Thousand Pieces of Gold
“A testament to the strength of the human spirit.”
Synopsis
In 1880s China, young Lalu is sold into marriage by her impoverished father. Rather than becoming a bride, Lalu ends up in an Idaho gold-mining town, the property of a saloon owner who renames her, China Polly, and plans to sell her as entertainment for the locals. Refusing to become a whore, Lalu ultimately finds her own way in this strange country filled with white demons.
Top Cast
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Beth Broderick
Berthe
Michael Paul Chan
Hong King
Rosalind Chao
Lalu / Polly
Chris Cooper
Charlie
Dennis Dun
Jim
Will Oldham
Miles
Kim Chan
Li Ping
Jimmie F. Skaggs
Jonas
David Hayward
Ohio
Chris Evans
Sailor #2
Weili Fan
Sayan
Evan C. Kim
Shun Lee
Freda Foh Shen
Ah Ling
John M. Hosking
Watkins
Mary Matvy
Françoise
George Cheung
Lung On
Saachiko
Li Ma
Release History & Theatrical Window
(San Francisco International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
April 26, 1991
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Nancy Kelly
- Screenplay & Story
- Anne Makepeace
- Original Title
- Thousand Pieces of Gold
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, Cantonese, Mandarin
- Runtime
- 1h 45m
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Nancy Kelly
Anne Makepeace, Ruthanne Lum McCunn
Bobby Bukowski
Kenji Yamamoto
John Shum Kin-Fun, Lindsay Law, Sidney Kantor, Kenji Yamamoto
Department Leadership Roster
Nancy Kelly
Director
Dan Bishop
Production Design
Anne Makepeace
Screenplay
Bobby Bukowski
Director of Photography
Kenji Yamamoto
Editor
Kenji Yamamoto
Producer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Thousand Pieces of Gold.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Thousand Pieces of Gold.
Periodic import List
MovieLens[30K:40K]
500 best 91's movies
1990
Seasonal: Asian & Pacific Islander Films
Auto-managed by seasonal classifier. Do not edit manually.
BD Release: 1991-1995
Movies released in 4K Blu-ray format - 1991-1995
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Frequently Asked Questions About Thousand Pieces of Gold
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Thousand Pieces of Gold about?
In 1880s China, young Lalu is sold into marriage by her impoverished father. Rather than becoming a bride, Lalu ends up in an Idaho gold-mining town, the property of a saloon owner who renames her, China Polly, and plans to sell her as entertainment for the locals. Refusing to become a whore, Lalu ultimately finds her own way in this strange country filled with white demons.
Who directed Thousand Pieces of Gold?
Thousand Pieces of Gold was directed by Nancy Kelly.
Who stars in Thousand Pieces of Gold?
The principal cast of Thousand Pieces of Gold includes Beth Broderick, Michael Paul Chan, Rosalind Chao, Chris Cooper, Dennis Dun.
When was Thousand Pieces of Gold released and how long is it?
Thousand Pieces of Gold was released in 1991 with a total runtime of 1h 45m.
Is Thousand Pieces of Gold based on a book or true story?
Thousand Pieces of Gold is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Ruthanne Lum McCunn".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Thousand Pieces of Gold?
Thousand Pieces of Gold holds official age classifications: US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).