tions.
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 1958.
A China Mail Exclusive
Li Li-hwa In Hollywood
Crossing her legs gracefully, the petite star smiled, adding: “In Chinese films and on the stage, we usually put love neress by some other round-about method and often with more effective results,""
It all happened when she went to Bollywood under a personal contract to the film Uitan, Mr Cecil 11. de Mille, for whom she was full of admiration.
['don't be frightened.' But I was really frightened at the mammoth Vistavision set it his studio."
-The Full Story
WHY did Hongkong's top film stur, given a big role in Hollywood, refuse to kiss actor Victor Mature?
Here in a candid interview with a
China Mail reporter, Li Li-hwa reveals the truth for the first time. She also gives her impressions of the world's movie capital and explains the reasons for her great admiration for Hollywood's famed producer, Cecil de Mille.
By DAVID LAN
And the tutors
"It was stipulated in a clause that there should be no kisses' ad no low-cut Aresses for me," said the Oriental beauty,
"You have never seen me ʼIn swimming or bathing suits on the screen, have you?" she asked.
She was right. A search of my memory failed to recall a single some film of her, in which she
was
*
+
**
Since she returned from Hollywood, Miss Li has po peared in three Golden Dragon productions: "Love For Sale," "The Yuen Yuen Hung Story" and “A Romantle Lady,"
She plans to shuttle between Hollywood and Hongkong, and next year she may go on A world tour with her husband.
*
**
At the
was Interview, she How was The bottleneck dressed in an informal sleeve- less silk blouse and shimmering solved.
It was "by way
of beating golden toreador trousers, The around the bush!" quipped the skin-tight trousers were China doll,
made seen in
+
HOLLYWOOD'S glamour boy, Victor Mature, had nothing to do with Li Li-hwa's refusal to take part in a kissing scene shot at the M-G-M studios in America last year. As Hongkong's top
have never let enquired about it almost movie star aptly put it:
"We Chinese simply her films
down the box-office.
every day. don't kiss in public.. my refusal wasn't meant to
But she really rose to the offend, it's just that I haven't been brought up to top after V-J. Day in 1946 taught me grammer, some, called upon to wear a bathing do such things."
when "The Barber Takes A pronunciation, and others, With that comment in an exelusive interview with Wife" in which she played conversation," she laughed the Chino Mail, Li Li-hwa last week finally cleared up the lead lady, sent all Shang- and lounged in the sofa. what threatened at one time to inquir international rein hai mireutters out on strike. "They came to me by turn She was given full-length Each taught by a different
of material seldom IL tas when that picture Hongkong. and aroused my treatment in Life magazine. method at different time, Mr
nearing completion that curiosity. "What is it?" I asked. She came to Hongkong in de Mille thought thut would was
Mr Yien Chuen, now her hus- do me good."
In the U.S. "Some of the newest sluft band, arrived 1948.
To ensure rapid progress, she planning
tour a world
said, with made in America," she required to devote five her and also to make a picture pulling away at the material
day lo
and letting go of it with the language "Bouncing Around the Globe." When she first left for hours a
we in Hollywood.
snap. "You see, it's elastic. I Hollywood on June 18, 1956, "Three hours in the morning
bought it at Las Vegas." she had already 63 films to usually from 0.30 In the 12.30 noch, and her credit. Mr de Mille morning to
hours in 1Wo
The itself? noticed her in The Barber From 3.30 p.m. or 5.30 p.m. I afternoon. "Oh, it's great exclaimed Takes A Wife," and signed a depended." she said. the raven-haired beauty, her on in early 1956.
The morning session was for "Oh, his pair of kindly hey have the best equip
Originally he was eon- fundamentals, grammar, pro- hind them a brain that al- ment, staff, talent, and sidered for the role against nunciation, syntax and the like, VO! know. Speeches, news- in The ways thinks head-of-time facilities in the world. And Yul Brynner
-papers;-und-conversation in the the way they work!"
Buccaneer". Later the ariernoon.
I went through the she -authorities decided
six months," ruts for (1
smiled French girl, she said.
Free from the role, "Shau She named Montgomery Cun 1124 her favourite Mee" (the Little Mew), as American male actor because she is known in Mandarin "China Doll," filmed in last and September, pro- "his talent is wonderful. His film circle and now in Holly- Augusi part from Here To wood, went on a tour of the duced by Mr John Wayne, and Mature will be released this Eternity is unforgettable!" major cities in US, starring Li Li-hwa and Vietor month In Hollywood and will go to Bangkok in December Defore
Hongkong. coming to areoting to a cable recrived. trum Frank Borzege, the dires- for.
ryes!" she exclaimed. "Be-
That's what makes really vonny!"
