When I heard Nancy Kwan mention her work in her debut feature on the commentary track of Flower Drum Song, I knew I had to see The World of Suzie Wong sooner rather than later. So I managed to check this out of the library and just watched this with Mom, whose first time this was also for viewing. We marveled at the Hong Kong locations, the impossibly blossoming romance between William Holden and Ms. Kwan, and the drama of some of the sequences of the crowded tenements which my mom recounted experiencing when visiting the country several years back. If there's one quibble we had about the movie, it's the one scene where Nancy-after suffering a real beating from a sailor who Holden subsequently beat back-"brags" to her girlfriends about Holden's "beating" her because it meant he "loves" her! Talk about political incorrectness! Other than that scene, we both loved The World of Suzie Wong especially the touching ending. So that's a recommendation.

Robert (William Holden) was a success in the business world but found it unfulfilling. Thus, he made what could be called a major life change! Moving to Hong Kong so he can devote himself to his real goal, making it as an oil painter, he can only afford to rent digs in a cheap hotel. All too soon he discovers that the native call girls of the city meet their American or European beaux in the same place! One absolutely lovely gal is Suzie Wong (Nancy Kwan) who catches Robert's eye and visa versa. But, since Robert is comparatively poor at the moment and Suzie must make ends meet for herself and her family, the situation becomes rather sticky. A romance between the two is out, so a friendship develops. However, the more time they spend with one another, the more their hearts become entwined. Soon, Robert doesn't want Suzie to see any other men but him yet, if she doesn't, she will fall on hard times. Even then, when Robert does take Suzie out to a restaurant, the native wait staff and other "high society" Caucasians make fun of the two together, for they know what her profession is. Will love still triumph? The powers that be in sixties television must have gotten this film cheaply, for it was on quite a bit of the time. As such, my sisters and I really adored the movie, having seen Kwan in Flower Drum Song and admiring her beauty. Because the call girl angle is truly subtle, it took awhile for us to really understand the big picture. We saw it more as a romance between two people from different worlds, which it also is. As the two principals, Holden and Kwan make for a great couple while the scenery, costumes, and photography from Hong Kong are also a treat. Meanwhile, the script displays a touching tale of socially forbidden love while the direction sensitively deals with a rather difficult subject. Therefore, if you see the late, late show is featuring this flick, don't miss out. Even 50 years later, it is still a romantic and entertaining view.

I saw this movie again after not seeing it in about 10 years. Because I heard the DVD had come out I bought it and watched it again. The other comments made me want to write a comment for a couple reasons: Suzie Wong is not a culturally condescending movie, indeed for its time it must have been scandalous--showing real poverty, colonialism, racism and the sad world of people trapped in desperation. It is nothing like Pretty Woman and such a comparison belittles the accomplishment of this movie--two characters who are both on the verge of Not being able to fulfill themselves--but when together they can become their best selves. It is a good drama and a realistic love story with some tragedy but still happy and fitting consequences.A man in a trench coat ("Robert" played by William Holden) boards a ferry for Hong Kong, an excited tourist. He takes out a sketchpad and draws others on a ferry, notably a young Chinese woman ("Suzie Wong" played by Nancy Kwan), also in a trench coat. What immediately follows is a verbal spat that could have taken place between a couple, happily married for ten years. Always comfortable, yet unnerved from the beginning is the meeting of Suzie and Robert. She presents herself as a haughty "virgin" rich girl called Mei Ling, and he's a visiting artist, in Hong Kong for the first time.Later, Robert, who wants to get immersed in his surroundings gets lodging in a hotel in the Wan Chai district, a poor part of town where "Chinese" live. He later sees the girl from the ferry at the Hotel Bar, dressed very differently--in a seductive flaming red dress, hanging around the sailors as the other Wan Chai girls do. Her manner is different--cold and calculating, not a "virgin" at all. Robert realizes that he is in a bar of escorts, and the clientèle are largely the military men docked in Hong Kong.Suzie is fascinating to Robert, but he still sees her differently than his first meeting, though she is no less beautiful. He rebuffs her offer to be his "regular girlfriend". Suzie is annoyed at being rebuffed, and angrily shoots back "A month is a long time in Hong Kong, you'll get lonely...i wait". But rather than professional pride being injured maybe we see the first instance of Suzie seeing Robert as someone other than a customer, as she doesn't dismiss him--she reacts like a jealous woman and strides away to grab another man and kisses him.Robert isn't a tourist for "action" he wants to paint. He is an architect who was unhappy with his life and sets up a bank account for year to stay and see if he can make it as a painter. While he wants to immerse himself in culture, his immersion stops at his heart, and maybe even his body. Therein lies my issue with many of the other commenters. Robert doesn't "help" Suzie, she helps him. Robert is no different than Suzie in many ways. His soul was being killed by a job that didn't make him happy, and maybe by a woman that didn't make him happy. He is no savior to a woman trapped in prostitution--he's trapped too. And in essence his trap is harder to get out of, because he thinks he is "all there" simply because he is a respectable man, and honourable towards women. His trap is in his head. In the evening he stares at the building he's painted and it doesn't seem to thrill him much. He calls the downstairs desk and has the 'concierge' send up Suzie. SHe runs upstairs like an excited girl on her first date. She is angry when Robert tells her he doesn't want her for her body, but for her "bones" and he paints her. But she stays to save face.Then starts the pattern that repeats throughout the movie, is that Suzie needs to talk to him and find ways of continuing to talk to him, and order him around as if she is his affectionate wife-mother. And he listens but doesn't completely give in. The first night she models for a painting, she sings him a folk song and insists on telling him the story of a boy cloud and girl cloud, and how they finally get together when the boy cloud proves he has a good heart, an analogy for the entire movie.Trouble brews when Suzie feels threatened by a banker's daughter. when Robert mixes with the Hong Kong "society" folk he is surprised by their bigotry, but he continues to mix out of financial need to sell his paintings. Suzie feels jealous & desperate, maybe for both love and money, and agrees to be the "permanent girlfriend" of a wealthy usually drunk businessman played with hilarity by Michael Wilding (he is superb).After many misunderstandings and a tragedy, Suzie and a much changed Robert are able to have future together.This movie doesn't shy away from showing poverty--if anything it is discussed openly "you never have to do a dirty job like me" and "many hungry people in Hong Kong" and we find out that Suzie is illiterate in both English and Chinese. Also--some very frank racist discussion that is important to establish the supposed "two worlds". The Banker (father of Kay) acts as the Anglo conscience.The acting is great and natural. The scenes of Hong Kong and the score are gorgeous. I suppose I avoided seeing this movie again for a long time because it hits too close to home in some ways. No special stuff on the DVD but the print is great.It's a great under-watched and under-appreciated movie. It is also a perfect movie for those who haven't quite found their place in the world or in their hearts, looking for a peaceful resting place.

I read some of the comments with dismay. This is an amazing movie in many respects. It is not meant to be steamy. The point is to show the straightforward and powerful interplay and juxtaposition of love, morality, situational ethics and plain old-fashioned fate and tragedy.There are amazing characters in this movie, acting that is rarely equaled by today's performers.An innocence of story and character and setting is captured here that is worthy of the label "Classic." Holden is only "strolling" through this roll because it is that kind of roll. He is that kind of actor. Jimmy Stewart with a bit more grit.Nancy Kwan is inspired and a truly lovely and under appreciated classic beauty.Her performance brings across a range of emotion that is rarely seen- perhaps lately in some of the more popular Chinese and Indian Films.Iif this movie doesn't touch your heart and stir your mind to question its priorities, then you may not have one!