A Countess from Hong Kong (1967)

Door-slamming, buzzer-ringing boudoir farce aboard ship, balefully written, directed, co-produced and scored by Charles Chaplin, who also has a cameo. Unhappy concoction with miscast, mumbling Marlon Brando in the lead, playing wealthy future ambassador to Saudi Arabia who is matched with Russian countess and dance hall girl Sophia Loren when his ship docks in Hong Kong; she wants to go on to America despite having no papers, and stows away in Brando's cabin. Chaplin must have conceived this material at one time as a play; the right-to-left action on the main set is static and uninventive--and for laughs, everyone gets seasick and needs a place to vomit. Brando is far too serious and heavy-spirited for chasing-around-the-table comedy. Loren fakes her way through (when she says "I'll be glad when it's over", one can take the comment literally). Her beauty, however, is a compensation; also, Patrick Cargill as Brando's valet has a funny bit getting into bed, and Tippi Hedren is a nice surprise, popping up late in the film as Brando's haughty wife. *1/2 from ****

image4.jpeg The Countess from Hong Kong, 1967. Viewed in Bologna at Cinema Ritrovato Festival (festival of rediscovered films), July 2016. Chaplin's directorial swan song starring Marlon Brando at his most wooden and Sofia Loren at her most ridiculous. Arguably one of the worst big name films ever made but I loved watching this early study in High Camp and have to agree with Peter Von Bragh's dissenting opinion that CFHK is a masterpiece -- Yes, a masterpiece of corny Camp! Brando's stiffness as a wealthy diplomat is the crowning pit of his career. Tippi Hedren, the harried star of Hitchcock's BIRDS shines and steals the show with a brief appearance in the final act. This Shipboard bedroom farce with less than sexy Sofia Loren is truly farcical -- both stars seemto have been intimidated by Chaplin into giving their worst performances imaginable

A Countess from Hong Kong (1967)** (out of 4) The wealthy Ogden Mears (Marlon Brando) is in Hong Kong where he is partying a bit one night and then wakes up the next morning with his ship on its way to the next location. The only problem is that Natascha (Sophia Loren) has decided to stowaway on the boat and Mears must keep her hidden so that no one sees her.A COUNTESS FROM HONG KONG would turn out to be the final film from the legendary Charles Chaplin. It's really too bad this film was so lame and it's just shocking because you've got Chaplin, Brando and Loren. Three legends of the big screen and it turns into a movie like this. It seems everyone hated one another but this here really doesn't show on the screen. The biggest problem is that this film was simply made thirty years too late.I say that because the structure is something you'd see from a screwball comedy in the 1930s. I mean, why in 1967 would someone be worried about a woman being found in his room? There are many scenes where the two are frantically going from one hiding spot to the next and Brando takes a couple falls along the way. It's just not that funny. In fact, very little is actually funny here and while it's an okay time killer, the film just never adds up to much.I thought Loren was good enough in her role. She's strikingly beautiful and her in that white evening gown was one of the few highlights. As far as Brando goes, yeah, this wasn't the type of role for him. Apparently Chaplin wanted Cary Grant or David Niven and Brando certainly isn't either of them. He's way too stiff in the part and the constant fighting between him and Chaplin behind the camera probably didn't make him want to be much better. He's not horrid in the part but it's clear that he's not right for it.A COUNTESS FROM HONG KONG has pretty much been forgotten over the years and it's easy to see why. The film isn't quite as awful as its reputation but when you've got three legends in one movie you just expect more.

It's a sad thing to see a director not go out on the note that is most worthy of him/her. In the case of Charlie Chaplin, he did his usual auteur-touch (writer/director/producer/composer, in this case no significant acting) on a story that was, more or less, a trifle. If he had made another movie before he passed on, a great one perhaps, then it wouldn't be too much of a problem. But the pounding that critics gave him for 'Hong Kong' was pretty voracious, making it probably more-so about him than the actual film, as he had taken so long- as he had since City Lights- in making a movie that in truth wasn't to his usual standards. Some of the criticisms aren't totally fair (i.e. "directing style is tired"), and others are (i.e. "Brando was miscast"). It's very problematic, but at the same time it has moments that hint at the joy that Chaplin could conjure, and it shouldn't be completely disregarded as a disaster or train-wreck.Is it dated? Sure. Chaplin sticks to old-fashioned filming techniques (however not too turgid or unwatchable as far as studio movies go from the period) and attitudes between men and women, almost despite the innuendo thrown in like in the scene between Loren and her "husband" in the bedroom with his peaks behind his covers. The premise is simple, as is usual for the director: an ambassador (Brando) is en route from Hong Kong, and a stowaway/'countess' (Loren) stays in his room. He keeps it all quiet, and despite being something of a stuff-shirt is generous, bringing her clothes (however not fitting) and food, and in the meantime as he tries to figure out how to get her to US shore without a passport, they fall in love. This last part, falling in love, is predictable and cliché and doesn't even quite work because of the short amount of time and razor-thin line between the two characters getting on each others nerves and feeling genuine affection.To say that Brando was miscast goes with saying something else: other actors could have played his part, probably better, but at the least he does try his hardest to fit into this kind of stiff, repressed kind of turn, and in a sense does a good job if looking past his usual bravura being absent in place of what is required. It's just, well, compared to his best work that he falters here. Loren does a little better, albeit with only a little to do really with such a two-dimensional character with only vague plans once reaching American shores. And people like Sydney Chaplin and Tippi Hedren make their impressions on screen, but only for so long. And, sadly, a lot of jokes Chaplin hoped would probably hit off well like the sea-sick bit, or the repetitive "better hide!" moments Loren has to do to not be caught, fall flat. Only a few really catch on, like the scene where the old lady (the 'other' Natascha) is greeted by flowers and chocolates from a wrong admirer, or some of the scenes with the 'fake' husband and his idea of consummating the marriage.These flaws pointed out, it isn't very dreadful an experience, and sometimes it's fun seeing Brando and Loren in their personality tug-of-war, plus the cheerful and usually spot-on Chaplin score. It's worth watching once... if not for more than that. It's a sad way to go, but it could've been worse. 5.5/10