fact, they can be its true form. Though she lacks education and experience, she accomplishes more through her quiet determination than most people ever dream of.

While the scope of the film eventually grows to the scale of an epic wartime drama, the heart of the story remains simple: We are all responsible for one another. Cultural divides and national boundaries fade in importance to the dignity of the human person. As one character observes, “She walks through a world full of evil, but sees only children … that need to be washed, and fed.”

There are some tense and dramatic moments, but I watched The Inn of the Sixth Happiness with my whole family. Thrills, danger, humor, romance, joy, and sorrow are all present in this fantastic film. It is a moving and uplifting story that deserves the high acclaim it has received over the years.