Dragon Seed_
"M-G-M's immortal production of the great novel"
Life in a small Chinese village is turned upside down when the Japanese invade it. A heroic young Chinese woman leads her fellow villagers in an uprising against the Japanese invaders.
Director
Harold S. Bucquet
Starring
Katharine Hepburn, Walter Huston, Aline MacMahon
Box Office
$4.6M
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
Hulu
1 country
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
Dragon Seed earned $4.6M worldwide on a $3.1M budget — a 51% return on investment.
Harold S. Bucquet →
Year context
Dragon Seed was released 82 years ago in 1944.
CAST (20)
Katharine Hepburn
Jade Tan
Walter Huston
Ling Tan
Aline MacMahon
Ling Tan's Wife
Akim Tamiroff
Wu Lien
Turhan Bey
Lao Er Tan - Middle Son
Hurd Hatfield
Lao San Tan - Youngest Son
J. Carrol Naish
Japanese Kitchen Overseer
Agnes Moorehead
Third Cousin's Wife
Henry Travers
Third Cousin
Robert Bice
Lao Ta Tan - Eldest Son
Robert Lewis
Captain Sato
Frances Rafferty
Orchid Tan - Lao Ta's Wife
Jacqueline deWit
Wu Lien's Wife
Clarence Lung
Fourth Cousin
Paul E. Burns
Shen - Neighbor
Anna Demetrio
Wu Sao
Lionel Barrymore
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Claire Du Brey
Hysterical Woman (uncredited)
Philip Ahn
Leader of City People (uncredited)
Benson Fong
Sudent (uncredited)
CREW
BOX OFFICE
$3.1M
Budget
$4.6M
Revenue
+51%
ROI
PROFITABLE
Verdict
STUDIOS (1)
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
148 min (2h 28m)
Language
English
Country
Rating
6.6/10 (17 votes)
Popularity
4
Budget
$3,070,000
Box Office
$4,627,000
Profit
+$1,557,000
IMDB
Trailer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Dragon Seed about?
Life in a small Chinese village is turned upside down when the Japanese invade it. A heroic young Chinese woman leads her fellow villagers in an uprising against the Japanese invaders.
How long is Dragon Seed?
Dragon Seed has a runtime of 148 minutes (2h 28m).
Who directed Dragon Seed?
Dragon Seed was directed by Harold S. Bucquet.
Who stars in Dragon Seed?
The cast of Dragon Seed includes Katharine Hepburn, Walter Huston, Aline MacMahon, Akim Tamiroff, Turhan Bey.
How much did Dragon Seed make at the box office?
Dragon Seed earned $4,627,000 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $3,070,000.
What is the rating of Dragon Seed?
Dragon Seed has a rating of 6.6 out of 10 based on 17 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (1)
Drama
KEYWORDS (3)
china
based on novel or book
japanese occupation of china