A Countess from Hong Kong (1967)

In Hong Kong, the ambassador returning to America meets the Russian countess, a refugee without a passport, who decides to hide in his cabin.

Director:

Charles Chaplin

Writer:

Charles Chaplin (original screenplay)

Stars:

Marlon Brando, Sophia Loren, Sydney Chaplin

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marlon Brando	...	Ogden
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

Storyline

In Hong Kong, the wealthy Ogden Mears is traveling in a transatlantic, close to being assigned Saudi Arabian ambassador, and divorcing his wife Martha. He and his friend Harvey are invited by their old friend Clark to go to a nightclub with three aristocratic Russians on their last night. Ogden drinks too much and spends the night with Countess Natascha. The next morning, while sailing back home, Ogden finds Natascha hidden in his cabin wearing a ball gown and with no documents. The stowaway explains that she wants to go to the United States and Ogden is worried about his career. But Harvey convinces him to help Natascha. Ogden falls in love with Natascha, and he and Harvey plot a fake marriage between Natascha and his valet Hudson. Things get complicated when Immigration requests Natascha's documents and Martha arrives on board.

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Plot Keywords:

hong kong | ocean liner | countess | russian | luxury liner | 

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Taglines:

It's a She Voyage that rocks the Boat!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English French

Release Date:

15 March 1967 (USA)

Also Known As:

Una condesa de Hong Kong

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$3,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chaplin Film Productions Ltd., Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min 108 min (US)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Charles Chaplin's three eldest daughters appeared in the film: Geraldine Chaplin (at minutes 46 and 1:05), Josephine Chaplin and Victoria Chaplin (at minute 1:32).

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Goofs

Toward the end of the film Ogden, Natascha, Harvey and Martha sit around a restaurant table. Ogden and Natascha sit with their backs to the camera and very far from each other so they won't obscure Harvey and Martha at the other side of the table. When they get up to dance, the camera cuts to a close up of Ogden and Natascha which are suddenly almost touching shoulders.

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Quotes

Martha: You insult my intelligence by introducing that woman as Mrs Harvey Crothers... and then again as Mrs Hudson when she's sleeping here in your cabin. As Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, it is not exactly comme il faut... to include in your entourage, the mistress of a gangster. A prostitute.
Ogden: I wonder what your fate would have been in similar circumstances.

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Connections

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

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Soundtracks

(Love,) This Is My Song
Written by Charles Chaplin
Performed by Petula Clark

User Reviews

Pleasant surprise - and what music !!!

I finally got round to seeing this one recently though it has often appeared on French TV and is noted above all for being Chaplin's last film and first and last colour film. I was enchanted by it ; the music is fantastic and the physique and voice of Sophia Loren (especially in pyjamas) is just.........so loveable gorrrrrrgeous and erotic ! Marlon Brando seems a little out of it all at times was perhaps not the right actor for the Role ; Margaret Rutherford in the personage of " Mrs Gaulswallow " ( just where to God's name did they think up a name like that ?? ) had me in total fits of laughter during her short appearance. The film is strange as it is in modern colour with good picture quality but the sound and dialogues as well as being poor acoustically are reminiscent of the 40s or 50s but obviously in keeping with Chaplin's style. I have always liked most of Chaplin's (talking) films but it is the quality of his musical scores that really get me. The score from Limelight and "This is My Song" which comes from A Countess in N.Y. are absolute masterpieces of Romanticism. Lovely !!!