Anna May Wong - Mystery Queen

Not many people are aware that the legendary Anna May Wong appeared in various mysteries whose source were books or characters that have an international reputation as popular art: Earl Derr Biggers (THE CHINESE PARROT), Edgar Wallace (ON THE SPOT play and then DANGEROUS TO KNOW), Sax Rohmer (DAUGHTER OF THE DRAGON), Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (A STUDY IN SCARLET), Ellery Queen (ELLERY QUEEN'S PENTHOUSE MYSTERY) and, on television, Mickey Spillane (MICKEY SPILLANE'S MIKE HAMMER). This accomplishment, which even Wong did not place as important, should have an appreciative statement about some of what she accomplished in her screen career. These films and books are not significant as great art, but they can be more transfixing and, oddly, more important than their artistic brethren. Many people were entertained by them and the atmosphere they provided.

The Desire for Suzie Wong

The desire for Suzie Wong. No, it is not an actual desire for a person or a dream (though much can be written about that), but an actress' desire to get a coveted role that was wanted by many an Asian-American actress in the late 1950s. First there was the Broadway play, and the part of Suzie Wong went to France Nuyen, a young Eurasian actress who had been in the film, SOUTH PACIFIC, based on her screen tests and looks. (She was stunning and still has kept her appearance.) So when the Broadway play opened in New York, it starred France Nuyen as the title character, and she was ready to take the role to the silver screen, which seemed inevitable for both the reality of a film and for France Nuyen.

The filming of THE WORLD OF SUZIE WONG began with exterior shots in Hong Kong with William Holden, who took the male role from the play's actor, William Shatner, at the time still struggling and a number of years from his television role as Captain Kirk in STAR TREK. Holden was a very well-known and top tier actor, and had a fascination for the East, even owning a radio station in Hong Kong. He was older than Shatner, changing the dynamic of the story from a love affair between young people to a love affair between an older man in his forties and the young Asian woman, more than 20 years his junior. Though Holden and producer Ray Stark preferred another actress, the one they liked had almost no experience and did not test well. France Nuyen, however, had more experience. And she certainly had the publicity from SOUTH PACIFIC and the Suzie Wong play.

France Nuyen shot her scenes in Hong Kong with Holden and director Jean Negulesco. The film moved to Pinewood Studios in England to continue shooting. Then something happened.

The story has different takes, but from my evaluation and what the some of the principals said, this is what happened:

France Nuyen, already an actress with, shall we say, a strong head, had fallen in love with Marlon Brando (a name that will crop up again and again in my book). Brando and France Nuyen had a love affair of a couple of years, some of it highly and intrusively publicized by the gossip columns of the time. The affair seemed to be in trouble when Nuyen got to England, but Nuyen did not have the recuperative powers of Brando. From reports, she became more temperamental and started to gain weight, which on the silver screen is very telling. The prospect of her completing the film and getting necessary insurance, which had to be renewed, seemed more and more unlikely to those in charge.

I would say that a film would not just stop because of the wishes of a producer, which is an occasional charge labeled at Stark. Something had to happen to cause such a money and time loss. That something was the real possibility to Paramount and producer Stark that the film with France Nuyen was in serious jeopardy. Paramount and Ray Stark decided to cut their loses. Another actress would take the part.

The original director, Jean Negulesco, had had enough. He did not want France Nuyen to be fired, but had no choice in the matter.

Two actress were considered: Jeri Miyazaki, who had taken Nuyen's part when Nuyen left for filming,  and Nancy Kwan, who had understudied the role and, currently had more experience and training than before. After viewing the screen tests, it became obvious almost immediately to Ray Stark. He would go with his original choice.

After shooing scenes in England, the team headed back to Hong Kong with a new director: Richard Quine, and a new star: Nancy Kwan.

For Nancy Kwan it was more than just a pivotal role. It was her entry to the "big time." Soon thereafter, she would cement her newly-found stardom with FLOWER DRUM SONG.

Having seen the Suzie Wong film, I can say that Nancy Kwan was perfect in the role. Would France Nuyen have been as good? It is impossible to know at this point, but with the play and the film the world got two actresses, where one would have been enough had not France Nuyen been dismissed from the film. France Nuyen survived, of course. She made another film, but next one was with...William Holden.

Above: France Nuyen.

 

A scene from the Suzie Wong film. The shot is worth a thousand words and maybe more.