Anna and the King of Siam (1946)

Director:

John Cromwell

Writers:

Talbot Jennings (screenplay) and
Sally Benson (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

20 June 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Romance

Plot:

In 1862, a young Englishwoman becomes royal tutor in Siam and befriends the King.

Plot Keywords:

King | Siam | Bangkok | Children | Widow

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Irene Dunne	...	Anna Owens
Rex Harrison	...	King Mongkut
Linda Darnell	...	Tuptim
Lee J. Cobb	...	Kralahome
Gale Sondergaard	...	Lady Thiang
Mikhail Rasumny	...	Alak
Dennis Hoey	...	Sir Edward
Tito Renaldo	...	Prince (older)
Richard Lyon	...	Louis Owens

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:12 (re-rating) (2006) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:12 (re-rating) (2006) (cut) | UK:A (1946) (cut) | Netherlands:12 | Canada:G (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #11572, General Audience)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden - 301 N. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

While most of the Caucasian actors playing Asians in this film wore dark make-up, Gale Sondergaard was allergic to the make-up being used. Instead, through several weeks of cautious sunbathing, she acquired a deep enough tan to compensate.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In order to remind the King about his promise to give Anna a house of her own (to which the King continually refuses to honour) she leaves many reminders about his broken promise around the palace, in particular an English china cottage which has "made in England" on the underside and the inscription over the door of the cottage "Honor Thy Promise". In 1868 England (as today), 'honour' was not spelt "honor". Minor error, but a spelling mistake non-the-less.

Quotes:

Kralahome: [the Kralahome has just arrived to tell King Mongkut of the loss of Cambodia. Anna, meanwhile, continues to press the King about the issue of a private residence, to the point where even the King's staff members are singing "Home, Sweet Home"] Your Majesty! It has begun, Toongramon. We've lost Cambodia. Our governor of Cambodia has made a treaty with the French government. They have recognized Cambodia as independent of Siam, placed it under their "protection," and this governor of ours still protests his loyalty to Your Majesty.
King Mongkut: So, a camel's nose is in the tent. The partition of Siam, it has begun.
Kralahome: For a long time, we've said this hour must come. Now it is no longer talk. It is upon us. What do we do?
King Mongkut: Nothing. We shall do nothing whatever in this matter... because there is nothing we can do.
Kralahome: Your father took such a man once and burned out both his eyes, hung him in the sun in a cage over cool running water, until he went mad.
King Mongkut: [Heartbroken, yes resigned] We have not the right to waste ourselves on something which cannnot be changed. We shall save what strength and cunning we may have to hold together what is left of Siam. And if we cannot save all that is left, we shall save what we can.
Kralahome: [after a long pause] Tell me something Toongramon. A long time ago, I came to you and asked you to leave a life of peace, and to be King. If I could ask you now to make that choice, what would your answer be? Think well before you answer that. Think what this can mean to you.
King Mongkut: You feel great responsibility for me, don't you, Chow Koon?
Kralahome: You might still be living peacefully at the monastery if I had not persuaded you. Perhaps it is not too late to return. Think well on that. The monastery instead of this place, where you have only enemies and danger. Well, you know this is not the end. The ships of Europe will crowd thicker on our seas, greedy for conquest. They have the power... and the cunning. They know how to set your nobles against you, how to buy and threaten them. How can you hope to hold Siam together against enemies without and within? All that it can mean to you is that, in the end, you will die in a lost cause.
[pause]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Biography: Anna and the King: The Real Story of Anna Leonowens" (1999)

Strong Performances highlight Film Classic

Too many people who have seen "the King and I" before viewing this film have unjustly compared it unfavorably to the musical. You can't compare Sir Rex and Mr. Brynner as the King. the performances are so different. Harrison gives a wonderfully cruel yet compassionate performance. he is a slyer, more intellectual Monkut than Brynner was. His scenes with Irene Dunne bubble with chemistry. Dunne is every Inch the Anna that Deborah Kerr was and get a scene that was removed from the remake. The performance she gives after the death of her son was stunning! I recommend this film over the musical for sheer consistency of style. this film is a drama, the remake while a wonderful film could not decide on whether it was drama or comedy.