Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)

Based on the most recent user reviews of this film, the reasons why the movie achieved such a low IMDb rating include (1) an excessively sentimental and melodramatic script, (2) the absence of sufficient passion between the two leads, (3) resentment that Jennifer Jones played a Eurasian woman, and (4) an overbearing theme song that repeated itself too much.I disagree with all four criticisms, and I am no ordinary fan of the romantic genre, least of all the soap opera variety. Is this a soap opera? It is based on the autobiographical novel of Dr. Han Suyin, a Eurasian physician in Hong Kong, who fell in love with a British journalist by the name of Ian Morrison, whose life followed the same pattern as the movie's Mark Elliot.If Jennifer Jones and William Holden disliked each other in real life, their negative feelings for each other may have been an obstacle to their ability to play their parts, but they surely succeeded in overcoming this unavoidable barrier that stood between them. This achievement only underlines their talent as professionals. As to criticism that a "white woman" played a Eurasian character, who among the critics have analyzed Ms. Jones' dna to confirm her racial status? As a native Oklahoman, perhaps she had a significant amount of Native American blood but chose not to exploit it for career purposes, as others have done. Regardless, I think that it is reprehensible for any reviewers to criticize a professional on the basis of their race rather than their ability.I was six years old when Sammy Fain's haunting song hit the radio charts in 1955. I loved the song then, still love it, and would never say that it was played too often in this film, especially in the way that Alfred Newman arranged it for the screen. The combination of the song and the cinematography by director Henry King and photographer Leon Shamroy within and around a very photogenic Hong Kong was enough to keep me engaged after several viewings. For me, the very appealing presence of Jones and Holden was icing on the cake. Overall, this was a well constructed film centered on the very important, timeless subject of cultural conflict, which is still relevant to this day, and it surely deserves a higher rating than what IMDb subscribers have given it.

I am a fan of William Holden and this starring film at this time should have been better. Despite all the great scenery in Hong Kong, the script lets this one down. No wonder the theme song is much more famous than the film.Holden is a journalist and he meets a Female Doctor who has been widowed. Holden's wife who we never meet does not want to let him go, even though she has not seen him in 6 years. Such is the confusion of this plot, and the Doctor falls in love and carries a flame for this guy throughout. What is missing for everybody here is a back story.The ending is so predictable that I guessed it about the first 10 minutes. The scenery is the neat stuff here. The car Holden drives around is not the usual model. There is a CAT Vehicle at one point.Oh, if this really had a story, but it tries to wet 3 hankies without really drawing the viewer into anything except feeling how odd this relationship is. I got out the hankie when I realized how good this movie could have been, but it just does not get anywhere near where it should be.Sometimes the tree at the top of the hill needs to get cut down. I had the urge to rent a chain saw for the last scenes and say "enough already." The song Love is a Many Splendored Thing" is the only claim to long term fame this one has.

After patiently sitting through this 1955, star-vehicle, meant solely to showcase the likes of Jennifer Jones and William Holden, I'm now convinced that love is a many-demented thing. It really is. As on-screen lovers, I found Jones and Holden had as much chemistry going between them as do two, cross-eyed slugs meeting for the first time.I think - The only audience that this trite, mixed-race tale of semi-forbidden romance could ever appeal to would be those who (within watching the first 10 minutes of this film) still cannot figure out where this one's story is inevitably heading. (Yes. This picture's story was really that predictable) This film also lost itself some significant points because director Henry King did not see the importance (as I do) of taking lots of close-ups of the actors' faces as they deliver their dialogue, pretending to emote real feelings of passion, anger, sorrow, etc., etc. King held the camera back so far that I couldn't tell, a good part of the time, what the real expression was on these people's faces.*Note* - Be prepared to end up hating (like I did) this film's title song "Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing" by the time the story is over, due to repeated strains of this popular tune being constantly recycled throughout the entire course of its 102-minute running time.

Such a lovely film, even with all of it's many faults. The script is really really bad, there is not much chemistry between the two leads, and casting Jennifer Jones as Eurasian is just silly and borderline offensive. Yet this is a very entertaining film. The scenery is absolutely beautiful, and seeing the Hong Knong of 1950s is quite fascinating. The decor and clothes are stunning, as is the always handsome William Holden. And of course the theme song is a classic. And yes, I got some tears in my eyes at the end. If you judge it by today's standards it's quite ridiculous, but even though it feels rather fake and unrealistic, it still manages to touch you.