What a treat this film is for the eyes! Stunning architecture and decoration! Lovely costumes! Beautiful scenery! The Art direction will surely win an Academy Award!
Too bad the story doesn't equal the quality of its visual support. It is kitschy to propose that a young British schoolmarm could outsmart the military leaders of Thailand while leading the country's powerful monarch around by the nose. I didn't expect this movie to be historically accurate. Anna Leonowens' diaries showed a preposterous assumption of self-importance at the court of Siam. But, I did expect this mega-movie to be good theater. What a disappointment!
Anna and Mongkut's romance was neither interesting or plausible. This Anna, hell-bent on educating everyone around her to social justice issues rather than the western classics she was employed to teach, is an invention of Hollywood hacks. Anna's politically correct and unargueable views, were simply a cover for no progressive story line. It's hard to see how this powerful, thoughtful king would be interested in this busy-body.
Jody Foster was her usual cool self, often competent, not compelling. Chow Yun-Fat was excellent as far as his lines allowed. The Malaysian children who played Monkut's progeny were delightful, and his concubines superb. Again, all were lovely to look at.
The real stars here were the set designers. They should have been allowed to write the screen play. Bet they wouldn't have done any worse.
Too bad the story doesn't equal the quality of its visual support. It is kitschy to propose that a young British schoolmarm could outsmart the military leaders of Thailand while leading the country's powerful monarch around by the nose. I didn't expect this movie to be historically accurate. Anna Leonowens' diaries showed a preposterous assumption of self-importance at the court of Siam. But, I did expect this mega-movie to be good theater. What a disappointment!
Anna and Mongkut's romance was neither interesting or plausible. This Anna, hell-bent on educating everyone around her to social justice issues rather than the western classics she was employed to teach, is an invention of Hollywood hacks. Anna's politically correct and unargueable views, were simply a cover for no progressive story line. It's hard to see how this powerful, thoughtful king would be interested in this busy-body.
Jody Foster was her usual cool self, often competent, not compelling. Chow Yun-Fat was excellent as far as his lines allowed. The Malaysian children who played Monkut's progeny were delightful, and his concubines superb. Again, all were lovely to look at.
The real stars here were the set designers. They should have been allowed to write the screen play. Bet they wouldn't have done any worse.