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Thousand Pieces of Gold

Play trailer Poster for Thousand Pieces of Gold 1991 1h 45m Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 42 Reviews 68% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Set in the 1880s, this film chronicles the journey of Lalu (Rosalind Chao), a Chinese woman whose financially desperate family sells her as a bride. She is sent to the United States, where she is bought by sleazy barkeep Hong King (Michael Paul Chan), who plans to make money off of Lalu by forcing her into a life of prostitution. Unwilling to submit to his demands, she begins her own successful business venture and captures the attention of the troubled but kindly Charlie (Chris Cooper).
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Thousand Pieces of Gold

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Critics Consensus

Thousand Pieces of Gold's technical deficiencies are handily outweighed by sterling work from a 24-karat cast -- and a story that has a fresh perspective on the American Old West.

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Critics Reviews

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Carrie Rickey Philadelphia Inquirer 02/16/2022
2.5/4
Chao is charming and believable as strapping Lalu... How she comes to find angels in a country that in 1882 expelled Chinese immigrants makes for an involving tale. Go to Full Review Eleanor Ringel Cater Atlanta Journal-Constitution 02/16/2022
Ms. Chao gives a spirited performance that's matched expertly by Mr. Cooper's aw-shucks courtliness and Mr. Chan's slick villainy... This first feature by independent filmmaker Nancy Kelly is a most winning little western. Go to Full Review Martha K. Baker St. Louis Post-Dispatch 02/16/2022
Despite some amateurish acting and editing, Thousand Pieces of Gold demands attention because of the very peculiar nature of this story of Lalu Nathoy (Rosalind Chao). Go to Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 02/18/2022
3.5/4
Thousand Pieces of Gold confronts the West, both its history and its place in American cinema. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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01/31/2010 The story is told with power and high drama, however, and the love that grows between Lalu and Charlie, like all loves that smoulder for a long time, becomes a great passion. And Rosalind Chao's performance is a wonder - the sort that, in a conventional Hollywood epic, would inspire Oscar speculation. See more 01/14/2010 Very good, heart warming of a woman who was sold from China from her family and would not be a whore in a mining town. She worked as a slave until one day a man gambled and won her freedom. She gained respect from the town, and later lived out her life on her own homestead. See more 11/01/2009 Hhhmm. I like Chris Cooper and I liked him together with Rosalind Chao. It felt like the story was there but I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. I don't know what it was that kept me from liking it more. See more 12/02/2008 Great movie! The scene on the cover they show with the synopsis on flixster is not even in the movie... so that's a little misleading, I guess. But great acting! I haven't seen Chris Cooper in a role like this and he was amazing. The story is obviously Hollywood-ized. I'm sure their love story was a lot less dramatic but the drama makes for an excellent film. See more 09/01/2008 Plot keeps moving at a good pace. Is an interesting enough period piece that holds the viewer's attention. See more 03/06/2008 This is my Roots. Chao does a brilliant job. See more Read all reviews
Thousand Pieces of Gold

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Cast & Crew

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Nancy Kelly

Director

Rosalind Chao

Lalu

Chris Cooper

Charlie

Dennis Dun

Jim

Michael Paul Chan

Hong King

Jimmie F. Skaggs

Jonas

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Thousand Pieces of Gold

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Movie Info

Synopsis Set in the 1880s, this film chronicles the journey of Lalu (Rosalind Chao), a Chinese woman whose financially desperate family sells her as a bride. She is sent to the United States, where she is bought by sleazy barkeep Hong King (Michael Paul Chan), who plans to make money off of Lalu by forcing her into a life of prostitution. Unwilling to submit to his demands, she begins her own successful business venture and captures the attention of the troubled but kindly Charlie (Chris Cooper).
Director
Nancy Kelly
Producer
Sarah Green, Nancy Kelly, Kenji Yamamoto
Screenwriter
Anne Makepeace
Production Co
American Playhouse, Filmcat, Channel Four Films
Genre
Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 26, 1991, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 30, 2016
Runtime
1h 45m