Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (film)

Updated: 12/20/2025, 3:06:31 PM Wikipedia source

Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing is a 1955 Deluxe color American romantic drama in CinemaScope. Set in 1949–50 in Hong Kong, it tells the story of a married, but separated, American reporter Mark Elliot (played by William Holden), who falls in love with a Eurasian doctor originally from China, Han Suyin (played by Jennifer Jones), only to encounter prejudice from her family and from Hong Kong society. The film was adapted by John Patrick from the 1952 autobiographical novel A Many-Splendoured Thing by Han Suyin. The film was directed by Henry King. The film later inspired a television soap opera in 1967, though without the hyphen in the show's title.

Infobox

Directed by

Henry King

Screenplay by

John Patrick

Based on

A Many-Splendoured Thing1952 bookby Han Suyin

Produced by

Buddy Adler

Starring

Jennifer JonesWilliam Holden

Cinematography

Leon Shamroy

Edited by

William H. Reynolds

Music by

Alfred NewmanSammy Fain title song

Distributed by

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Release date

mw- August 18, 1955 (1955-08-18)

Running time

102 minutes

Country

United States

Language

English

Budget

$1.78 million

Box office

$4 million (US and Canada rentals)

Tables

· Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

Award

Academy Awards

Category

Best Motion Picture

Nominee(s)

Buddy Adler

Result

Nominated

Best Actress

Award

Best Actress

Category

Jennifer Jones

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Art Direction – Color

Award

Best Art Direction – Color

Category

Art Direction: Lyle R. Wheeler and George Davis; Set Decoration: Walter M. Scott and Jack Stubbs

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Cinematography – Color

Award

Best Cinematography – Color

Category

Leon Shamroy

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Best Costume Design – Color

Award

Best Costume Design – Color

Category

Charles LeMaire

Nominee(s)

Won

Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture

Award

Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture

Category

Alfred Newman

Nominee(s)

Won

Best Song

Award

Best Song

Category

"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" Music by Sammy Fain; Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster

Nominee(s)

Won

Best Sound Recording

Award

Best Sound Recording

Category

Carlton W. Faulkner

Nominee(s)

Nominated

Golden Globe Awards

Award

Golden Globe Awards

Category

Best Film Promoting International Understanding

Nominee(s)

Henry King

Result

Won

New York Film Critics Circle Awards

Award

New York Film Critics Circle Awards

Category

Best Actress

Nominee(s)

Jennifer Jones

Result

Nominated

Photoplay Awards

Award

Photoplay Awards

Category

Gold Medal

Nominee(s)

Won

Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
Academy Awards	Best Motion Picture	Buddy Adler	Nominated
	Best Actress	Jennifer Jones	Nominated
	Best Art Direction – Color	Art Direction: Lyle R. Wheeler and George Davis; Set Decoration: Walter M. Scott and Jack Stubbs	Nominated
	Best Cinematography – Color	Leon Shamroy	Nominated
	Best Costume Design – Color	Charles LeMaire	Won
	Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture	Alfred Newman	Won
	Best Song	"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" Music by Sammy Fain; Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster	Won
	Best Sound Recording	Carlton W. Faulkner	Nominated
Golden Globe Awards	Best Film Promoting International Understanding	Henry King	Won
New York Film Critics Circle Awards	Best Actress	Jennifer Jones	Nominated
Photoplay Awards	Gold Medal		Won

References

Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Mar
Variety
Epstein. Page 317.
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/51570
William Holden: A Biography
https://books.google.com/books?id=uMp6ACb74UkC&q=Jennifer+Jones+holden+love+is+a+splendored&pg=PA88
Epstein. Page 321.
Biran 1979, p. 101.
Foreign Correspondents' Club - History - 41A Conduit Road Archived 2014-05-17 at the Wayback Machine
http://www.fcchk.org/about-club/history-fcc
"The Repulse Bay's website - History"
http://www.therepulsebay.com/
"Hong Kong (& Macau) Stuff: "Tai Pak Floating Restaurant, Aberdeen"
https://web.archive.org/web/20121005070525/http://orientalsweetlips.wordpress.com/2009/09/10/tai-pak-floating-restaurant-aberdeen/
Variety
http://www.archive.org/stream/variety201-1956-01#page/n598/mode/1up
"The 28th Academy Awards (1956) Nominees and Winners"
http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1956
The New York Times
https://web.archive.org/web/20080115172554/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/30350/Love-Is-a-Many-Splendored-Thing/details
"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing"
https://goldenglobes.com/film/love-is-a-many-splendored-thing/
"1955 New York Film Critics Circle Awards"
https://www.nyfcc.com/awards/?awardyear=1955
"AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions"
https://web.archive.org/web/20160624052654/http://afi.com/Docs/100Years/passions100.pdf
Epstein. Page 322.