Gary Cooper in The Adventures of Marco Polo. Photographs: The Kobal Collection
The Adventures of Marco Polo (1938)
Director: Archie Mayo
Entertainment grade: C–
History grade: D
Marco Polo was the first European to document travel to China in his Description of the World. Whether or not he actually visited China himself is a subject of dispute among historians.
The opening title cards state that Marco Polo (Gary Cooper) was the
first European to visit China and "the first travelling salesman". Even
if you do believe Marco went to China, he himself claims that his father
Niccolò and uncle Maffeo Polo went first. He was blatantly not the
first travelling salesman. The first evidence of long international
trade routes dates them to at least 3,000 years earlier. But the movie
had to get 1930s American audiences to identify with a 13th-century
Venetian merchant somehow – hence the claim.
Marco sets off from Venice in historically incorrect fashion,
accompanied only by a servant. In real life, he travelled with Niccolò
and Maffeo. There follows an onerous voyage: a storm on the Med, the
sands of the desert, the snows of Tibet. Fortunately, the Great Wall of
China soon heaves into view. Like tea, foot-binding and calligraphy, the
Great Wall is one of the things that makes historians go "hmm" about
Description of the World. These are allegedly unmissable facts of
Chinese life that Marco doesn't mention. On the other hand, the wall is
shown here in its familiar Ming dynasty brick construction, built more
than 120 years after Marco's death. When Marco either did or didn't go
to China, it was a run-down old thing made mostly of wood and yellow
earth. Historians are divided on whether the wall was a big deal or not
in the late 13th century. Whatever the truth, though, the film has it
wrong.
Marco rocks up at the Mongol court of Kublai Khan (George Barbier)
and falls for the Khan's daughter Kukachin (Sigrid Gurie). "You are from
a strange world," she simpers. "You do not even look like other
people." Actually, he looks a lot like everyone here, because all the
speaking parts in Hollywood's version of medieval China have been filled
by white people. The court of the Great Khan is surprisingly chilled
out. Marco is free to wander around, hitting on the princess and
teaching her the quaint European custom of snogging. Furthermore, Kublai
Khan appears to be a single father to an only daughter. According to
the Description of the World, he had four wives and 22 sons. Of his two
recorded daughters, one became a Buddhist nun, and the other married the
king of Korea. Neither ran off with Marco Polo.
Marco is sent to fight a rebellious chief, Kaidu (Alan Hale). He is
taken prisoner, but survives by becoming a sex slave to Kaidu's queen.
Little of this really happened, though there was a lengthy conflict
between Kublai and Kaidu, his first cousin once removed and leader of
the Chagatai Khanate. Film fans might amuse themselves by spotting the
young Lana Turner as the queen's maid. Producer Samuel Goldwyn made her
shave her eyebrows off for this tiny role. They never grew back.
Fortunately, it was then the height of fashion to draw them on anyway.
At least this is set alongside something that did happen: Kublai
Khan trying to invade Japan. His two invasion attempts, in 1274 and
1281, are another source of doubt about the Description of the World. Recent research found errors in Marco's descriptions of the Mongol fleet, and suggests he confused the two invasions. Moreover, Frances Wood,
head of the Chinese collections at the British Library, found no record
of Marco Polo in Chinese sources. He may only have travelled as far as
Persia and copied the rest of his notes from Persian and Arab merchants.
Though flaws in Marco's story have been known for centuries, the
film-makers probably weren't aware of this. Wood's research was only
published in 1995.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/dec/09/adventures-marco-polo
Director: Archie Mayo
Entertainment grade: C–
History grade: D
Marco Polo was the first European to document travel to China in his Description of the World. Whether or not he actually visited China himself is a subject of dispute among historians.
Trade
The opening title cards state that Marco Polo (Gary Cooper) was the
first European to visit China and "the first travelling salesman". Even
if you do believe Marco went to China, he himself claims that his father
Niccolò and uncle Maffeo Polo went first. He was blatantly not the
first travelling salesman. The first evidence of long international
trade routes dates them to at least 3,000 years earlier. But the movie
had to get 1930s American audiences to identify with a 13th-century
Venetian merchant somehow – hence the claim.Travel
Marco sets off from Venice in historically incorrect fashion,
accompanied only by a servant. In real life, he travelled with Niccolò
and Maffeo. There follows an onerous voyage: a storm on the Med, the
sands of the desert, the snows of Tibet. Fortunately, the Great Wall of
China soon heaves into view. Like tea, foot-binding and calligraphy, the
Great Wall is one of the things that makes historians go "hmm" about
Description of the World. These are allegedly unmissable facts of
Chinese life that Marco doesn't mention. On the other hand, the wall is
shown here in its familiar Ming dynasty brick construction, built more
than 120 years after Marco's death. When Marco either did or didn't go
to China, it was a run-down old thing made mostly of wood and yellow
earth. Historians are divided on whether the wall was a big deal or not
in the late 13th century. Whatever the truth, though, the film has it
wrong.Courtly life
Marco rocks up at the Mongol court of Kublai Khan (George Barbier)
and falls for the Khan's daughter Kukachin (Sigrid Gurie). "You are from
a strange world," she simpers. "You do not even look like other
people." Actually, he looks a lot like everyone here, because all the
speaking parts in Hollywood's version of medieval China have been filled
by white people. The court of the Great Khan is surprisingly chilled
out. Marco is free to wander around, hitting on the princess and
teaching her the quaint European custom of snogging. Furthermore, Kublai
Khan appears to be a single father to an only daughter. According to
the Description of the World, he had four wives and 22 sons. Of his two
recorded daughters, one became a Buddhist nun, and the other married the
king of Korea. Neither ran off with Marco Polo.Appearances
Marco is sent to fight a rebellious chief, Kaidu (Alan Hale). He is
taken prisoner, but survives by becoming a sex slave to Kaidu's queen.
Little of this really happened, though there was a lengthy conflict
between Kublai and Kaidu, his first cousin once removed and leader of
the Chagatai Khanate. Film fans might amuse themselves by spotting the
young Lana Turner as the queen's maid. Producer Samuel Goldwyn made her
shave her eyebrows off for this tiny role. They never grew back.
Fortunately, it was then the height of fashion to draw them on anyway.International relations
At least this is set alongside something that did happen: Kublai
Khan trying to invade Japan. His two invasion attempts, in 1274 and
1281, are another source of doubt about the Description of the World. Recent research found errors in Marco's descriptions of the Mongol fleet, and suggests he confused the two invasions. Moreover, Frances Wood,
head of the Chinese collections at the British Library, found no record
of Marco Polo in Chinese sources. He may only have travelled as far as
Persia and copied the rest of his notes from Persian and Arab merchants.
Though flaws in Marco's story have been known for centuries, the
film-makers probably weren't aware of this. Wood's research was only
published in 1995.Verdict
Not a great movie about 13th-century China – but the racial attitudes, sex obsession and crimes against eyebrows say plenty about 1930s Hollywood.http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/dec/09/adventures-marco-polo
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