The World of Suzie Wong

Plot synopsis:
Robert Lomax is a young Englishman who, after completing his National Service, goes to work on a plantation in British Malaya. During his time in Malaya, Lomax decides to pursue a new career as an artist for a year.
Lomax visits Hong Kong in search of inspiration for his paintings. He checks into the Nam Kok Hotel, not realizing at first that it is a brothel catering mainly to British and American sailors. However, this only makes the hotel more charming in Lomax's eyes, and a better source of subject matter for his paintings.
Lomax quickly befriends most of the hotel's bargirls, but is fascinated by the archetypal "hooker with a heart of gold", Suzie Wong. Wong previously introduced herself to him as Wong Mee-ling, a rich virgin whose father owns four houses and more cars than she can count, and who later pretends not to recognize him at the hotel. Lomax had originally decided that he would not have sex with any of the bargirls at the hotel because he lacks the funds to pay for their services. However, it soon emerges that Suzie Wong is interested in him not as a customer but as a serious love interest. Although Wong becomes the kept woman of two other men, and Robert Lomax briefly becomes attracted to a young British nurse, Lomax and Wong are eventually united and the novel ends happily with them marrying.

Tags: tragedy

Review:
The setting is Hong Kong in the late fifties The film tells the story of a bittersweet love affair between an American architect who has decided to try painting and a wonderful Asian girl who uses with vigor and diligence her essentially dirty trade in a turmoil of mischievous fantasy Suzie Wong (Nancy Kwan), attracted to Robert Lomax (Holden), offers to be his "steady girlfriend," but a world-weary Lomax informs her that he has had enough of love and wants only to paint Paint he does, and the irresistible hooker, appointed as a model, appears in his work in a variety of poses A compassionate Lomax suddenly realizes he loves her and takes her as his mistress There are comic moments in Richard Quine's movie concerning the lies Suzie relates to win the respect of her prostitute friends and her drunken admirer, Ben (Michael Wilding).
Today there are many "chick flicks."  The World of Suzie Wong is the quintessential "romance for guys."There are two parallel themes in this film: 1) the "Pygmalion" theme, which was old when George Bernard Shaw's play first appeared in 1913.
The object of Robert Lomax's love is Susie Wong for who she is as a woman and how she makes him feel, and he gladly, even cynically disregards the disparagements of those who do not approve.2) Theme number two is the enchantment of the East.
This mixture of desire and fascination is more likely to stormily seize a man's heart, but "Robert meets Suzie-falls crazy in love-marries Suzie" would make for a ten-minute film, and that just wouldn't do, would it?It's also an interesting commentary on the film makers of the fifties that when they wanted to tell the story of interracial romance they had to attenuate the effect.
I remember watching this movie years ago on TV one night and absolutely being mesmerized by the lovely Nancy Kwan..When I noticed it was available on DVD I rented it one evening and was again totally captivated by Nancy..Back in the sixties, Nancy Kwan was the biggest Asian star around!
American William Holden, as former architect turned struggling artist, Robert Lomax, a cynic who's "pushing forty," arrives in 1960 Hong Kong to make a valiant effort for his art.
His journey to the seedy hotel where he sets up shop as artist would be one of the highlights of the film: Robert's amazement and confusion at the bustling, vibrant city that has become his new home come across nicely.
In many ways, the brilliant cinematography and camera work turn the city of Hong Kong itself into the unacknowledged third star of the film.
However, it's a very different Hong Kong than now: very much a British colonial post, and, in segments of the neighborhoods, almost a Third World city.Unfortunately, once Robert reaches the hotel, the movie loses much realism, and we've plainly entered a 1950's Hollywood set version of Hong Kong, complete with cartoonish prostitutes and Brit sailors on leave.
There are some very dated scenes that follow, although actress Jacqui Chan's charming in an off kilter way as bar girl Gwennie Lee. Nancy Kwan vamps and spouts much pidgin English and says "for goodness' sake" about 500 times in a row.
