The World of Suzie Wong
Old wine in a new cheongsam
By William Wetherall
First posted 1 September 2006
Last updated 1 September 2006
Richard Mason Hardcover editionsCleveland: The World Publishing Co., 1957 London: Collins, 1957 Paperback editionsGerman paperbacksRichard Mason Richard Mason Richard Mason "Suzie Wong" is a household word in Steamy East lore, throughout the world, thanks less to Richard Mason's 1957 novel than to Nancy Kwan's portral of Mee Ling "Suzie" Wong in the 1960 movie directed by Richard Quine (1920-1989). The movie was based on a play by Paul Osborn (1901-1988), who wrote the screenplay Sayonara, a 1957 film based on James Michener's novel. To be continued. The name "Suzie Wong"Richard Mason wrote Suzie Wong in four months while in Hong Kong in 1956. He has said that Suzie Wong was "a mixture of the different girls in the bar" he observed. A girl named Suzie was going to sue him but the Suzie in his novel was no one in particular -- just "a good name; rather like naming a pet, you look for a good name" (Guy Haydon, "About the Author", in Suzie Wong, Hong Kong: Pegasus, 1994). Guy Haydon also relates Mason's account of how Suzie came to be "Wong" (Ibid.).
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