Her impressions of the filmland gant revealed how this unique man works and lives.
"He looks only fiftyish, though he is over seventy she recalled. "Believe it or not, he's up and in the office by 9 aun. Sometimes he has lunch in the studio.
"What impressed me most
And Hollywood
On
cluding New York, Washing Boru of a theatrical ton, Chicago, Las Vegas and family in Shanghai in 1927, many others. the five-foot hou - inch
Chinese movie queen_beyan her career at the tender age
She sprang a 'surprise by
of 12 when she first set fout speaking unexpectedly good English at the interview. an an opera stage. is that he attends to every
When asked how she detail himself. He views at At 15 she invaded the managed to pick up the lan- least two films a day in his screen by starring in her guage so fast, she said, "it
"Three picture, private projection room."
was Mr de Mille again, He
firal
"Mr de Mite is delighted with the fly first in Hollywood, "He is now looking for another sidtable script for me," she added, ~
"Little Mew" few to
U.S.
on July 31, 1997 for shooting
They were then naively claus in courting on the local techni-
New York, London.. Paris, Rome, and other worki caplials to shoot on Jocation
for them.
Con-
"What are your hobbles, Misa Li?"
"Well, movies, picnics, swim- ming, tennis, and occasionally a bridge party. But I really seldom go out
To their consternation, they Fan letters? "Averaging found that everywhere the technicians had banded them- atonta 1,000 a week:"
star prefere The glamorous unions who selves Into trolled units of cameramen, Chinese dishes. She can do Found-recordists. onl other quite a bit of cooking too. members for hire, and laid And, ladies, here is what she down rules that demanded eight-hour days, five-day weeks had lo-say on keeping herself
En considerable salarles.
On top of that there was rent for equipments. All in all, the ebt would have been too high for a Hongkong producer as her husband put it
Thus the couple flew back lo Hongkong on October 18 Inst.
Li Li-hwa Brst met her hus- band way back in Shanghai sparking when he put on performance at the Lafayette Theatre.
☆
gitt of beautiful: "That's a nature. But all that I can Boy is 'Relax' and 'Take it easy."
Her "vital statistics?" Giggling, she gave the movie star's stock answer: "No Comment,"
The Show Goes On
Asked of her first meet- laughs," produced by the Yi literally pumped the lan- "China Doll." It was then she 200 aims to his credit, is con- film role as Macbelb: "When ing with him, she said, Han Stualio in Peking. Since guage into me. By sending shocked the movie capital by "After I put up in the then she has never looked over nearly half
back.
Vien Chuen, producer-direc-
Sir Laurence Olivier, aged 51. for and actor with more than says of his approach to his next
Currently producer-manager of you're a young man Maobeth is the Golden Dragon Film Pro- character role. When you're
of ductions, general manager older it's a straight part.” Cathay Flims Ltd, and a direc undo: contrael to
a dozen refusing to execute a kiss in a scene of the picture. Lutors to my home daily.
Besides her carile explana "Mr de Mille was concern. tion of the incident, there was tor It is said that throughout me, the 19 years of her career, ed about my progress and also a legal point.
Ambassador Hotel in Holly- wood, he invited
consolent
lunch.
He
me
-to
Shaw's Organisation.
the
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FERIE
American cole Alan King cracked in the Judy Garland show
Jast Dominioni at the October: "I hope I never get so successful that Judy won't be able to afford to have me in the BLOW." Then he confcased that he was in the chow for half his usual £1,000-week salary, so that Judy could afford him.
Jayno Mansfield says: would say that the big difference marriage has made 10-me in that I now try to be a conservative dresser,"
Sir-prize for
Father's Day HOLLYVOGUE
California
TIES
Channing Pollock, the 31- year-old American mingleinn, Is to throw up his *£300-a-wock conjuring act to become an actor. Ho has been secretly studying the "Method" at the London Actors' „Studio for the last six months. Says he, "As a magician I have reached the top, At 31, that is a very frustrating level."
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"Ab] There you are, Martha! I want you to meet two refugees wo've been sheltering from the political storm.*
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FATHER'S DAY