The World of Suzie Wong (1960)

Director:

Richard Quine

Writers:

Paul Osborn (adaptation)
Richard Mason (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

1961 (Austria)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

You are the first man I ever loved... and the world has only just begun...

Plot:

Robert Lomax tired of working in an office, wants to be an artist. So he moves to Hong Kong to try his hand at painting...

Plot Keywords:

Hong Kong | Artist | Single Parent | Negative Asian Stereotype | Tragedy

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

William Holden	...	Robert Lomax
Nancy Kwan	...	Suzie Wong
Sylvia Syms	...	Kay O'Neill
Michael Wilding	...	Ben Marlowe
Jacqui Chan	...	Gwennie Lee
Laurence Naismith	...	O'Neill
Yvonne Shima	...	Minnie Ho
Andy Ho	...	Ah Tong
Lier Hwang	...	Wednesday Lu
Bernard Cribbins	...	Otis
Edwina Carroll	...	Mrs. Marlowe
Dervis Ward	...	British Sailor
Marian Spencer	...	Dinner Guest
Lionel Blair	...	Dancing Sailor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ronald Eng	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Calvin Hsia	...	Suzie's Baby (uncredited)
David Langton	...	Police Inspector (uncredited)
Shan Lawrence	...	Girl (uncredited)
Robert Lee	...	Barman (uncredited)
Anthony Parker	...	American Sailor (uncredited)
Toke Townley	...	Waiter (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Quine

Writing credits
Paul Osborn		(adaptation)
Richard Mason		(novel)
John Patrick		(screenplay)

Produced by
Hugh Perceval	....	producer
Ray Stark	....	executive producer

Original Music by
George Duning

Cinematography by
Geoffrey Unsworth		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Bert Bates

Art Direction by
John Box

Costume Design by
Phyllis Dalton

Makeup Department
Bill Griffiths	....	hairdressing
Neville Smallwood	....	makeup artist
George Partleton	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
R.L.M. Davidson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gus Agosti	....	assistant director
Gus Angus	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
David Bracknell	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Syd Cain	....	assistant art director (as Sydney Cain)
Liz Moore	....	paintings (as Elizabeth Moore)
Roy Rossotti	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Roy Baker	....	sound editor
Gerry Turner	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Cecil Cooney	....	camera operator (as Ces Cooney)
Peter Hazel	....	clapper (uncredited)
Dennis C. Lewiston	....	camera focus (uncredited)

Casting Department
Joe Powell	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Betty Adamson	....	wardrobe mistress (uncredited)
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Valerie Leslie	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	conductor
Reg Owen	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Angela Allen	....	continuity
Joshua Logan	....	original stage director
David Merrick	....	original stage producer
Pat Moon	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Maggie Shipway	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• World Enterprises (as A World Enterprises Inc. - Worldfilm Limited co-production)

Distributors

• Paramount British Pictures (1960) (UK) (theatrical) (as A Paramount Release)
• Paramount Pictures (1960) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Paramount Release)
• Paramount Pictures (1965) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1970) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Paramount (1961) (France) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Mansfield Productions  original stage production company
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios  production facilities
• Seven Arts Productions  original stage production company

Also Known As:

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Mandarin

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A | USA:Approved (certificate #19621) | Netherlands:18 (orginal rating)

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Company:

World Enterprises

Trivia:

Jean Negulesco was originally hired as director. He was fired during production and replaced by Richard Quine.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Robert Lomax (Holden) begins to strip the European clothes off Suzy Wong (Kwan), her hair is piled smartly up under her cap and can be seen to remain that way. However, when Lomax goes to pull the cap off her head, Suzy's long tresses are fully down and covering her back.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Human Duplicators (#5.20)" (1992)

Soundtrack:

The World of Suzie Wong

The Original "Pretty Woman"

Long before "Pretty Woman", "Maid in Manhattan" and "In the Mood For Love" were dreamed up, we have this beautiful film from the fifties which is the meatiest of them all.

True the film is a bit long, but this does not detract from the general impression it gives to the spectator.

The dialogues are sublime, the technicolor is wonderful and both protagonists are very beaufiful actors. I saw this on TV and would dearly love to have it on DVD ( chance would be a fine thing !!! ) to have a better sound quality for the dialogues.

For pure unadulterated romance and passion, this film is hard to beat. One gets the impression that it was rather ahead of its time when it came out.

Lastly, those frightening landslide sequences close to the end are really impressive, and the "baby's funeral" also leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.

A truly magnificent film, seemingly little known today, and which would gain from being made better known to the general public .......