THE WORLD OF SUZIE WONG
UK, 1960, 126 minutes, Colour.
William Holden, Nancy Kwan, Sylvia Sims, Michael Wilding, Laurence Naismith, Bernard Cribbens, Lionel Blair.
Directed by Richard Quine.
The World of Suzie Wong is set in an exotic Hong Kong. It may seem somewhat slight and tame now but was on the cutting edge of popular English language films at the beginning of the 60s.
William Holden, who had appeared in the Eurasian love story, Love is a Many Splendored Thing, is a businessman who wants to live as an artist. He moves to Hong Kong, takes a room in a hotel which, in fact, is used by prostitutes. He is not interested – although he does hire one of the girls to pose for him for his painting – and falls in love with her with consequent jealousy of her clients.
This is a 1960 romantic film with the permissive touch. William Holden is at home in this kind of role. Nancy Kwan was a ballet dancer who in her late teens was offered this role, followed it with Flower Drum Song and continued acting for the next forty-five years – although her vehicles were not particularly startling. The film also has a role for Michael Wilding in support.
The direction is by Richard Quine who, after a career as an actor, began directing in the late 1940s. His vehicles at that time tended to be very slight, Sound Off, Rainbow Round My Shoulder with Frankie Laine, Siren of Baghdad. However, with Pushover in 1954 he began to have bigger-budget films at Columbia including My Sister Eileen and The Sold Cold Cadillac. He then progressed to more prestigious films like Bell, Book and Candle, Strangers When We Meet and The Notorious Landlady. He was to continue to make this kind of film during the 1960s but spent time doing television work in the 1970s. His last film was with Peter Sellers, The Fiendish Plot of Doctor Fu Manchu.
1. For what audience was this film made? The appeal? Its entertainment value, presentation of themes?
2. The importance of the visual portrayal of Hong Kong, its colour, beauty, squalor, the details of the city, mountains and water? The people and the crowds within this context? Their way of life? This as the world of Suzie Wong?
3. How particular was the world of Suzie Wong? The initial encounter with her, her unreal world, her fantasies on the ferry? The contrast with the real world of the hotel, prostitution, her desire to have permanent friendship and love, her child? The comment on the character of Suzie with this fantasy and reality world?
4. How did the film help us to identify with Robert, enter into the world of Suzie with him? The ferry scenes and the sketching, the conversations and Suzie's playing with words with him? The moral judgements that the audience shared with Robert as they approached the hotel, the world of the prostitutes, Suzie’s profession? Judgemental attitudes, their being affected and changed?
5. Was Robert a credible character? His American style, architect background, attitude to work, art, his year off? His sketches and paintings? His infatuation with Suzie? The humour of his settling into the hotel? The contrast with his encounters with the O’ Neill’s? A bridge between both worlds of Hong Kong?
6. Comment on the presentation of the hotel, the owner, the sailors, the girls, the rooms, the bar? The various people and the way they reacted? Good and bad? The importance of the character of Gwen and her comments on the situation?
7. The discovery of Suzie within this world? Her particular style, her pride in her profession, her explanation of her background, her not wanting to be an ordinary street girl? Her relationship with Ilors, dancing, entertaining, money? Her infatuation with Robert? Her surprise at the modelling? Her agreeing to it? Her being hurt at Robert's lack of love? Wanting to be hit by him etc., spreading stories, using his account by phone for her girlfriends etc? Her longing to be a permanent girlfriend? The encounter with Ben and the importance of the discussion about becoming his girlfriend? The hurt when Ben discarded her? Robert’s hurting her, his love-hate? The importance of her disappearance, the revelation of the child? Her reappearance in order to save the child? Was this an adequate character study of a Hong Kong prostitute? An explanation of her within her world?
8. What caused the change In Robert? The importance of his art, Suzie’s posing for him, falling in love yet being repelled by her and her profession? The importance of the enjoyment scenes, for instance their meals out? His impulsive hurting her on the occasion of Ben's discarding her? The effect on him and his change of heart?
9. The contrast with the world of the O' Neills? Mr O' Neill and his interest and sympathy? His helping Robert, his antiracist comments? His desire to help his daughter? Kate and her infatuation, her wanting Robert for herself? Helping him with his art, yet trying to hold him? The dinner sequences, the discussions about art, the judgements about the Hong Kong world?
10. The importance of the portrayal of Ben? The Hong Kong businessman who has broken with his wife, drinking and associating with prostitutes, the arrangement with Suzie and the discussion in front of Robert? The way that he used Robert in order to break the arrangement? The judgement on his morality?
11. The dramatic build-up to her disappearance, reappearance and the search for the child, the O' Neills offering to help?
12. The climax of the film with the storm and the rain, the subsiding of the mountains and the houses, the rush in order to get Suzie past, to find the child, the dead child and its effect?
13. The presentation of the burial sequence, Suzie and the girls going through a ritual? The effect of the ritual on Suzie, on Robert? The burning of the letter of introduction?
14. What future did they face? Was the film optimistic? The film’s comment on the important issues of love, marriage, people affected by their environment? Judgements and the changing of judgements on people?
