A COUNTESS FROM HONG KONG

UK/US, 1966, 120 minutes, Colour.
Marlon Brando, Sophia Loren, Sidney Chaplin, Tippi Hedren, Patrick Cargill, Michael Medwin, Angela Scoular, Margaret Rutherford.
Directed by Charles Chaplin.

Many consider A Countess from Hong Kong a great mistake on the part of Charlie Chaplin. Over fifty years after he was a legend in Hollywood and had continued over the decades to make many fine films ranging from The Kid, The Gold Rush, The Circus, City Lights, Modern Times, The Great Dictator, Limelight … he attempted something of a comeback.

Many people blame Marlon Brando for the failure of the film and suggest that if a more adept actor at light comedy had been in the role, it might have worked. Brando portrays a diplomat, about to be appointed ambassador to Saudi Arabia, wanting to avoid all scandal when a White Russian countess, allegedly, played by Sophia Loren, hides out in his cabin. His wife (Tippi Hedren) is about to meet him. He urges his assistant, played by Patrick Cargill, to marry the countess.

There are some humorous situations. Chaplin himself appears as an old steward. His son Sidney appears as Harvey. A range of character actors also appear, including Margaret Rutherford.

As with his other films, Chaplin composed the score. ‘This is My Song’ appears in this film. (A more serious look at this kind of situation and character, a White Russian being forced into prostitution in Hong Kong, can be seen in The White Countess, starring Natasha Richardson and Ralph Fiennes, directed by James Ivory, 2005.)

1. How successful a comedy was this? What film comedy conventions and stage conventions did the film use? How well?

2. The film was made by Charles Chaplin in his seventies. Did it bear his mark? How impressive was it for his career? He also wrote the script. How stage bound was it, with so many exits and entrances and hiding?)

3. Did the issues seem real? in its reality? what impact did it have - the American and his situation, in politics, marital relationships, Russian immigrants, illegal entry into America? Did these issues come through importantly or as part of the comedy or both?

4. How impressive a character was Ogden? Marlon Brando’s comic performance? Ogden as a typical rich US politician, his ambitions and plans, his night out on the town, the effect of Natasha on him and the change of plans? Why did he agree to help her? How comic were the sequences of sea sickness, his belching, his hiding, anxiety of situation on the ship? How did Natasha begin to change? His worry about his reputation? His emotion involvement? The involvement with Hudson's marriage and planing to help her escape? The sequences of his relationship with his wife? How realistic and satirical? Were the choices real to him? Why did he choke Natasha?

5. How well did Sophia Loren portray Natasha? How convincingly'? The Hong Kong background, the importance of the sequence of the sailors dancing with the countess? Her explanation of herself, childhood protection, gangsters? Did she seem a pathetic figure or able to take care of herself? Why did she impress Ogden and Harvey? What was so important about going to the United States? How well did Sophia Loren handle the comedy? The farce? The hiding? The marriage with Hudson? How did she change in loving Ogden? Why? Her relationship with Hudson and her despising him? The sequence of her dancing on the ship? The escape? Her final happiness?

6. How well did the fi1m portray romantic love? Was it convincing and moving? Comic? Real?

7. How important was Hudson in the film? Patrick Cargill’s comic performance? His remarks, his English American background, the comedy of the marriage, the wedding night? How did he add to the value of the film in its comedy?

8. Was Harvey well developed as a character? How credible was his helping of Ogden and Natascha? How interesting was his character and any insight into his character?

9. The importance of Martha in the film? as an ambitious American wife, going on surface appearances, her disdain for Ogden and yet her wanting to patch up the marriage for political reasons? How well was she observed as a character? How much satire?

10. How amusing were the incidental characters? the captain and the marriage, the suitor pursuing Natasha down the corridors, visiting the dowager with flowers? Margaret Rutherf6rd's performance as the seasick dowager and the comedy? The society girl and the dancing, talking continually about daddy's opinions? Did these add to the film and even brighten it?

11. Comment on the use of colour, Charles Chaplin’s music and the themes of love? location photography, Hawaii?

12. How light an entertaining comedy was this film? Its portrayal of values and audience involvement in these?