Synopsis: Excellent, painstaking adaptation of Pearl S. Buck's 1931 tome about a Chinese peasant family whose rise to wealth nearly destroys them, save for the saintly O-Lan. The special effects and the cinematography are wonderful and Rainer won the second of her consecutive Oscars for Best... Excellent, painstaking adaptation of Pearl S. Buck's 1931 tome about a Chinese peasant family whose rise to wealth nearly destroys them, save for the saintly O-Lan. The special effects and the cinematography are wonderful and Rainer won the second of her consecutive Oscars for Best Actress. This was Thalberg's last production and is dedicated to his memory. Academy Award Nominations: 5, including Best Picture; Best Director. [More]