Dragon Seed
“M-G-M's immortal production of the great novel”
Synopsis
Life in a small Chinese village is turned upside down when the Japanese invade it. A heroic young Chinese woman leads her fellow villagers in an uprising against the Japanese invaders.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Dragon Seed trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2010-10-27
Top Cast
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Katharine Hepburn
Jade Tan
Walter Huston
Ling Tan
Aline MacMahon
Ling Tan's Wife
Akim Tamiroff
Wu Lien
Turhan Bey
Lao Er Tan - Middle Son
Hurd Hatfield
Lao San Tan - Youngest Son
J. Carrol Naish
Japanese Kitchen Overseer
Agnes Moorehead
Third Cousin's Wife
Henry Travers
Third Cousin
Robert Bice
Lao Ta Tan - Eldest Son
Robert Lewis
Captain Sato
Frances Rafferty
Orchid Tan - Lao Ta's Wife
Jacqueline deWit
Wu Lien's Wife
Clarence Lung
Fourth Cousin
Paul E. Burns
Shen - Neighbor
Anna Demetrio
Wu Sao
Lionel Barrymore
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Claire Du Brey
Hysterical Woman (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
July 20, 1944
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$3.1M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$4.6M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.51x
+$1.6M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Harold S. Bucquet, Jack Conway
- Screenplay & Story
- Marguerite Roberts, Jane Murfin, Pearl S. Buck
- Original Score
- Herbert Stothart
- Original Title
- Dragon Seed
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 28m
- Production Budget
- $3.1M
- Worldwide Gross
- $4.6M
- Production Studios
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Harold S. Bucquet, Jack Conway
Marguerite Roberts, Jane Murfin, Pearl S. Buck
Herbert Stothart
Sidney Wagner
Harold F. Kress
Pandro S. Berman
Department Leadership Roster
Harold S. Bucquet
Director
Jack Conway
Director
Marguerite Roberts
Writer
Jane Murfin
Writer
Pandro S. Berman
Producer
Harold F. Kress
Editor
Sidney Wagner
Director of Photography
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Dragon Seed.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Dragon Seed.
War: World War II
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Missing Mine
Book Adaptations
Oscar Best Cinematography Nominees
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Oscar Best Supporting Actress Nominees
Complete list of Oscar Best Supporting Actress Nominees
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Frequently Asked Questions About Dragon Seed
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Dragon Seed about?
Life in a small Chinese village is turned upside down when the Japanese invade it. A heroic young Chinese woman leads her fellow villagers in an uprising against the Japanese invaders.
Who directed Dragon Seed?
Dragon Seed was directed by Harold S. Bucquet, Jack Conway.
Who stars in Dragon Seed?
The principal cast of Dragon Seed includes Katharine Hepburn, Walter Huston, Aline MacMahon, Akim Tamiroff, Turhan Bey.
When was Dragon Seed released and how long is it?
Dragon Seed was released in 1944 with a total runtime of 2h 28m.
What was the box office and production budget of Dragon Seed?
Dragon Seed had a reported production budget of $3.1M and grossed $4.6M at the worldwide box office (1.51 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for Dragon Seed?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Dragon Seed was composed by Herbert Stothart.
Is Dragon Seed based on a book or true story?
Dragon Seed is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Pearl S. Buck".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Dragon Seed?
Dragon Seed holds official age classifications: FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).