A Countess from Hong Kong Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ship's steward

The size of his role can be judged by the fact that he is the last performer listed in the cast list at imdb - he makes two brief appearances as an elderly, slightly seasick, steward. This lack of acting involvement allowed him to focus on the directorial demands of the film, which some feel were poorly done (calling it outdated and stilted), while others praise the simplicity, and consider it an artistic choice. You can decide for yourself.

Answer: Sophia Loren

The first script for the film that eventually became 'A Countess from Hong Kong' was called 'Stowaway', and was written in the 1930s with Paulette Goddard, a regular Chaplin leading lady (and his wife from 1936 until 1942), intended to play the Countess, with Chaplin himself as the male lead.

It was nearly 30 years later that the film finally reached the screen, with Sophia Loren in the title role. The movie was initially a financial failure, recovering only about half of its cost in the American market, but overseas revenue and the substantial amount earned by the score pushed it into profit. Those who haven't seen the movie may still be familiar with its theme, which became a hit for Petula Clarke as 'This is My Song'.

The version finally used in the film did not include the lyrics, just the music.

Answer: Russian

Natascha was a Russian refugee, with no official documentation, which was going to prove to be a problem. The character was loosely based on a woman named Moussia Sodskaya, a Russian emigree whom Chaplin had met in France during the 1920s. Chaplin combined her story with those of the Russian refugees he had encountered in Shanghai in 1931, aristocrats forced to make a living however they could.

Many of these moved to Hong Kong after World War II, which is why the story ended up being set there.

Answer: Diplomat

At the start of the film, the appointment of Mears as ambassador to Saudi Arabia had been announced, but not yet confirmed. This made it more than a bit tricky from a career perspective when he found himself embroiled with the Countess. Although he was in the process of obtaining a divorce from his wife, he was still married, and having a woman hiding in his cabin was not something that he wanted to advertise! One of the film's major problems, according to most critics, lay in Brando's obvious dislike of his part, a role that would have suited Cary Grant perfectly. Or maybe that woodenness was Chaplin's intended effect - opinions are divided.

Answer: At a nightclub

Mears and his friend Harvey (played by Sydney Chaplin, Charlie's second son) had been invited by another friend to form a party with three Russian aristocrats - Natascha, another countess, and a baroness. At least, that was their past - now they were working as escorts.

Answer: She had no passport.

Like the people whose story had inspired Chaplin, Natascha had fled from Russia illegally, so she was a stateless person, with no official documents of any kind. This meant she was forced to engage in the lowest-status work, essentially as a prostitute, and she had no legal means of escape.

Her plan, after sneaking aboard the ship, was to convince Mears to help her establish a new life in the United States.

Answer: Marry his valet

Mears was not happy to find Natascha in his room, but Harvey convinced him to help her (thus giving them time to fall in love, a prime requirement for a romantic comedy). They decided to arrange a "marriage" between Natascha and Mears's valet Hudson (played by Patrick Cargill, who will be remembered by many for his television role in the British comedy 'Father, Dear Father').

This sounded like a good plan, but Hudson wanted to consummate the marriage, and Natascha then had to put a lot of energy into avoiding his clutches.

When the ship reached port, she jumped overboard and swam ashore to escape. There she was told that the authorities had accepted the papers showing her to be Hudson's wife, and she was no longer a stateless person.

Answer: Tippi Hedren

Tippi Hedren was disappointed at the size of her first post-Hitchcock film - her character only appeared near the end of the film, after most of the significant action had occurred. It was a far cry from her starring roles in 'The Birds' (1964) and 'Marnie' (1965).

She did get a good scene in which she roundly denounced Natascha as a woman of low morals, only to have her husband suggest that she would not have managed to survive if the two women traded places.

Answer: Yes

Of course they did - it's a romantic comedy, after all! Although the minor detail of unmarrying Hudson was yet to be dealt with, Natascha and Mears met in a hotel, and danced together, starting their new life together. Mears was ready to face the possible career-impacting issues related to his involvement with Natascha (there were a few laws broken along the way, not to mention a few conventions of diplomatic behaviour), and everything was looking rosy.

Answer: Annette

Charlie had five daughters with his fourth wife, Oona (daughter of the playwright Eugene O'Neill): Geraldine (born 1944), Josephine (born 1949), Victoria (born 1951), Jane (born 1957) and Annette (born 1959). The three eldest all had cameos in this movie. Josephine had previously appeared as an anonymous (and uncredited) child in the opening scene of 'Limelight'. Geraldine, of course, had already established herself as a star with her portrayal of Tonya in David Lean's 'Doctor Zhivago' (1965). This was Victoria's film debut.

She was planned to star in her father's next film, but it never happened, and she went on to a career as a circus performer with her husband Jean-Baptiste Thierrée and their children.