Since its release in 1999, Anna & the King has been one of my go-to feel-good movies. It’s a beautiful and majestic piece of cinematic history.
The movie tells the true story of Anna Leonowens, a British school teacher who was brought to Siam to teach the crown prince, Chulalongkorn, at the request of King Mongkut. This is a more mature and nuanced portrayal of their lives, which was previously immortalized in the musical The King and I. Both the movie and the musical were based on Leonowens’s diaries.
Andy Tennant directed the film; he also directed another favorite of mine, Ever After. The cast includes Jody Foster as Leonowens, Chow Yun-Fat as King Mongkut, and Keith Chin as Crown Prince Chulalongkorn. It’s also one of the films to feature British actor Tom Felton, who later portrayed Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise.
The movie was primarily shot in Malaysia after the Thai government deemed the script historically inaccurate and insulting to the memory of the royal family. Consequently, they banned the film from being shown in the country.
The film was nominated for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design at the 72nd Academy Awards. Despite being criticized by some for its length and historical inaccuracies, I still consider it one of the most exquisite stories I have ever watched.
I think one of the reason why it stands out in my mind as a delightful experience is that it was one of my first dates with my first boyfriend in high school. Although he dozed off during the screening, I was still captivated by the film’s beauty and have rewatched it several times – and it is required viewing – at least once – by a perspective lovers.
The film is stunning, and the score composed by George Fenton is one of my favorites.
More reviews soon so…
Stay Tuned!
Life In Cartoon Motion 