A Countess from Hong Kong (1967)

Director:

Charles Chaplin

Writer:

Charles Chaplin (original screenplay)

Release Date:

15 March 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Fun at Sea! His Cabin, His PJs, Her Move!

Plot:

Natascha, a White Russian countess, stows away on a luxury liner at Hong Kong, determined to seek a new life in America...

Plot Keywords:

Diplomat | Countess | Hong Kong | Russian | City Name In Title

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Marlon Brando	...	Ogden Mears
Sophia Loren	...	Natascha
Sydney Chaplin	...	Harvey
Tippi Hedren	...	Martha
Patrick Cargill	...	Hudson
Michael Medwin	...	John Felix
Oliver Johnston	...	Clark
John Paul	...	The Captain
Angela Scoular	...	The Society Girl
Margaret Rutherford	...	Miss Gaulswallow
Peter Bartlett	...	Steward
Bill Nagy	...	Crawford
Dilys Laye	...	Saleswoman
Angela Pringle	...	Baroness
Jenny Bridges	...	Countess
Arthur Gross	...	Immigration officer
Balbina	...	French maid
Anthony Chinn	...	Hawaiian (as Anthony Chin)
Jose Sukhum Boonlve	...	Hawaiian
Geraldine Chaplin	...	Girl at dance
Janine Hill	...	Second girl at dance
Burnell Tucker	...	Hotel receptionist
Leonard Trolley	...	Purser
Len Lowe	...	Electrician
Francis Dux	...	Head waiter
Cecil Cheng	...	Taxi driver
Ronald Rubin	...	American sailor
Michael Spice	...	American sailor
Ray Barlow	...	American sailor (as Ray Marlowe)
Josephine Chaplin	...	Young girl
Victoria Chaplin	...	Young girl
Kevin Manser	...	Photographer
Marianne Stone	...	Reporter
Lew Luton	...	Reporter
Larry Cross	...	Reporter
Bill Edwards	...	Reporter
Drew Russell	...	Reporter
John Sterland	...	Reporter
Paul Carson	...	Reporter
Paul Tamarin	...	Reporter
Carol Cleveland	...	Nurse
Charles Chaplin	...	An old steward
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jerome Epstein	...	Barman (uncredited)

Directed by
Charles Chaplin

Writing credits
Charles Chaplin		(original screenplay)

Produced by
Jerome Epstein	....	producer
Charles Chaplin	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Charles Chaplin

Cinematography by
Arthur Ibbetson

Film Editing by
Gordon Hales

Production Design by
Donald M. Ashton		(as Don Ashton)

Art Direction by
Robert Cartwright		(as Bob Cartwright)

Set Decoration by
Vernon Dixon		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Helen Penfold	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Denis Johnson	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Causey	....	assistant director
Ariel Levy	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Vernon Dixon	....	set dresser
Alan Evans	....	scenic artist
Alan Roderick-Jones	....	set draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ken Barker	....	sound recordist
Bill Daniels	....	sound recordist
Mike Hopkins	....	sound editor (as Michael Hopkins)

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Wilson	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosemary Burrows	....	wardrobe supervisor
Olga Lehmann	....	costume designer: Tippi Hedren (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Richard Hiscott	....	assistant editor
Brian Sinclair	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Eric James	....	musical associate
Lambert Williamson	....	conductor
Lambert Williamson	....	music arranger
Milton Gabler	....	soundtrack album producer (uncredited)

Other crew
Geoff Freeman	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Harry Mendelsohn	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Gordon Shadrick	....	title designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Chaplin Film Productions Ltd. (for)
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1967) (USA) (theatrical)
• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1967) (UK) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1969) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Universal Filmverleih (1967) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Studios USA Television (USA)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Gordon Shadrick Enterprises  title design
• American President Lines  special thanks
• Pinewood Studios  movie studio

Also Known As:

Runtime:

120 min | USA:108 min (US version)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (2005) | USA:G | Spain:13

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Chaplin Film Productions Ltd.

Trivia:

Judy Huxtable was considered for various roles.

Goofs:

Continuity: During "everybody is getting sea-sick" scene Ogden, Natascha and Harvey push an ashtray around the table until Ogden angrily swipes it off the table. Shortly after it's back on the table in front of Natascha's chair and in the next shot it moves over to be in front of Ogden's chair, although nobody is at the table at that time.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin (2003)

Soundtrack:

(Love,) This Is My Song

A pleasant surprise

I'd always read that this was not only one of Chaplin's worst films but also one of Brando's worst. But you know it's not bad at all. There are some very funny moments early on and Brando plays the role of the uptight politician perfectly. The only reason that people feel he is miscast is because they are expecting Stanley Kowalski . Even Jack Nicholson singled out this film as one of Brando's best performances. That said the film really belongs to Sophia Loren ( a much underrated actress) who is genuinely heartbreaking . Add to that a haunting musical score. At the time it was hammered by the critics for being dated but now it seems no more dated than any other film to come out of the same period "Bonnie and Clyde" , "the Graduate" etc.