Love is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)

Introduction

Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing is a quintessential product of 1950s Hollywood: romantic, lushly photographed, and emotionally earnest. Based loosely on the semi-autobiographical novel by Han Suyin, the film tells the story of an illicit romance between an American war correspondent and a Eurasian doctor in Hong Kong during the Korean War. With sweeping visuals, an iconic musical score, and two megastars of the era—William Holden and Jennifer Jones—this film achieved both critical acclaim and box office success, winning three Academy Awards and earning a place in cinematic history. But how does it hold up today? The answer is nuanced, much like the film itself.

Plot Summary

The narrative follows Mark Elliott (William Holden), a seasoned American journalist stationed in Hong Kong, and Dr. Han Suyin (Jennifer Jones), a widowed Eurasian physician. When the two meet at a diplomatic party, there is an immediate, unspoken connection. As their paths cross repeatedly, friendship blossoms into a romance that defies cultural boundaries and societal expectations. Set against the geopolitical tension of post-WWII Asia and the looming Korean War, their love story is burdened by racial prejudice, classism, and the constant pull of duty—on both sides.

Their romance is tender, passionate, and ultimately tragic, reflecting the realities of the era’s cultural and social challenges.

Performances

William Holden delivers a restrained yet deeply heartfelt performance. Known for his rugged masculinity and no-nonsense persona, Holden allows Mark Elliott to be vulnerable, which makes his character’s emotional arc resonate all the more. At the height of his career, fresh off his Oscar win for Stalag 17, Holden brings credibility and subtlety to a role that could have easily descended into melodrama.

Jennifer Jones, portraying Han Suyin, delivers a performance that is both eloquent and conflicted. While her casting as a Eurasian character is now a glaring example of Hollywood’s historic tendency to cast white actors in ethnic roles, Jones makes an admirable attempt to humanize Suyin’s struggle. Her dialogue, often poetic and philosophical, might come off as overwrought by today’s standards, but Jones imbues it with a sincere intensity.

Their chemistry is believable if not electric, though reports from the set indicate the actors disliked each other—a dynamic that perhaps adds an interesting subtext to their on-screen tension.

Direction and Cinematography

Henry King, a veteran director of Hollywood epics, crafts a visually stunning and emotionally rich film. The use of CinemaScope and Technicolor is striking, with panoramic shots of 1950s Hong Kong serving as both a romantic backdrop and a political mirror to the couple’s internal conflict. The cinematography by Leon Shamroy captures both the exoticism (as imagined by Western eyes) and the emotional intimacy of the characters’ private world.

There is a painterly quality to many scenes—sunsets, gardens, and colonial verandas bathed in golden light. The visual aesthetic reinforces the film’s dreamy, tragic romance while subtly acknowledging the cultural divide between East and West.

Themes and Social Commentary

At its heart, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing is a film about love as defiance. The central romance unfolds in a society that views interracial relationships with suspicion and disdain. The film does not shy away from showing the prejudice Han Suyin faces, especially from the British elite and other Westerners in colonial Hong Kong.

However, the film’s treatment of race and culture is undeniably dated. The choice to cast Jennifer Jones as a Eurasian character, complete with makeup to suggest "exotic" features, undermines the authenticity of its message. While it attempts to highlight the challenges of cross-cultural romance, it does so through a Western lens, often veering into Orientalist territory.

Still, the dialogue includes some poignant reflections on identity, alienation, and the cost of love in a divided world. For 1955, these were relatively bold themes, and the film deserves some credit for engaging with them.

Music

One of the most enduring aspects of the film is its Oscar-winning theme song, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing, composed by Sammy Fain with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster. The song has since become a standard, recorded by dozens of artists, and it’s easy to see why. Alfred Newman’s lush orchestration ensures the melody is woven throughout the film, underscoring key emotional beats and enhancing the romantic atmosphere.

The score is sweeping and sentimental, fully embracing the melodrama of the narrative. In many ways, the music is the soul of the film—it tells you how to feel, and it does so masterfully.

Awards and Legacy

At the 28th Academy Awards, the film won three Oscars:

Best Cinematography (Colour) – Leon Shamroy

Best Music, Original Song – Sammy Fain & Paul Francis Webster

Best Costume Design (Colour) – Charles LeMaire

It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Actress (Jennifer Jones), Best Director, and Best Art Direction, among others.

The film has since become a cultural touchstone for mid-century romance, often parodied and referenced, but still remembered with a certain reverence. It also helped pave the way—however imperfectly—for future films to tackle interracial and cross-cultural relationships.

Conclusion

Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing is both a product of its time and a film that attempted, however cautiously, to transcend it. With luminous cinematography, a hauntingly beautiful score, and solid performances from two Hollywood legends, it remains a moving experience—especially for those who can embrace its old-fashioned sentimentality.

But it is also a film that must be viewed with a critical eye. Its portrayal of race, its casting choices, and its simplified East-meets-West narrative limit its authenticity. Nonetheless, for those willing to engage with it both as art and artifact, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing still has much to offer.