Anecdotes

According to the book 'The Golden Gong---Fifty years of the Rank Organisation, its films and its stars' by Quentin Falk, "While at premiere of a Disney film, 'Robin Hood' [See: Robin des Bois et ses joyeux compagnons (1952)], he [Earl St. John] was particularly impressed by the young man who played the Sheriff of Nottingham. The name on the programme was that of Peter Finch. St. John bumped into Finch on the stairs of the theatre and invited him to come and talk business at Pinewood. Next day he gave Finch what would be a pivotal role in his burgeoning career: the Australian soldier, Joe, in Ma vie commence en Malaisie (1956).

Twenty-five years after this film was made, Jean Anderson (Miss Horsefall) would also star in the BBC drama series Tenko (1981) which was also about the experiences of a group of women (and children) held as prisoners of war by the Japanese in WWII. Both productions made extensive use of Burnham Beeches in Buckinghamshire UK, standing in for the exterior scenes set in the Malaysian jungle/swamps, etc. due to its tropical environment.

Ma vie commence en Malaisie (1956) was officially withdrawn from the 1956 Cannes Film Festival for fear that it would offend the Japanese. However, it was reportedly warmly received by the Japanese delegation at a private screening. It was supposed to be shown but after protestations the French surrendered the second day of the festival. "The festivals are just a joke---a film-selling 'racket' which offers the chance for vulgar display and reckless extravagance," said Peter Finch. "They serve no cultural purpose and the awards don't mean a thing."

The "Alice" of the film's title Ma vie commence en Malaisie (1956) refers to the town of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia.

According to a December 28, 1956 article in the Manchester (UK) Guardian, this was the third most popular film in the UK in 1956 after Vainqueur du ciel (1956) and Ce sacré z'héros (1956).