User Reviews

If you didn't know anything about the historical incident where Sun Yat-Sen was temporarily imprisoned in the Chinese consulate in London in the 1890's, you would know, (if you know anything at all about him),is that he lived to participate in the revolution that overthrew the Manchu in China in the early twentieth century. So you see at once we have a suspense problem- that despite the threats by the head of the legation, he's not going to be killed. They wear him down and treat him roughly, but we know he's going to walk out of there. And so he does, after off screen actions of his friends, the British government and a Times letter campaign force diplomatic pressure on them. The writers maybe thought that would be too involved for us to comprehend, just like a further explanation of just what was the political situation of China in the era of the Qing, the war lords, their recent war with Japan, etc. that would motivate Sun and his allies, other than a poorly staged injustice at the outset. Not that any of this takes away from the worst part of the whole show, the appalling use of makeup to turn British actors into Chinamen right out of Fu Manchu. The fake eyes and stringy whiskers are laughable. The Villainous head man of the consulate comes complete with icy stare and perfect Etonian English sneer. They should have done a Charlie Chan story instead and give the audience some fun.