The world of Suzie Wong

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
German title The world of Suzie Wong
Original title The World of Suzie Wong
Country of production USA , UK
original language English
Cantonese
Publishing year 1960
length 126 minutes
Age rating FSK 16
Rod
Director Richard Quine
script John Patrick
production Ray Stark
music George Duning
camera Geoffrey Unsworth
cut Bert Bates
occupation

The World of Suzie Wong (Original title: The World of Suzie Wong ) is an American-British feature film from 1960 by Richard Quine . The script was written by John Patrick . It is based on the novel of the same name by Richard Mason and the play by Paul Osborn . The main roles are cast with William Holden , Nancy Kwan and Sylvia Syms . The film premiered on November 10, 1960 in New York City. In the Federal Republic of Germany, the work was first seen on the screen on March 3, 1961.

action

During the ride on the Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island, the American architect Robert Lomax stares at the pretty face of a young Chinese woman. He doesn't hesitate and starts to draw them. Haughty beauty reveals to the stranger that she does not wish to be sketched. When the ferry docks, the Chinese woman quickly disappears into the crowd.

Lomax intends to spend a year in Hong Kong to prove to himself that despite the notorious lack of money, he is also good as a painter. He finds accommodation in the second-class Nam Kok Hotel. Soon he has to find out that he is the only long-term tenant here. Mainly the hotel is a meeting place for men who love to have fun with easy girls. To Robert's astonishment, one of them is Suzie Wong, whom he knows from the ferry. She bluntly suggests that she would like to be his constant companion, but the American politely refuses.

When Lomax opens a bank account, the British bank clerk O'Neill introduces him to his secretary and daughter Kay, who makes a deep impression on the painter. Kay also immediately feels attracted to the new customer. Back at the Nam Kok Hotel, Robert lets Suzie Wong come to. Her initial joy quickly gives way to disappointment when the painter explains to her that she should only be his model. But provided that she is allowed to pretend to be his lover to other people, she corresponds to his wish.

Lomax invites his model to dinner. O'Neill and his daughter are also in the restaurant. When Robert starts flirting with Kay, Suzie becomes jealous. With cunning, she manages to separate Robert from Kay. Back at the hotel, the Chinese woman manages to be taken to Robert's room by Robert. She asks him to make her his constant friend, then she doesn't care about any other men. Robert is reluctant to answer the question. Soon after, Suzie uses all her seduction skills to tie the painter to herself. But he's just getting changed for a rendezvous with Kay. Suzie persistently refuses to leave the room; only here does she want to wait for his return. Annoyed Robert lets them be.

Ben Marlowe and his wife are also in Kay's company. Robert recognizes him as a guest from the Nam Kok Hotel, but hides this fact from Mrs. Marlowe. After dinner, Robert takes Kay to the hotel to show her his watercolors. As soon as the two Robert's room entered, the Chinese woman behaves like a fury and insults Kay. She is furiously sent away by the painter.

When Suzie is once again abused by a drunken sailor, Robert comes to her aid and puts the monster in front of the door. Suzie proudly announces to her "colleagues" that she had been blindly jealous of Robert. Over time, however, the painter and the beautiful Chinese fall in love more and more. When Robert finally runs out of money because his pictures are hard to sell, Suzie wants to “buy” him for him. Robert is horrified and separates from her, but he cannot forget her.

One day Suzie suddenly disappeared. The painter immediately goes looking for her. Hours later, he finds his lover in the slum , where he finds out that she has a child. When Suzie again suggests to "buy" for him, he insults her. Then they part ways again.

Weeks go by. Robert cannot find peace because he cannot forget the Chinese. Again and again he wanders through the streets of Hong Kong in the rain in search of Suzie. He long ago made up his mind to marry her. When he is about to give up hope, he finds it. The girl is in mourning because she lost her child in a natural disaster. Wordlessly, but happily, the two embrace each other.

criticism

The lexicon of international films doesn't think much of the film . It draws the following conclusion: “Love story between American painter and Chinese taxi girl in the demi-world of Hong Kong. . Based on the novel by Richard Mason with expensive Far Eastern surface, many sentimental and naive moral code presented entertainment that sent strives for emotional effects and interesting local color " Der Spiegel judges in its issue 12/1961:" The film can be regarded as an example of what Americans invest not only in money (13 million marks), but also in diligence, care and craftsmanship in order to deal with a topic of such low specific weight: The piece is currently part of the lavish assortment of prostitutes' dramas [...]. The screenplay is based on the novel of the same name by the Englishman Richard Mason, which, of course, has been trimmed to Hollywood needs. For example, the hero - an adept of the art of painting who loves to turn to a Chinese solo entertainer - is no longer British in modest circumstances, but American and already successful [...]. "

Awards

The world of Suzie Wong won a Golden Globe Award in 1961 and was nominated for four other awards:

  • Two nominations in the categories of Best Film Drama (4th Place) and Best Actor - Drama ( William Holden )

source

  • Program for the film: Illustrierte Film-Bühne , Vereinigte Verlagsgesellschaft Franke & Co., Munich, number 05657

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Lexikon des Internationale Films, rororo-Taschenbuch No. 6322 (1988), p. 4237
  2. ↑ NEW IN GERMANY: The World of Suzie Wong USA. In: Der Spiegel . No. 12 , 1961 ( online ).