Fortunately, Robert, Suzie, and the camera eventually hit the streets of actual Hong Kong again.Then, something odd happens with this film, bit by bit.
Suzie also benefits from her love for Robert and shows some real emotion for him rather than her usual play acting.This is where I find the movie interesting, as it depicts, much more realistically than one might expect in 1960, the dimensions of a biracial, bicultural couple's life together.
As someone involved in such a relationship for many years, I found myself giving the film an extra star for this "rightness" alone.Plus, if nothing else, this movie's a terrific time capsule/travelogue of Hong Kong, as it was never so brilliantly captured elsewhere on screen in that era..
It is a shame that it takes an outsider (Hollywood) to capture the exotic beauty of the old-time Hong Kong.
I love her chemistry with William Holden..yet another favorite of mine...Hong Kong is blessed to be immortalized by this exquisite romance..
When Nancy Kwan turned her beguiling eyes on William Holden in this 1960 [risque for the time] movie I felt weak in the knees.
[Her spectacular performance kept me spellbound throughout the movie and I knew THEN that girls must be much more complex than my heretofore 13 year old male pysche could imagine.] The obvious age difference between William Holden and Kwan was a hurdle few professional actors and actresses at the time could have so skillfully surmounted, they were superb, they sizzled then they were tender, then they were angry.
It was a time when broad appeal movies like `The World of Suzie Wong' flourished on TV-start with a basic romance, add exotic settings and just a hint of comedy.William Holden was never more a leading man than in this film.
There had been a bunch of movies set in Hong Kong, when  The World of Suzie Wong came out.
"The World of Suzie Wong" was the second film in which William Holden plays an American who travels to Hong Kong and falls in love with a local girl; the first was "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" from five years earlier.
(To soften the blow somewhat the character was played by a white actress, Jennifer Jones).Here Holden plays Robert Lomax, a middle-aged American architect who gives up his job and moves to Hong Kong in order to pursue his ambition to become a painter.
His love interest is Mee Ling, alias Suzie Wong, a twenty-year-old prostitute from the notorious Wan Chai district.
Unlike Han Suyin, Suzie is supposed to be of pure Chinese blood, although a mixed-race actress, Nancy Kwan, was cast in the role.
The film deals with the problems posed to their relationship not only by differences in nationality but also by issues not explored in "Love is a Many Splendored Thing", namely differences in age, in social class and (most importantly) outlook.This was Nancy Kwan's first film, and she makes a ravishingly beautiful and tender heroine.
Holden is better here than he was in "Love is a Many Splendored Thing", in which he made a rather uncharismatic hero.The film was of course highly controversial in 1960, and remains so today, although for different reasons.
"The World of Suzie Wong" has, however, been criticised for allegedly perpetuating the racist stereotype of the meek, submissive Oriental woman.This is not, however, a criticism I would accept.
To point out, as this film does, that some women in poor countries- and Hong Kong certainly counted as such in 1960- regard the idea of becoming the wife or mistress of a wealthy foreigner as the best way out of poverty is not a patronising racist stereotype but a regrettable statement of the economic facts of life.
In the long run, of course, it was the entrepreneurial skills brought by these refugees which were to be responsible for Hong Kong's transformation into a dynamic, prosperous trading centre, but in the short run they added to the city's problems of poverty and overcrowding, shown in this film by the shanty-town in which Suzie is forced to live.Much of the interest of "The World of Suzie Wong" is today historical, although it is still highly watchable as a moving love story between two people of very different backgrounds.
It isn't so much about the the world or Hong Kong, but about two individual people.The Holden character was unique -- someone pushing 40, conventionally moral, unsure what would become of him professionally and geographically, suffered some bad romances in the past, couldn't afford to "keep" Suzie, and --though attracted to her-- couldn't bear the thought of her having to consort with other clients.
My mom, who had a crush on William Holden, game me a copy of this movie, a beautiful interracial romance set in Hong Kong.
William Holden was very good as the struggling American artist Robert who must overcome British prejudice and his own traditional concepts of morality to realize his love for Susie.
