Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Oil for the Lamps of China

  • 19351935
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
256
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
109,291
79,952
Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)
Drama
An American, working for his oil company in China, disregards all but the company's interests. " The characters and the institution portrayed in the story are not actual but the product of f... Read allAn American, working for his oil company in China, disregards all but the company's interests. " The characters and the institution portrayed in the story are not actual but the product of fiction. The oil business was chosen because light has ever been symbolic of progress."An American, working for his oil company in China, disregards all but the company's interests. " The characters and the institution portrayed in the story are not actual but the product of fiction. The oil business was chosen because light has ever been symbolic of progress."
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
256
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
109,291
79,952
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Mervyn LeRoy
    • Writers
      • Alice Tisdale Hobart(by)
      • Laird Doyle(screen play)
    • Stars
      • Pat O'Brien
      • Josephine Hutchinson
      • Jean Muir
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Mervyn LeRoy
    • Writers
      • Alice Tisdale Hobart(by)
      • Laird Doyle(screen play)
    • Stars
      • Pat O'Brien
      • Josephine Hutchinson
      • Jean Muir
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 9User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos15

    Pat O'Brien and Donald Crisp in Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)
    Pat O'Brien and Jean Muir in Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)
    Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)
    Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)
    Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)
    Pat O'Brien and Josephine Hutchinson in Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)
    Pat O'Brien and Teru Shimada in Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)
    Pat O'Brien, Josephine Hutchinson, and Mitchell Lewis in Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)
    Pat O'Brien and Josephine Hutchinson in Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)
    Pat O'Brien, Josephine Hutchinson, and Mervyn LeRoy in Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)
    Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)
    Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Pat O'Brien
    Pat O'Brien
    • Stephen Chase
    Josephine Hutchinson
    Josephine Hutchinson
    • Hester Adams
    Jean Muir
    Jean Muir
    • Alice
    Lyle Talbot
    Lyle Talbot
    • Jim
    Arthur Byron
    Arthur Byron
    • No. 1 Boss
    John Eldredge
    John Eldredge
    • Don
    Donald Crisp
    Donald Crisp
    • Mr. McCarger
    Willie Fung
    Willie Fung
    • Kin
    Tetsu Komai
    • Ho
    Henry O'Neill
    Henry O'Neill
    • Edward Hartford
    Ronnie Cosby
    Ronnie Cosby
    • Bunsy Wellman
    William B. Davidson
    William B. Davidson
    • E.H. Swaley
    • (as William Davidson)
    George Meeker
    George Meeker
    • Bill Kendall
    Joseph Crehan
    Joseph Crehan
    • Clements
    Christian Rub
    Christian Rub
    • Dr. Jorgen
    Willard Robertson
    Willard Robertson
    • Speaker
    Edward McWade
    Edward McWade
    • Dan
    Florence Fair
    • Miss Cunningham - Nurse
    • Director
      • Mervyn LeRoy
    • Writers
      • Alice Tisdale Hobart(by)
      • Laird Doyle(screen play)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Opposite Sex
    6.1
    The Opposite Sex
    Breakfast for Two
    6.4
    Breakfast for Two
    Gypsy
    7.1
    Gypsy

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Bess Flowers, Samuel S. Hinds and Cyril Ring are listed as cast members in the AFI Catalog but are not seen here.
    • Quotes

      Hester Adams Chase: Two things matter to a man, the woman he loves and the work he does.

    • Connections
      Featured in The China Hustle (2017)
    • Soundtracks
      Chinatown, My Chinatown
      (1910) (uncredited)

      Music by Jean Schwartz

      Whistled by Pat O'Brien

    User reviews9

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Bizarre Fascinating Depressing
    A lot of what you read about "Oil for the Lamps of China" focuses on the socialist, anti-big oil themes of the film's story. While this is a particularly fascinating aspect of the film, historically and philosophically, I can't help but feel the real crux of the story is much darker and more depressing. As a matter of fact, this is one of the most depressing films I've ever seen from the 1930's.

    This movie tells the story of a man profoundly lacking in the slightest shred of dignity. A man who has no self-respect and allows himself to be abused and mistreated by the company he works for. He allows his very soul to be raped by this company. Why, the complete and total devotion he shows to this company surpasses the reasonable and enters the realm of psychosis.

    This, to me, is why the movie is about more than just bashing the corporation and propping this guy up as some kind of hero through victimization. This man is no hero. He's pretty disgusting to me. He is complicit in many of the company's sins, as well as his own. He is the one who repeatedly chooses the company over his wife, his baby, his friends, his pride. This isn't some Steinbeck story about what a man will do to keep from starving. There is no indication Stephen Chase couldn't go back to the States and get another job. He refuses to do so. Refuses because he delusionally believes his job is a part of some greater calling and that there is some payoff at the end of all this. There could not be a reward to make it all worthwhile really. Any rational man or woman would know this. The film seems to say that it is Stephen's idealism that allows him to suffer and make others suffer. But I find that pretty hard to swallow. He doesn't just take it on the chin the whole time but he passes it on to those around him.

    It's certainly a highly interesting character study, as well as all it has to say about corporations and business practices. But it's also pretty bleak and soul-crushing. The actors are all superb and the direction is fine. It's a film that gives you quite a bit to chew over but be prepared to not like the taste of everything you're chewing.
    helpful•7
    1
    • utgard14
    • Nov 8, 2013

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 8, 1935 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Öl für die Lampen Chinas
    • Filming locations
      • Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Cosmopolitan Productions
      • First National Pictures
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)
    Top Gap
    What is the English language plot outline for Oil for the Lamps of China (1935)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    New & Upcoming Superhero Movies and Series
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    Fall TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    These Stars Are on the Rise
    See the gallery
    Back to top

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more access
    Sign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.