Powerful

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Ali MacGraw can't act, c'mon give me a break. One reviewer must be a Jr. High drop-out with no taste. MacGraw and Scott both do a fine job in China Rose. After all it is listed as a T.V. movie and that should be taken into consideration. Briefly, man goes to China to look for his son, lady is assigned to help him, romance sort of develops, but must take a back seat to the search. The rest you must watch to find out for yourself.I didn't have enough lines, so I will add the fact that there is a dark secret to be revealed but again you must watch the movie and I recommend you do. I found it on Amazon and added to my collection because I am a huge Ali MacGraw fan, no matter what some say. Yes, she was older in this film, but all of us age or die, so don't judge someone because they are aging.

I will admit that I do not have an advanced degree in Drama or have I performed on stage, Shakespearian or otherwise, but the criticism that Ms. McGraw received in some of these reviews sounds a bit much. Is there a "Let's Get Ali" Club out there? As far as her acting ability I do not find her as objectionable as some and, in fact, I like her. If that makes me something of an amateur in theatrics, well so be it! The critical remarks made against her go too far I think and border on gross insult. Frankly there are a numerous so-called actresses today who cannot act as far as I am concerned but I am not going on a tirade against them. I just don't watch them. Many people go "ga ga ga ga and ga" over Meryl Streep and frankly I would not pay a dime to see her perform. So therein lies the issue, some of us like certain actresses and others don't and vice versa! Besides, I miss the Lana Turners, Greer Garsons, Betty Davisis, Susan Haywards, Joan Crawfords, and other fine actresses from the 1940s, 50s and 60s!

Besides the somewhat credible explanation of how his son "went bad," this was poor, even by TV movie standards. The relationship between Scott and McGraw is unbelievable and often embarrassing, the plot generally predictable, and except for a couple of flashes by Mr. Scott, the acting ranges from unremarkable to downright poor. There's no romantic chemistry between the two leads, the only apparent motivations for them getting romantically involved appears to be that they're the two leads and they're both widowed. Most of the plot "turns" are easily predictable, and the acting questionable enough to wonder whether everybody was supposed to be a bad liar, or the lines were just being delivered poorly. Probably the best that can be said for it was that it was only 88 minutes.

George C. Scott's character comes to Communist China to look for his long lost son. The US Embassy or Consulate assigns Rose (Ms. McGraw) who is studying in China, to be his guide and interpreter. Together, they set out looking for the son and have a dangerous time it. That sounds pretty banal but the acting is good and the chemistry between Ms. McGraw and Mr. Scott is palpable. And, from what I could tell, I think the locations were actually shot in China, not in a Hollywood lot. And the feeling of being a stranger in a strange land came across quite nicely. Everything considered, a superior movie