High Road to China (1983)

What a beautiful movie!

I really don't get the hype.

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

It's been 3 years since socialite Eve Tozer (Bess Armstrong) heard from her wealthy father Bradley Tozer (Wilford Brimley). His business partner in London is trying to declare him dead. She has only 12 days before the partner steals the family business and the entire fortune. Her only option is hiring drunken war hero Patrick O'Malley (Tom Selleck) and his mechanic Struts (Jack Weston). Under fire from pursuing gunmen, they fly two biplanes from Turkey to Afghanistan and eventually China where Bradley is leading villagers in a battle against a local ruthless warlord.It's a rather simplistic 'road' movie. It's an action adventure following the successful footsteps of Raiders of the Lost Ark. The characters are simply drawn. Certainly, Selleck has a bit of Indy in him. The romantic chemistry is also drawn from that road map. I do like the flying although action is not always there. At least, that's what I remember most before watching it again recently. Of course, it's inferior to Raiders but it still works.

We have loved this movie since we first saw it years ago. We enjoy the story line of a young girl searching for her long gone father half way around the world. The scenery in the movie is incredible and adds so much to the story. There are also some good cultural lessons in the movie which come about in the different countries they are in. We were able to tape it off of TV and have watched it over and over. We don't understand why it isn't mentioned more and available in the stores on DVD. We did just purchase it on DVD on-line and the copy we received is a very bad copy. We hope we can get a refund or a good copy as it is one of our favorite movies. We have recommended this movie to many friends and will plan an evening to just sit and watch it once again, even if it is on VHS and not a great copy!

I was delighted to find out how many other people like this movie. I'm not a movie critic so I don't know whether it's technically a good or important film, but I think it's a great story that hits on all cylinders - action, adventure, romance, exotic lands and people, honor, decency, fighting for a just cause - am I missing anything? I almost voted it a ten just to get it's numbers up, 5.2 doesn't do it justice. I love the lead characters. Evie, the vivacious, fearless, rich young girl who loves life and enjoys her money versus O'Malley, the rough and tough but decent hero who lives and flies by the seat of his pants. I enjoyed both Armstrong and Selleck in their roles. And I thought the supporting cast played their parts to the hilt. I never get tired of seeing this movie. It's been on Showtime the last several weeks. I've watched it three times.

This is absolutely one of the best action/adventure movies that I have ever seen. The fabulous scenery, the exciting action scenes, and the chemistry between Selleck and Armstrong combine to make it an all-time great. Bess Armstrong is in her prime, and is gorgeous, magnificent, and believable in her role as a rich, spoiled brat. And Jack Weston's character adds an interesting dimension to the movie. But most of all, the musical score by John Barry is hauntingly beautiful. It's amazing that the movie didn't do very well when it was released. As far as I'm concerned, this is a must-see. Hopefully, it will be available on DVD soon.