[1] Made after Japan's invasion of China, Little Toys is a "Marxist war melodrama, containing strong nationalist sentiment yet reflecting Western influences.

As she continues to cause alarm, raving to the citizens on Nanjing Road to fight against the Japanese, they begin to listen, applauding as they realize she is right.

On September 18, 1931, known as the Mukden Incident, Japanese framed the Chinese for an explosion of a rail line in northern China.

Playthings was filmed in late spring of 1933 and released on the eve of National Day, which pays tribute to the soldiers who fought in these conflicts.

[5] Sister Ye is placed in the broad background of society, amidst the proliferation of industrialized goods, infighting of the warlords, social turmoil, and Japanese imperialism.

The male characters of the film "offer a view to the problematic nature of both China's 'traditional' past and the moral complexities of a more international and industrialized future society.

"[7] However, Ye never loses confidence even as her husband falls ill and her son is kidnapped and sold to a wealthy lady.

Ye conforms to the archetype of the "fallen woman" trope as she loses her daughter, screaming out "save China."

The film demonstrates the struggle of working women amidst a changing society and anti-Japanese sentiments in China.

According to Fernsebner, "despite its grim and desperate ending, 'Little Playthings' provided some essential tools for the job: a nostalgic sense of Chinese community and cultural identity located in this object, the toy, as well as an implicit, simultaneous critique of both the 'old society' and the Western forces (industrial and imperialist) which imperiled the Chinese nation.

Produced during the Golden Age of Chinese cinema, among Sun Yu's other prominent works, Playthings has been regarded by contemporary critics and scholars as a classic film of notable cultural significance.

[5] Its focus on hardship, perseverance, patriotism, and resourcefulness portrayed by actress Ruan Lingyu helped progress the development of the "New Woman" archetype; a conceptualization that itself continued to gain prominence throughout 1930s-era Chinese discourse.

[11] In 2012, Playthings was featured at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, highlighting its enduring appeal and historical importance to international audiences.

[11] Devoid of context, the original title of the film (Chinese: 小玩意; Pinyin: Xiǎo wányì) translates to English as "little things."

In contemporary analyses of the film, the toys themselves facilitate "a nostalgic sense of Chinese community" in addition to serving as the backdrop for the antagonistic relationship between "'old society' and Western forces.