Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)

A widowed doctor of both Chinese and European descent falls in love with a married American correspondent in Hong Kong during China's Communist revolution.

Directors:

Henry King, Otto Lang (uncredited)

Writers:

John Patrick (screenplay), Han Suyin (novel)

Stars:

William Holden, Jennifer Jones, Torin Thatcher

Won 3 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
William Holden	...	Mark Elliott
Jennifer Jones	...	Dr. Han Suyin
Torin Thatcher	...	Humphrey Palmer-Jones
Isobel Elsom	...	Adeline Palmer-Jones
Murray Matheson	...	Dr. John Keith
Virginia Gregg	...	Anne Richards
Richard Loo	...	Robert Hung
Soo Yong	...	Nora Hung
Philip Ahn	...	Third Uncle
Jorja Curtright	...	Suzanne
Donna Martell	...	Suchen, Suyin's sister

Storyline

In Hong Kong in 1949, Mark Elliott is an American reporter covering the Chinese civil war. Undergoing a trial separation from his wife, he meets the beautiful Dr. Han Suyin, a widowed physician from mainland China. As the pair fall in love, they encounter disapproval from both her family and his friends about their interracial romance. Although the film was a commercial success upon release, the casting of Jones in an Asian role has since been criticized.

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Plot Keywords:

scandal | gossip | war correspondent | swimming | beach | 

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Taglines:

She was Han Suyin, the fascinating Eurasian. He was Mark Elliot, American correspondent... In each other's arms... they found a love that defied 5000 years of tradition!

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Romance | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Mandarin

Release Date:

26 September 1955 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Alle Herrlichkeit auf Erden

Filming Locations:

Topanga Canyon, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,780,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$4,000,000, 31 December 1955

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording) (optical prints) 4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording) (magnetic prints)

Color:

Color (Color by Deluxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The aircraft that returns Mark to Hong Kong is Pan American World Airways N6535C, named "Clipper Mercury". It was a Douglas DC-6B, which entered service in 1952 and left service in 1961.

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Goofs

The story takes place in 1949, but the aircraft that returns Mark to Hong Kong is Pan American World Airways N6535C, named "Clipper Mercury". It was a Douglas DC-6B, which entered service in 1952 and left service in 1961.

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Quotes

Dr. Han Suyin: Our gorgeous lie did not even last the night.

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Connections

Referenced in This Is Us: A Manny-Splendored Thing (2017)

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Soundtracks

Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster
Music by Sammy Fain
Performed by Chorus

User Reviews

High on Their Windy Hill

In the book The Films of William Holden, the author says the film does not wear well and its popularity is due to the hit title song from the film that you could not get away from hearing in 1955. How well I remember, though I was only eight years old back then. I disagree, the film is a tremendous romance for those who like that and the location photography in Hong Kong is fabulous.

A few things struck me. Since Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr had their famous romantic swimming scene in From Here to Eternity, I think that Harry Cohn was trying to one up Darryl Zanuck with having Bill Holden and Jennifer Jones do the same.

I also think and I could cite other film examples from 20th Century Fox that Zanuck acquired the film rights for the original novel with Tyrone Power in mind for the male lead. Holden is fine in the part, but try and picture Power in it. Not to mention the fact that Power's favorite director Henry King is at the helm.

But it is true that the song is the real star of the film. It really carries the romantic plot along. One of the great examples of the right music making a good film.

Ironically both the stars dealt with a lot of heartache in their lives. Holden with his alcoholism and Jones with the various marriages and deaths of people close to her. But when you see them high on that windy hill in Hong Kong they are a pair of the most romantic lovers ever filmed.

RIP Bill Holden and Jennifer Jones. Both of you dealt with so much bad karma in your lives.