The World Of Suzie Wong (1960)
Robert Lomax, tired of working in an office, wants to be an artist. So he moves to Hong Kong to try his hand at painting. Finding a cheap hotel, he checks in, only to find it's used by prostitutes and their "dates" they meet in the bar downstairs. Since he never picks up any of the ladies, they all want to know more about him. Eventually, he does hire one to model for him... and soon falls in love. However, since he's on a limited budget, he can't afford her exclusively, but doesn't want to "share" her with anyone else.
The most tender and touching love story of our time!
Robert Lomax: If I were a prizefighter, and I kept getting my brains knocked out, I'd be foolish if I didn't quit.
Hong Kong, China
(Exterior)
MGM British Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK
(Studio)
Referring to France Nuyen's firing from the film version of "The World of Suzie Wong," the famed show biz columnist Louella Parsons wrote the following in the daily newspaper, the Chicago American, on Tuesday, February 27, 1962 (page eight) when Nuyen was cast opposite Charlton Heston in Diamond Head (1962) in '62": "As for little Miss Nuyen, things have been going much better for her recently since her bad start when she was taken out of 'The World of Suzie Wong' when she put on too much poundage worrying over M. Brando." And in its review of the film, the TV Guide site also references the firing: "Nuyen was distressed at reports from California that her lover, Marlon Brando, was carrying on with another woman, and drowning her sorrows in food. The actress gained so much weight that she was fired from the part."
As an former student of the Royal Ballet School in London, a 20-year-old Nancy Kwan was discovered by producer Ray Stark after the coveted role of Suzie Wong was up for grabs when French-Vietnamese actress France Nuyen suffered a bout of chronic laryngitis.
Jean Negulesco was originally hired as director. He was fired during production and replaced by Richard Quine.
In the opening scenes as the Kowloon Ferry heads toward Hong Kong, navy ship St. Clair County (LST-1096) can be seen anchored in the harbor.
According to a TMC interview with Stefanie Powers, Nancy Kwan replaced France Nuyen in the title role of Suzie Wong after Nuyen "suffered a sudden case of pregnancy."
Continuity
Robert Lomax's hotel suite (Borehamwood studio) faces the building across the street, but when he walks a few steps up to the outside patio (Hong Kong location) - he is thirty feet above it.
When Robert Lomax (Holden) begins to strip the European clothes off Suzy Wong (Kwan), her hair is piled smartly up under her cap and can be seen to remain that way. However, when Lomax goes to pull the cap off her head, Suzy's long tresses are fully down and covering her back.