A Countess from Hong Kong is a romantic comedy from 1967, back before they referred to the genre as romcom. It was written, directed, and scored by Charlie Chaplin. I don't know how many directors have written the music for their movies, but I imagine it has to be a rarity.
Countess starred Marlon Brando and Sophia Loren. Brando's character must have been pleased, in some way, to find Loren stowing away in his stateroom. Tippi Hedren, as his wife, was less enthused. Chaplin's son Sydney is also in the film, along with Margaret Rutherford. She plays someone named Gaulswallow, which sounds a lot like typecasting. But, she was great at that type.
Chaplin worked on the script on and off for three decades before finishing it as a Loren vehicle. He originally intended for his wife Paulette Goddard to star, but scrapped that plan when they split. "Never give a good role to your ex" may have become a Hollywood axiom if it hadn’t been for Woody Allen.
The tune "This is My Song" was a hit for Petula Clark and probably made more money than the film did at the time. Critical opinions on the movie have softened over the years after an initial bunch of less-than-lukewarm reviews. Maybe the critics simply didn't like Chaplin's politics. It's a good thing one's polítical stance doesn't hurt one's career today, isn't it?
The 8th Estate Winery bills itself as Hong Kong's only urban winery. They source grapes from Australia, Italy, and Washington state, and ship them to Hong Kong after flash-freezing them. This, I suppose, allows their label to say "product of Hong Kong." It's an expensive way to make wine, and it shows on the winery's website. Awhile back, they announced their Christmas sale: "$1200 for 6 HK wines!!" Pardon my gasp. If you find yourself in Hong Kong and want to do a tasting there, it's $80 for a flight of four. That's even pricier than Napa Valley. An Asian social/food site claims the wait time for a table at the winery is one minute. No doubt. Who can afford to stay longer?
1957's An Affair to Remember stars tuxedoed Cary Grant and evening gowned Deborah Kerr. Their affair begins on a transatlantic cruise. The film is considered one of the most romantic ever made, with the possible exception of those whose spouses have fallen in love with other people. They'll probably call it salt in the wound. It's also a pretty good Christmas movie, as if that helps those jilted movie goers.
The two leads part ways after docking, but encounter each other again long after the seafaring tryst, with a twist.
Good memories last a lifetime, or so we hope. A good memory plays a part in the movie's climax, so why not pair a wine from South Slope Wines' Memory line with Affair. They offer a variety of Sierra Foothills grapes, like Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, and Touriga Nacional, starting at about $50.
Triangle of Sadness was heralded as one of 2022's best movies. The story follows a group of rich people on a luxury cruise. As they, no doubt, eagerly await their big tax cuts, a storm hits and shipwrecks the passengers on a remote island. There are some genuinely funny moments as well as some genuinely surprising ones.
The castaways' struggle to survive takes a page or two from Lord of the Flies as wealth and beauty become their legal tender. It's too bad they couldn't find refuge at a fabulous resort, huh? Is it too late to say, "spoiler alert?" Aah, you’ve probably already seen it, haven't you?
Wines that were recovered from a sunken ship would be the perfect pairing, although they are hard to find and tend to be on the pricey side. Aaron Wines has a San Luis Obispo Pinot Noir called Seafarer for $40. It didn't travel on the ocean, but the vineyards are just six miles from the California coastline. Use your imagination.