It was a rare early example of a Chinese actress in a sympathetic role in a major western film, and my mom said people were very excited at the time to see a "local girl" make it big..
The point is to show the straightforward and powerful interplay and juxtaposition of love, morality, situational ethics and plain old-fashioned fate and tragedy.There are amazing characters in this movie, acting that is rarely equaled by today's performers.An innocence of story and character and setting is captured here that is worthy of the label "Classic." Holden is only "strolling" through this roll because it is that kind of roll.
Jimmy Stewart with a bit more grit.Nancy Kwan is inspired and a truly lovely and under appreciated classic beauty.Her performance brings across a range of emotion that is rarely seen- perhaps lately in some of the more popular Chinese and Indian Films.Iif this movie doesn't touch your heart and stir your mind to question its priorities, then you may not have one!.
The world of Hong Kong through the eyes of a beautiful prostitute.
I first saw this film when I was 12 years old at my granny's house, just after I got back from living in Hong Kong with my parents for 3 months.
This is an enchanting film about the trials and tribulations of a young beautiful Chinese prostitute and how her life changes when she meets an older white American painter.
How could a successful American give up his whole life for the love of a Hong Kong prostitute.
The World of Suzie Wong shows what happend to a basic "good girl" in Hong Kong, The strict, unyielding, traditional attitude of the British subject, An a American sense of right that a person is allowed to fall in love with anyone of their choosing.William Holden, Nancy Kwan showed a joint charisma as they fought tradition to fall in love.
Western man arrives in late 50s Hong Kong and from the outset mixes in with the locals after encountering the bewitching yet mystifying charms of Suzie Wong.
1959 was the year of "never on Sunday" a Jules Dassin's comedy with Melina Mercouri : an intellectual named Homer (sic) trying to redeem a prostitute in Greece.This movie has become unbearable nowadays,at least IMHO and only Hadjidakis' song remains.1960 was the year of "the world of Suzie Wong": an artist(Holden) in love with a prostitute(Kwan) in Hong-Kong.Unlike Dassin's lousy work,Quine's film retains some of its charms.Its main flaw is its length:over 120 minutes is far too much and a lot of footage should have been edited out.Nancy Kwan's character is an endearing one,with her pidgin English ,her "for goodness' sake " and her mythomania (When W.Holden meets her on the boat,it seems she was born silver spoon in hand).She wonders at a sentence the artist writes on his envelopes "to whom it may concern".This sentence will come back at the end of the movie,to moving results.
One absolutely lovely gal is Suzie Wong (Nancy Kwan) who catches Robert's eye and visa versa.
As the two principals, Holden and Kwan make for a great couple while the scenery, costumes, and photography from Hong Kong are also a treat.
In this adorable, sad, dated, accessible romance, Nancy Kwan and William Holden shine.
I don't usually like William Holden, but I loved his passion and depth of feeling in this movie.
This was Nancy Kwan's first film, and with no previous acting experience, it's amazing how she owns the role and commands attention on the screen.William Holden, a starving artist, meets the prim and proper, beautiful Nancy Kwan while on a ferry boat to Hong Kong.
Especially so now that China is an emerging super power, and the fact that if you go to a hospital in my city, Sydney, your life is very likely to be saved by a Tan, a Chan or a Wong.But this film is a time capsule of the way things were.
Even though the bar girls at the centre of the story are prostitutes, they are presented as worthwhile people and given a certain dignity although I can't imagine Elizabeth Taylor or Audrey Hepburn swapping places with Nancy Kwan when William Holden tears off her dress.As an artist, I enjoy the art aspect of the story.
He goes to Hong Kong to pursue his dream and gets in with Nancy Kwan as Suzie Wong.
William Holden gives one of his weaker performances as an American artist who woos the illicit Suzie Wong, very nicely played by a shimmering Nancy Kwan.
Except for one politically incorrect scene, Me and Mom loved The World of Suzie Wong.
When I heard Nancy Kwan mention her work in her debut feature on the commentary track of Flower Drum Song, I knew I had to see The World of Suzie Wong sooner rather than later.
