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HONG KONG : It's been 50 years since Hong Kong-born actress, Nancy Kwan, first captured hearts with her silver screen debut as a prostitute in the movie, "The World of Suzie Wong".
At age 70, she still has the star power to draw in the crowds.
The film icon was back in Hong Kong for the Asian premiere of a documentary of her life story which screened to a packed house.
Entitled "To Whom it May Concern: Ka Shen's Journey", the documentary tracks how Kwan shot to fame with the 1960 film "The World of Suzie Wong".
The 20-year-old Eurasian beauty, born to a Chinese father and British mother, was credited with breaking the mold in Hollywood.
Her star turn as a fiesty Wan Chai bargirl came at a time when Asian leads were typically played by Caucasian actors.
"I was home on holiday from England [where] I was studying at the Royal Ballet. I heard they were going to test some of my favourite Chinese actresses for the lead role," recalled Kwan.
"I went up to the studio... I just happened to be standing there, and Ray Stark the producer came up to me and said, 'Would you like to do a screen test?' And I went, 'Screen test what's that?' I didn't even know what a screen test was!"
She added, "I sat there, I giggled through the whole screen test. And then just at the end of the holidays, the end of the summer, my father receives a letter from Ray Stark to see if I would like to do another screen test for the role of ' The World of Susie Wong' and study acting in Hollywood."
But before she became a screen siren, Kwan's Catholic education in Hong Kong had her leaning towards a very different aspiration.
"They're great teachers, they're really nice to me... [I thought] maybe I should be a nun!
"And ten years later, I became a film actress! Playing a Hong Kong prostitute!" she said with a laugh.
"To Whom it May Concern: Ka Shen's Journey", referencing Kwan's Chinese name, was the brainchild of filmmaker Brian Jamieson.
"Maybe along with millions of other 18-year-old guys, we fell in love with this lady. And I became a big fan and I followed her career. And the one thing that always stuck in my mind, I wondered what happened to her career after 'Flower Drum Song' because with those first two signature films, man she was a big star in Hollywood!" said Jamieson.
In the documentary, Kwan embarks on a spiritual journey to Cambodia.
And she's finally able to speak about the death of her only child Bernie, who died at 33 after contracting HIV.
Said Kwan, "I'll never get over it. But it might have helped that I talked about it, that I was able to talk about it openly. Because in the beginning I couldn't even talk to my friends about it."
"To Whom it May Concern: Ka Shen's Journey" will be screened at the Singapore International Film Festival which runs from April 15 to 24.
- CNA/il
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