JohnHowardReid
The poet, Francis Thompson, supplies this film's interesting title. Like "A Man Called Peter", this film is based upon a true story. The screenplay was adapted by John Patrick from Dr. Han Suyin's semi- autobiographical novel, "A Many-Splendored Thing". Henry King is one of Hollywood's veteran directors. To his credit must be placed what was at its date one of the finest films America had produced, "Tol'able David" (1922). Some of his other important films are "Stella Dallas" (1925), "Twelve O'Clock High", and "Snows of Kilimanjaro" (1952). One of King's chief characteristics is his love of landscape and natural scenery. This love is well illustrated in "Love Is a Many- Splendored Thing", which was actually made on location in Hong Kong. King is a very sincere director. If he feels that a screenplay has merit, he will give his best. On the other hand, if he feels that the material given him is beyond redemption, he won't bother to exert himself. This explains his apathetic direction of "King of the Khyber Rifles", in which he allowed Terry Moore to give a performance so shockingly bad as to conclusively prove that she has no natural acting ability whatsoever.On the other hand, King has always regarded Jennifer Jones as one of the world's greatest actresses. For her performance in "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" she was deservedly voted by America's cinema-goers in their First Annual Audience Awards Poll, as the best actress of the year. Anyone can have their appearance changed from role to role, but very few can convincingly change their voice. Miss Jones had a convincing American accent in "Carrie", a convincing English accent in "Beat the Devil", a convincing Shropshire accent in "Gone to Earth". In this film she uses quite appropriately for her role, a more formal English accent. As Dr. Suyin she effectively portrays a noble, gracious, dignified Eurasian, child-like in her simplicity, proud of her mixture of bloods. There is nothing cheap or shoddy about this woman. When she breaks social conventions, she does so because she sincerely believes that she is right and the conventions wrong. In his usual vein, William Holden turns in another very competent performance. Australian, Murray Matheson, is superb in his portrayal of Chinese, Dr Tam. His accent is faultless. He speaks in a flat, somewhat hesitant voice — for the doctor is translating his Chinese thoughts into English words. Isobel Elsom provides a vivid characterization of the vain, ignorant, stupid, light-headed, commandeering, snobbish Mrs. Palmer-Jones. Jorja Curtright is brilliant in the role of Suzanne, a worldly, money-wise Eurasian of loose morality — an excellent foil to Suyin. One of the men with which Suzanne is associated is Mr. Palmer-Jones (Torin Thatcher). Because of their relationship, there is some subtle irony in the fact that Mr. Palmer-Jones, while pretending to uphold the morals of the hospital, is himself carrying on an illicit affair.Henry King has splendidly directed the photographing of Hong Kong background in "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing". I draw your attention particularly to the scenes on the hill overlooking the harbor and to the arresting sequence, with the camera mounted on the front of a fast-moving ambulance, at the beginning. Another example of King's skillful directing is the sequence in which a shot of a falling bomb is cut into a shot of a bowl of red paint, knocked to the floor by the little girl. And speaking of the little girl reminds me that King seems to be quite adept at directing children."Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" won three Academy Awards, one for the musical score and another for the title song. To sum up: Excellent acting, excellent script, excellent scenery, excellent direction, excellent music — what more could you want? — JHR writing as George Addison.
Mikel3
I watched this the other night with my wife. The film is available on Netflix. It's a good movie if you like 1950s romantic tearjerkers like we do. Ms. Jones and Mr. Holden play their roles well as always. The romantic chemistry between the two is very believable and touching. The story itself was well written with a few overly melodramatic moments common in films of this decade. Still I'm a sucker for these movies, the same goes for 'All That Heaven Allows', 'Magnificent Obsession', 'Peyton Place' and others from the 50s with different actors of course. They're mostly high budget soap operas, still they're fun. This one takes place in Hong Kong and involves a married correspondent who falls in love with a widowed part-Chinese doctor. We see them dealing with the problems of a mixed culture relationship..and his marriage to an unloving wife. It contains beautiful scenes reminiscent of another film Mr. Holden was in 'The World of Suzy Wong'.(1960) which he would make years later. Reportedly Ms. Jones did not get along at all with William Holden on the set, so it's impressive they were able to have so much chemistry on screen. It's said she would eat garlic before a love scene just to irritate him. At the time of the filming she was married to studio head David O. Selznick and it's said she made constant demands. The plot is based on a true life story. I won't give much more away about the story except to say have the tissue box ready. I rate this 6 out of 10 stars.
evening1
I often enjoy love stories, but this one was sappy and dumb -- though set against a dazzling Hong Kong backdrop.Jennifer Jones was saccharine and one-note as a Eurasian doctor as obsessed with her bi-racial heritage as with an American war correspondent who would never marry her.I found William Holden as her friend -- it's implied their love was never consummated -- similarly unappealing. He was always late and breaking dates, yet rarely seeming to write anything. What a cad.The acting of the Chinese characters in the film was often so stilted as to be absurd. Were these professional thespians? I will admit the film has a few good lines, though they sometimes sounded like they came from fortune cookies: "A great many mistakes are made in the name of loneliness." "There is nothing stronger in the world than gentleness." "To go on living one must be occasionally unwise." "I won't be sad -- sadness is so ungrateful." One could tell from the start this story would not end well. I managed to get through it due only to mild curiosity about how, exactly, it would all turn out.
