The world of suzie wong to her spectacular performance in the musical flower drum song, nancy kwan became the first chinese actress to achieve fame in western cinema, and has made dozens more films from the sixties to today. So on that rainy saturday afternoon when you need a little romance, drama and travel to a far off land pop in this new dvd of suzie wong and be carried away. Robert lomax william holden the country girl, sunset boulevard, is an american artist in hong kong struggling to make a decent living doing what he loves. Mar 27, 2010 il mondo di suzie wong doppiato in italiano. Shes had quite an interesting life, but for our purposes, well touch on just the event that made her. That was my first film and then i was at a party, one of those hollywood parties, and this guy comes up to me and he says, im producing a film called flower drum song. Nancy kwan sexy the world of suzie wong vintage photo ebay.
Nancy was born 1939519 in hong kong, to a chinese father and a caucasian mother of englishscottish ancestry. Cnn nancy kwan is the actress who immortalized the world of suzie wong in the 1960 film. May 05, 2018 nancy kwan and william holden in the world of suzie wong 1960. The films of nancy kwan show list info nancy ka shen kwan chinese. While the budding romance between william holden and nancy kwan is the main focus of the world of suzie wong, the real star of the film is the city of hong kong. Her second movie, flower drum song 1961, was also a critical and popular success, and kwan became internationally famous as hollywoods first eurasian female star. Life magazine 24 october 1960 nancy kwan as susie wong newburry massachusetts fire muster competition, beserk boy kills inejero asanumajapanese socialist party chairman in public, pittsburgh pirates baseball wins series, khrushchev visits us, princess alexandre of kent in nigeria, thinly veiled. If the 1960 drama the world of suzie wong about the relationship between an american painter and a hong kong prostitute had been made five. The world of suzie wong is my first exposure to the work of english writer richard mason. This may seem like an unlikely plot for a great love story but it has been made into a major motion picture, a play, has spawned two unofficial sequels, a documentary and a ballet. Kwan, the daughter of a prominent architect, was born in hong kong and educated in. The world of suzie wong, is a novel where a british artist falls for his model suzie wong a chinese prostitute. Song and 1960s the world of suzie wong for which she won a most promising newcomer golden globe made kwan, once a rising ballerina, an instant starlet.
Mingna wen, nancy kwan talk hollywoods new awareness. Apr 15, 2010 cnn nancy kwan is the actress who immortalized the world of suzie wong in the 1960 film. From left, actor nancy kwan and writer donald bogle speak onstage at the screening of the world of suzie wong during day 3 of the 2018 tcm. Jul 04, 2017 hong kong actress nancy kwan starred as wong in the 1960 screen version of the world of suzie wong after the original broadway actress france nuyen was fired. Ive seen the film with william holden and nancy kwan so it was great to. How suzie wong wooed the worlds book critics in 1957 south. Aug 03, 2017 in 1960, nancy kwan distant cousin to kevinshot to international fame with the titular role in the world of suzie wong, a film based on novel by richard mason about a struggling american artists obsession with a plucky, exasperating hong kong bar girl. Nancy kwan was catapulted from her native hong kong at 18 to become an international star in such famed american films as the world of suzie wong and flower drum song. That fictionalized account of hong kongs redlight district helped create the cultural stereotype. Richard mason, 78, suzie wong author the new york times. An evening with nancy kwan brian camps film and anime blog. Kwan, the daughter of a prominent architect, was born in hong kong and educated in england, where she also studied dancing at the royal ballet school. Kwan wrote an introduction for the 2008 book for goodness sake. Holden is american architect robert lomax, who travels to hong kong to paint.
Though 55 years have passed since masons 19191997 romantic novel of colonial hong kong was first published spawning a ballet, a play, and a film starring william holden and nancy kwan. Nancy kwan, then a 20ish eurasian beauty, is wonderful as suzie wong, william holden holds up his end of the romance, and the supporting cast is excellent. With william holden, nancy kwan, sylvia syms, michael wilding. That was my first film and then i was at a party, one of those hollywood parties, and this guy comes up to me and he says, im producing a.
For her beauty captivates him the moment hes first lays eyes on her but, she a woman that is very hard to get. Nancy kwan as suzie wong a true cinderella story, nancy kwan was discovered in hong kong by american producer ray stark. The world of suzie wong by richard mason was published in 1957. Oct 19, 1997 richard mason, a british author best known for the world of suzie wong, a novel about a hong kong prostitute, died on monday in a hospital here. Nancy kwan in the world of suzie wong 1960 multiple versions of the classic story the world of suzie wong offer different takes on a social phenomenon, but can any of them escape the biases of. There are plenty of exterior shots of hong kong circa 1960, which is also interesting. The screenplay by john patrick was adapted from the stage play by paul osborn, which was based on the novel of the same title by richard mason. The world of suzie wong by richard mason goodreads. Penguin books reintroduces the timeless story of the love affair between a british artist. The book was converted to a movie in 1960, starring william holden and nancy kwan. While kwans exposure through this role went ways for the acceptance of. The world of suzie wong 1960 directed by richard quine featuring william holden, nancy kwan, sylvia syms, michael wilding, sr.
Robert lomax, played in the movie by famous actor william holden, first meets suzie wong, played by nancy kwan, on the star ferry. One of the characters in the book takes the name of suzie wong in an attempt to latch on to the fame of the original character. The world of suzie wong the advantage of onthespot geography does a great deal for the screen version of the world of suzie wong. Richard mason, a british author best known for the world of suzie wong, a novel about a hong kong prostitute, died on monday in a hospital here.
