Architect Robert Lomax (William Holden) abandons his career to become a painter and moves to Hong Kong on a limited budget. Almost immediately, he meets prostitute Suzie Wong (Nancy Kwan) but refuses to patronize her except as a model. Recognizing integrity in each other, the two fall in love, frustrating the hopes of Lomax’s British friends in the colony. When Lomax’s money runs out, the true mettle of the couple’s staying power is put to the ultimate test. Trained for months at the behest of producer Ray Stark, novice actress Kwan was brought in at the last minute to replace ailing original star, France Nuyen, after half the film had been shot. Original director Jean Negulesco was also replaced by Columbia Studios veteran Richard Quine.
“The intelligent and fair-minded romantic drama…acknowledges cultural hypocrisy without adding to it…A man cozies up to a ‘fallen woman’ – of another race – and she isn’t hit by lightning or swallowed up by a volcano… Ms. Kwan’s performance is truly impressive – she shows a facility with moods and shifts of tone, and projects mischief and integrity in equal doses.” – Glenn Erickson, DVD Savant
“In this wildly romantic, vividly imagined color film.. there is packaged the glowingest commercial for love conquering everything” – Bosley Crowther, The New York Times
Marc Edward Heuck discusses The World of Suzie Wong on the New Beverly blog.
