Miss Suwanna of Siam
| Miss Suwanna of Siam | |
|---|---|
| Directed by |
Henry MacRae Robert Kerr (assistant dir.) |
| Written by | Henry MacRae |
| Starring | Sa-ngiam Navisthira Yom Mongkhonnat Mongkhon Sumonnat |
| Cinematography | Dal Clawson |
| Distributed by | Universal Studios |
|
Release date
|
June 22, 1923 |
| Country | Thailand/US |
Miss Suwanna of Siam (Thai: นางสาวสุวรรณ; rtgs: Nang Sao Suwan), was a 1923 romance film written and directed by Henry MacRae, set in Thailand (then Siam) and starring Thai actors. It was one of the first feature films to be made in Thailand, and was the first Hollywood co-production in Thailand.
Unfortunately, nothing of the film exists today except for some promotional materials and other ephemera held at the Thailand National Film Archive.
The film is a romance about a young woman named Suwanna who is the object of affection for many men. In her search for true love, she has many adventures and mishaps, including overcoming her father's disapproval, before finally finding her soulmate.
Suwanna of Siam was an 8-reel silent film. It premiered on June 22, 1923 at the Nakhon Si Thammarat Theatre, and then opened the next day at the Phatthanakon Cinematograph, the Hong Kong Cinema Hall and the Victoria Theater.
A newspaper account of the opening reads:
Production started in 1922, but before he could begin filming, MacRae had to first ask permission of the Siamese Royal Court.
"Today Mr Henry A. MacRae came to see me. I assured him of two things: first, traveling; second, finding a place for film processing and screening. Above these, he has to take care of himself. For our benefit, he has to give a copy of the film to the State Railway in return...", an excerpt from the writings of Prince Kampaengpet reads, in reaction to a visit by MacRae, who wanted to "take picture[s] of Bangkok and the Beauties of Siam, including the King and the Palace Buildings."
"I felt that His Majesty, King Rama VI, would be interested in moving pictures," McRae wrote in The Film Year Book (1924). "And after considerable maneuvering I finally secured an audience which resulted in securing the entire [Royal Entertainment] Company's assistance together with the free use of the King's 52 automobiles, His Majesty's 600 race horses, the free use of the navy, the Royal Palaces, the railways, the rice mills, thousands of miles of rice fields, coconut groves, klongs and Elephants, and white elephants at that."
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