We marveled at the Hong Kong locations, the impossibly blossoming romance between William Holden and Ms. Kwan, and the drama of some of the sequences of the crowded tenements which my mom recounted experiencing when visiting the country several years back.
Other than that scene, we both loved The World of Suzie Wong especially the touching ending.
When William Holden and Jennifer Jones scored well in Love Is A Many Splendored Thing about an interracial romance set in Hong Kong on a loan out to 20th Century Fox, the folks at Holden's home studio at Paramount figured that the long running Broadway play, The World of Suzie Wong was a natural for Bill.
So big it kind of dwarfs the tender love story.But the worst part of Suzie Wong is that Bill Holden is so terribly miscast.
Also well cast was Sylvia Sims who's carrying a torch for Holden as the banker's daughter trying to help him in art circles and Michael Wilding the two timing cad who enjoys Kwan's favors as a prostitute and would like to make the arrangement semi-permanent.Love Is A Many Splendored Thing made a lot more sense because Holden was romancing a professional woman his own age in Jennifer Jones.
He comes off more a like a dirty old man in this film.Jen and Bill have their high windy hill in that other film and in The World of Suzie Wong there's another hill where Suzie lives part time and which sustains a mudslide after the monsoon.
Let's just say it's not something to write a romantic hit song about.The World of Suzie Wong does have some nice location photography of Cold War Hong Kong.
William Holden plays Robert, an artist whose plan is to go to Hong Kong for a year to paint portraits.
He meets Susie Wong, a hostess girl played by Nancy Kwan.
Its a good film about a relationship between two cultures, and probably depicts a way of life at that time in Hong Kong, but it still doesn't feel wholly authentic somehow to me.
Michael Wilding, as the pathetic English businessman, says he was "grateful" when his wife allowed him to make love to her for the first time in a year.In viewing The World of Suzy Wong, one must keep in mind that it was made at a time when the ethos of the wife was different from that of the prostitute only in that she would limit herself to one man.
Suzy's belief that a man who really loves his woman will beat her is treated as comic, but at the time the picture was made this was indeed the belief of many women, and not just in the Orient.
The other comments made me want to write a comment for a couple reasons: Suzie Wong is not a culturally condescending movie, indeed for its time it must have been scandalous--showing real poverty, colonialism, racism and the sad world of people trapped in desperation.
It is a good drama and a realistic love story with some tragedy but still happy and fitting consequences.A man in a trench coat ("Robert" played by William Holden) boards a ferry for Hong Kong, an excited tourist.
He takes out a sketchpad and draws others on a ferry, notably a young Chinese woman ("Suzie Wong" played by Nancy Kwan), also in a trench coat.
She presents herself as a haughty "virgin" rich girl called Mei Ling, and he's a visiting artist, in Hong Kong for the first time.Later, Robert, who wants to get immersed in his surroundings gets lodging in a hotel in the Wan Chai district, a poor part of town where "Chinese" live.
Robert realizes that he is in a bar of escorts, and the clientèle are largely the military men docked in Hong Kong.Suzie is fascinating to Robert, but he still sees her differently than his first meeting, though she is no less beautiful.
Suzie feels jealous & desperate, maybe for both love and money, and agrees to be the "permanent girlfriend" of a wealthy usually drunk businessman played with hilarity by Michael Wilding (he is superb).After many misunderstandings and a tragedy, Suzie and a much changed Robert are able to have future together.This movie doesn't shy away from showing poverty--if anything it is discussed openly "you never have to do a dirty job like me" and "many hungry people in Hong Kong" and we find out that Suzie is illiterate in both English and Chinese.
(Chinese speakers have no problem in pronouncing r's~~ as in Run Run Shaw and Runwe Shaw, for starters...) For a moment I will imagine the racist and sexist issues do not exist (Interestingly enough, Shaw Brothers made a movie a few years later entitled, "My Name Ain't Suzie".)~~William Holden looks too old for this role.
"The World of Suzie Wong" is the inspiring tale of a Hong Kong prostitute and her American sugar daddy.