Rating: 
Summary: Romantic, historic and a most wonderful movie
Review: When I first saw LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING I was about 16, and, yes, I saw it from a completely romantic perspective. The next time I saw the movie, I was able to see it from a socio-economic perspective. Henry King did a superb job in combining all the aspects of romance, racial unrest, political and social power, and socio-economic conditions out in the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong during the late 1940's. Suyin fell in love with Mark Elliot, but she had difficulty in coming to terms of becoming European, and at the same time, the Palmer-Jonses had tremendous power in the colony. Adeline Palmer-Jones as the wife of the director of the hospital was always there to let Dr. Hom know in subtle ways that she did not fit in. The scene where the director orders Dr. Hom to attend to his wife before she dares to go onto the wards well illustrated the socio-economic problems in Hong Kong. The British society people ruled Hong Kong, and the poor or ailing Chinese were treated as second class citizens, including Dr. Hom. Another powerful scene was when the Chinese doctor gave Dr. Hom the news that her residency would not be renewed. Dr. Hom replied that she could go into private practice, and her friend informed her that to be realistic, it would not be possible because the British people would only seek medical assistance from their own kind. It was interesting her girlhood friend did what she had to do in order to fit into Hong Kong society, and as another Eurasian, she passed herself off as English. I recently watched this movie again for about the fourth time, and it has been about some 45 years since I saw it for the first time. I am no longer a young person, but I could still appreciate the handsome and romantic William Holden as Mark Elliot. He was divine. Yes, it was a wonderful love story, and a brief lesson in history, which could serve as a springboard to do further research into the life out in Hong Kong during the 20th century.
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