The literal translation of the title of this movie is: The fire and the battle at River Yan.
This movie gives an accurate depiction of what happened in Shang-Dong province, easter part of China and though it appeared to be a political propaganda, audience really should not be too harsh on the film crew because what they had just experienced:
After all, the disastrous Cultural Revolution had just ended a year earlier and these film crew had just been released from the labor camps and jails, after witness the persecution and many cases, the death of their colleagues, relatives, and friends. Obviously, they are inclined to take the safe route by picking something that is safe. It takes times for the wound to heal.