CanadiansurgeonDr.NormanBethune(DonaldSutherland)journeys1,500milesintoChinatoreachMaoZedong'seighthrouteArmyintheWuTaimountainswherehewillbuildhospitals,providecare,andtrainmedics.Flashbacksnarratetheearliereventsofhislife:aboutwithtuberculosisattheTrudeausanatorium;theself-administrationofanexperimentalpneumothorax;theinventionofoperativeinstruments;hisfascinationwithSocialism;ajourneyintomedicalRussia;andthefoundingofamobileplasma-transfusionunitinwar-tornSpain.BethunetwicemarriedandtwicedivorcedhiswifeFrances(DameHelenMirren),whochoosesabortionoverchild-rearinginherunstablemarriage.By1939,BethunehadbeendismissedfromhisMontrealHospitalfortakingunconventionalrisks,andfromhisvolunteerpositioninSpainforhischronicproblemsofdrinkingandwomanizing.Ashisfriendstates:"Chinawasallthatwasleft."Eventhere,BethuneconfidentlyignorestheadviceofChineseofficialsuntilheavycasualtiesmakehimrealizehismistakeandleadhimtoaspectacularapology.