The central theme of this film (based on a true story) is that true love is strong enough to overcome all obstacles. The obstacle in this case is prejudice against those from other cultures. William Holden and Jennifer Jones play the American man and the Eurasian woman who meet in Hong Kong and find love despite the taboos they dare to challenge.The primary problem with this premise is that Jones, by appearance, is not convincingly and consistently Eurasian. She overcomes some of this by her manner and speech.As a fan of Holden, I cannot ignore a comparison with "Picnic", also released in 1955.In both films, Holden is the outsider--a rebellious figure viewed with suspicion, a flaunter of community standards. But in "Picnic", Holden's character must struggle to overcome his own doubts, making the struggle more meaningful and central to his character's development.In both films, there is a musical theme that is strong. In "Picnic", the theme is better used, an actual part of the action that links the two lovers together (through dance).In "Picnic", the love scenes are electric, charged with passion and a hunger for what might be called salvation. In "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing", the kisses are sometimes passionate, sometimes lukewarm, perhaps due to the emotional distance between the two stars, well documented.Though the love story in "Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing" can feel subordinate to the larger story of cultural differences, which is undeniably interesting, in "Picnic" the love story is what every element revolves around.

I am a fan of William Holden and this starring film at this time should have been better. Despite all the great scenery in Hong Kong, the script lets this one down. No wonder the theme song is much more famous than the film.Holden is a journalist and he meets a Female Doctor who has been widowed. Holden's wife who we never meet does not want to let him go, even though she has not seen him in 6 years. Such is the confusion of this plot, and the Doctor falls in love and carries a flame for this guy throughout. What is missing for everybody here is a back story.The ending is so predictable that I guessed it about the first 10 minutes. The scenery is the neat stuff here. The car Holden drives around is not the usual model. There is a CAT Vehicle at one point.Oh, if this really had a story, but it tries to wet 3 hankies without really drawing the viewer into anything except feeling how odd this relationship is. I got out the hankie when I realized how good this movie could have been, but it just does not get anywhere near where it should be.Sometimes the tree at the top of the hill needs to get cut down. I had the urge to rent a chain saw for the last scenes and say "enough already." The song Love is a Many Splendored Thing" is the only claim to long term fame this one has.

After watching this 1955 soap opera - I'm now convinced that love is not a many-splendored thing. No. It isn't.It was so easy to see, almost right from the start, where this trite, little Romantic-Drama was going. It held absolutely no surprises for this viewer. And its ending was one of the most laughable that I've seen in a mighty long time.And, if that wasn't bad enough - Strains of this film's title song swelled up so often throughout the course of the story that it ended up making me absolutely sick to death of hearing it.This film, now 60 years old, may have satisfied its audience back in the good, old days, but, today, it's just an easily-forgettable nothing of a picture, if you wanna know the truth.

Such a lovely film, even with all of it's many faults. The script is really really bad, there is not much chemistry between the two leads, and casting Jennifer Jones as Eurasian is just silly and borderline offensive. Yet this is a very entertaining film. The scenery is absolutely beautiful, and seeing the Hong Knong of 1950s is quite fascinating. The decor and clothes are stunning, as is the always handsome William Holden. And of course the theme song is a classic. And yes, I got some tears in my eyes at the end. If you judge it by today's standards it's quite ridiculous, but even though it feels rather fake and unrealistic, it still manages to touch you.