Love is a Many Splendored Thing

written by Han Suyin, starring William Holden & Jennifer Jones

Han Suyin is a Eurasian writer, born in 1917 in Henan Province as Elizabeth Kuanghu Chow. She is called Dr. Elizabeth Comber. HSY is a prominent writer on modern Chinese and Asian subjects. She wrote historical romantic fictions, modern history and a multi-volume autobiography. As a Eurasian, her life was always suspended between the East and the West.

A Many Splendored Thing was a great literary success in Han's career. It described a love affair between the author, Han as a medical doctor in Hong Kong, and Ian Morrison, an Australian correspondent. The love affair lasted several months until Ian was killed in the Korean War. Han revealed her struggle of being an Eurasian, who fell in love with a foreigner. It caused scandal in Hong Kong at that time. It touched on racial discrimination, which had set a barrier to her carrer.

In 1955, the Twentieth Century Fox made the Oscar-winning Best Picture "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" starring Jennifer Jones and William Holden, directed by Henry King and produced by Buddy Adler. Fox changed the male character from Ian to Mark Elliot, an American Journalist. The song "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" was written by Sammy Fain and Paul Francis. They received Best Song at the Academy Awards, and Alfred Newman also received one for Best Score. Charles Lemaire made the movie a four-Oscar win with his award for Best Costume.

The most famous scene in this movie was with Jennifer Jones and William Holden swimming in Repulse Bay, Hong Kong Island. Another memorable site is shot at the beginning of the movie, of a Tung Wah Hospital ambulance running through Central District to the Matilda International Hospital, which is located at 41 Mount Kellett Road, the Peak, right behind Vivian Court.

The famous Star Ferry and Victoria Harbour are also visible in many scenes, with panoramic views of Hong Kong.