A Countess from Hong Kong (1967)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Charles Chaplin

Writer:

Charles Chaplin (original screenplay)

Release Date:

15 March 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Fun at Sea! His Cabin, His PJs, Her Move!

Plot:

Natascha, a White Russian countess, stows away on a luxury liner at Hong Kong, determined to seek a new life in America...

Plot Keywords:

Russian | Beautiful Woman | City Name In Title | Title In Title | Place Name In Title

Cast

Marlon Brando	...	Ogden Mears
Sophia Loren	...	Natascha
Sydney Chaplin	...	Harvey
Tippi Hedren	...	Martha
Patrick Cargill	...	Hudson
Michael Medwin	...	John Felix
Oliver Johnston	...	Clark
John Paul	...	The Captain
Angela Scoular	...	The Society Girl
Margaret Rutherford	...	Miss Gaulswallow
Peter Bartlett	...	Steward
Bill Nagy	...	Crawford
Dilys Laye	...	Saleswoman
Angela Pringle	...	Baroness
Jenny Bridges	...	Countess

Runtime:

120 min | USA:108 min (US version)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Spain:13 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (2005) | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Chaplin Film Productions Ltd.

Trivia:

Patrick Cargill was cast as Hudson only after a number of big-name UK performers had passed on the role.

Goofs:

Continuity: Toward the end of the film Ogden, Natascha, Harvey and Martha sit around a restaurant table. Ogden and Natascha sit with their backs to the camera and very far from each other so they won't obscure Harvey and Martha at the other side of the table. When they get up to dance, the camera cuts to a close up of Ogden and Natascha which are suddenly almost touching shoulders.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Brando (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

(Love,) This Is My Song

not as bad as critics made out

an interesting curio as Chaplin's last film. Loren is ravishingly beautiful and carries the whole film well on her shoulders. Brando badly miscast, he shows some great timing in the madcap farce rushing around scenes, but try to imagine how Rex Harrison could have done this type of slamming doors and hiding farce as the uptight diplomat exasperated with his stowaway - think My Fair Lady. Brando's mumbling performance just does not gel. Apparently he had disagreements with Chaplin and maybe was sulking.

Very nice cameos from Margaret Rutherford (British films of the 50s Miss Marple) and Angelar Scoular (batty girl like in her performance in On Her Majesty's Secret Service), also great comedy performance from Patrick Cargill (British TV comedy and a memorable No 2 in the Prisoner) as the butler. Excellent acting going on here.

It is dull to start with, static camera like silent films, stagy, and obvious studio sets, but by the time the sea sickness scene came along I was laughing and drawn in. The post marriage bedroom scene is funny.

There is a scene at the bar with Sydney Chaplin (Charlie's son) where he tries to distract Michael Medwin, where Sydney looks amazingly like Charlie in attitude and timing - but this is probably due to diligent direction by his father.

A really nice theme music from Charlie again. Yes, it is old fashioned, a filmed play, was absolutely released in the wrong decade, with the wrong leading man, but does show some of the Chaplin traits and even perhaps genius, certainly his humanist philosophy in the treatment of homeless or stateless persons.

A real shame it was so savaged by critics at the time and disappointed him in his old age. He deserved better for his lifetime contribution to the art of film.