The Chinese Widow (2017)
Kernel Score: 82% · 221 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Drama, Romance, History, War
Released: 2017-11-10
Runtime: 97 minutes
Where to watch The Chinese Widow
- Stream: Prime Video
- Free with ads: Kanopy, Hoopla, The Roku Channel, Fandango at Home, Shout! Factory TV
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
It’s 1941 and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor has destroyed America’s morale. The US President Franklin D. Roosevelt then decides to risk it all by bombing Tokyo and raise more hope for his citizens. After completing its mission, a unit of the US Air Force is forced to make an emergency landing in China. Its commander Jack Turner (Emilie Hirsch) barely survives but gets rescued by Ying (Crystal Liu), a local widow who will stop at nothing to hide him from the Japanese occupant.
The Chinese Widow parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that The Chinese Widow is a WWII-era war romance involving a rescued American airman hidden from Japanese forces.
- Violence & scariness: Moderate — War setting with bombing missions and depiction of enemy occupation, consistent with WWII combat drama.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Chinese Widow
If you liked The Chinese Widow, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Braveheart (1995) — 95%
- Kalashnikov AK-47 (2020) — 84%
- The Forgotten Battle (2021) — 80%
- Diplomacy (2014) — 79%
- The Last of the Mohicans (1992) — 83%
- Resistance (2020) — 76%
- Cold Mountain (2003) — 78%
- The Exception (2017) — 74%
Director
Bille August
Cast
- Liu Yifei as Ying
- Emile Hirsch as Jack Turner
- Fangcong Li as Niuniu
- Kevin Yan as Kai
- Yu Shaoqun as Jun
- Vincent Riotta as Jimmy Doolittle
- Tsukagoshi Hirotaka as Shimamoto
- Gallen Lo Ka-Leung as Captain Hsu
- Shu Yaoxuan
- Gong Hanlin as Ying's father-in-law
The Chinese Widow FAQ
Is The Chinese Widow good?
The Chinese Widow has an 82% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 221 audience ratings.
Where can I watch The Chinese Widow?
In the US you can stream The Chinese Widow on Prime Video, watch it free with ads on Kanopy, Hoopla, The Roku Channel, Fandango at Home and Shout! Factory TV and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is The Chinese Widow OK for kids?
The Chinese Widow is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that The Chinese Widow is a WWII-era war romance involving a rescued American airman hidden from Japanese forces.
What movies are like The Chinese Widow?
If you liked The Chinese Widow, try Braveheart, Kalashnikov AK-47, The Forgotten Battle and Diplomacy.