Nancy kwan biography facts, childhood, family life. Kwan, of chinese and british heritage, was 20 years old when she starred opposite william holden in the world of suzie wong, and in doing so became the first asian actress to play a lead role in a western film since anna may wong, from the silentfilm and early talkie. Nancy kwan celebrity profile check out the latest nancy kwan photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. William holden stars as an american artist who becomes involved with the sordid underworld of prostitution in hong kong in the world of suzie wong, based on paul osborns broadway adaptation of the novel by richard mason. Wearing a winecolored cheongsam with her hair coiffed into a sleek bun, kwan smiled broadly at the camera, answering questions about the pronunciation of her name and taking graceful, profilerevealing turns in patent. When the world of suzie wong began to tour, kwan was assigned the part of a bargirl.
Dec 18, 2010 it was an accidental audition, one that 20yearold nancy kwan stumbled upon while peering in on hong kong actors vying for the muchcoveted hollywood movie role of suzie wong. At just 18, nancy kwan was studying dance with englands royal ballet school, when she was spotted by producer ray stark, who tested her and gave her the starring role of a freespirited hong kong prostitute who captivates artist william holden in the world of. Although she was a dancer with the royal ballet in london, she had no prior acting experience. She followed it the next year with the hit musical, flower drum.
The world of suzie wong the world of suzie wong is the story of a successful british businessman who decides to try to make it as an artist in hong kong instead and falls in love with a teenaged chinese prostitute. How suzie wong wooed the worlds book critics in 1957. The world of suzie wong is a 1960 britishamerican romantic drama film directed by richard quine and starring william holden and nancy kwan. Screen images are important in world culture and the image of nancy kwan as suzie wong was a groundbreaking one in 1960.
She answered an advertisement in a newspaper regarding auditions for a novel adapted play called the world of suzie wong. Mason lived from 1919 1997 and over the course of his life he wrote six novels. After extensive coaching in hollywood and several screen tests, she won the title role of the world of suzie wongover many other. The front page splash is all for nancy kwan when she wins the role of suzie, and khrushchev is relegated to the nook kwan occupied beneath the lead. See more ideas about actresses, hollywood and beautiful asian women. The hong kongborn american actor is best known for her titular role in her debut film, the world of suzie wong, for which she won a golden globe award. The world of suzie wong is a film that holds both an important place in film history and the hearts film buffs and romantics around the globe. May 16, 2011 if the 1960 drama the world of suzie wong about the relationship between an american painter and a hong kong prostitute had been made five years earlier, hong kong native nancy kwan. A businessman moves to hong kong to pursue a career as an artist and falls in love with a prostitute he hires as a model. The world of suzie wong is a gentle, heartfelt, human drama of two lonely people looking for love. He finds his perfect model in suzie wong nancy kwan, a beautiful prostitute whose lifestyle creates personal problems for the couple.
No matter how hard suzie tries to push him away, robert lomax is persistant in winning her. The world of suzie wong is a 1957 novel by british writer richard mason. He told her she had to go to england immediately because nuyen was very ill. Nancy kwan and william holden in the world of suzie wong 1960. William holden, nancy kwan, sylvia sims, michael wilding, jacqui chan mpaa rating. May 11, 2018 from left, actor nancy kwan and writer donald bogle speak onstage at the screening of the world of suzie wong during day 3 of the 2018 tcm classic film festival in hollywood on april 28, 2018. In 1960, nancy kwan distant cousin to kevinshot to international fame with the titular role in the world of suzie wong, a film based on novel by richard mason about a struggling american artists obsession with a plucky, exasperating hong kong bar girl. Nancy kwan had trouble sustaining her hollywood career. The world of suzie wong directed by richard quine available. In keeping with the hollywoodlooksatchina theme of my last blog entry, i went right into the world of suzie wong 1960, a fullblown hollywood romantic melodrama set and partly shot in hong kong and starring nancy kwan in her first film role, and then into two more nancy kwan movies, flower drum song 1961 and the wrecking crew 1968, all in preparation for an evening with. Hong kong actress nancy kwan starred as wong in the 1960 screen version of the world of suzie wong after the original broadway actress france nuyen was fired. Suzie wong, a hong kong prostitute, in the 1960 film the world of suzie wong.
The ultrapicturesque environment of teeming hong kong brings a. See more ideas about old hollywood, actresses and beautiful asian women. Suzie wong was his fifth novel and written in 1957. At just 18, nancy kwan was studying dance with englands royal ballet school, when she was spotted by producer ray stark, who tested her and gave her the starring role of a freespirited hong kong prostitute who captivates artist william holden in the world of suzie wong 1960. Nancy kwan the world of suzie wong 1960 stock photo. The 1960 film starred william holden and nancy kwan. An american painter robert lomax william holden travels to hong kong to learn more about himself and his art. Nancy kwan was a ballet dancer in london before she made her acting debut in the hit movie the world of suzie wong 1960, with william holden. From the moment he discovered his hotel was virtually a brothel, mason knew he had his book. Wearing a winecolored cheongsam with her hair coiffed into a sleek bun, kwan smiled broadly at the camera, answering questions about the pronunciation of her name and taking graceful, profile.
Her second movie, flower drum song 1961, was also a critical and popular success, and kwan became internationally famous as. A thrilling, imaginative experience, a masterly study of humanity at its best and its worst its fair to say richard masons story of wong and. Nancy kwan is one of the first asian actors to earn a name for herself in hollywood. At just 18, nancy kwan was studying dance with englands royal ballet school, when she was spotted by producer ray stark, who tested her and gave her the starring role of a freespirited hong kong prostitute who captivates artist william holden in the world of suzie wong.
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