The Flowers of War (2011)

Set amidst the chaos of the 1937 Sino-Japanese war, "The Flowers of War" weaves a poignant tale of sacrifice, honor, and unexpected bravery. In the heart of besieged Nanking, John Miller, a mortician with a dubious past, arrives at a Catholic Church under the aegis of the Red Cross, tasked with burying the local priest. He steps into an eerie silence, greeted by the innocent faces of convent schoolgirls and a solitary young boy - the only remnants of a world ruptured by war. As night falls, the hushed whispers of the convent are shattered by the arrival of women from a nearby red light district, desperate for sanctuary from the pervasive horrors outside. Dawn unveils a new threat - a ruthless Japanese platoon, their intentions as clear as they are terrifying. With the girls' lives in jeopardy, John finds himself adorning an ill-fitting priest costume, an unwitting guardian caught in the crossfire of war. Beneath the guise of a priest, he battles against the advancing tide of danger, his attempts to shield the girls from harm proving futile against the relentless Japanese forces. Faced with an impossible choice - to flee Nanking or to stand his ground - he grapples with his own survival instincts and the mounting responsibility of protecting this unlikely band of refugees. In the throes of war and amidst the echoes of violence, "The Flowers of War" unfolds as a testament to the enduring human spirit. It's a story of an unlikely hero, thrust into a protector's role, who learns the profound cost of sacrifice and the true meaning of honor.

The Flowers of War is a drama movie featuring Christian Bale and directed by Zhang Yimou.

The Flowers of War is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy, Plex, Plex Player, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Tubi TV and VUDU Free and it's also available on Hoopla.

It is also possible to buy The Flowers of War on Amazon Video and Microsoft Store.