A film review by Mark O'Hara Copyright © 1999 Mark O'Hara

Andy Tennant's Anna and the King is so full of ideas that it doesn't need all of the gripping action. But the action doesn't hurt.

In 1862 a widowed Englishwoman named Anna Leonowens brings her son Louis from India to Siam (now Thailand). Already we have a white woman fending for herself in a culture in which men are all-powerful, and the king is a god. Mrs. Leonowens (Jody Foster) is charged with educating the fifty-odd children of the King of Siam (Chow Yun-Fat); she is a Bible-reading Christian bent on preserving the Western traditions that shape her life. Although the king is open-minded enough to know his children need to know about Western ways in order to carry Siam into the modern world, he is firmly grounded in his world: Buddhism, polygamy, slave-owning, monarchy. Nothing but conflict could result from his meeting a strong-minded woman who refuses to touch her forehead to the ground before his feet.

Heard this story before? Yes, it's the same source material used in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, the king's role made famous by Yul Brynner, and played recently by Lou Diamond Phillips. This film is no musical, though its score is indeed well done (save for the forgettable pop song that runs over the early closing credits). The king's large family and the clash between cultures remain central here, and even the motif of dancing has survived, a metaphorical substitution for passion, perhaps. But what helps this modern adaptation of Anna Leonowens' memoirs is the political and military intrigue.

Like a terrible news item from a contemporary Third World country, death squads are killing innocent Siamese women and children, and hanging their bodies as warnings to peasants. These Burmese squads appear to be under the distant protection of English interests, as trading and other commercial ventures have resulted in British presence around the globe. So King Mongkut of Siam is forced to dispatch a regiment to deal with these black-clothed marauders. Deceit and betrayal quickly enter the picture, and the very existence of the dynasty is threatened. Thus the stage is set for war, the ultimate backdrop to highlight the personal stories that make up the subplots.

As Anna Leonowens, Jody Foster would seem to be the wrong pick. An American to play such a British character? But Foster pulls it off admirably, with the understated acting that only a veteran could deliver. At times her voice is almost too quiet, even raspy, as she converses with her son, reinforcing lessons the boy's father would have liked. It's rather a pleasure to see such a human portrayal, instead of the bucking-up, bearing-down façade that has become a stereotype for any Englishman faced with oppression. And her dialect works as well - I did not detect one slippage, one American pronunciation.

Foster's performance is outshone only by the performance of Chow Yun-Fat as the King. His acting is understated as well, buttressed by a smooth confidence that convinces us in every scene we watch. Clearly Chow is expert in mixing the conflicting elements of real characters, in this case a domineering mien blended with bemused tolerance. Look for him to be nominated for several awards for this solid portrayal.

The other cast members turn in strong support. As the young heir to the throne, Prince Chulalongkorn, Keith Chin is very convincing. Director Andy Tennant makes full use of the Prince's position, as a short voice-over tells us how the future ruler was influenced by his father and the foreign woman who touched their lives. Randall Duk Kim is perfectly cast as General Alak, a soldier and indefatigable politician, his grimaces and pronouncements memorable.

Another star of this film is the costumes. Remarkable Victorian dresses adorn Anna and the Siamese women during the banquet staged to impress English visitors. Further, the colorful native garb is wonderfully designed. The word "sumptuous" comes to mind, almost too much so, considering that the 1860's setting. Similar applause goes to the set decoration, such an important aspect in a period drama.

The main message of the film can be interpreted as a simple statement: personal freedom is paramount. In this film we can trace the ideas upon which much of Western civilization was founded - especially the emergence of the importance of the individual, and the realization that love is the food without which the human soul starves. It's ironic that the king of the Siamese Empire, whose most trusted general hates imperialistic influences, ends up admitting that he can understand how a man could love just one woman, a way of life widespread in the West. Of course this theme is very bankable, and happens here to tie in perfectly with the film's sources of conflict: a society dominated by males, predicated on slavery, and steeped in the methods of a feudal past.

So the reason Anna and the King succeeds is clear: its director uses an epic frame but highlights a very intimate story. It's the same with any good story - within the span of history we are fascinated by well-drawn characters. It's also clear that the tendencies of Hollywood resemble those of human nature: a short memory never learns a lesson.

This film needs to be as long as it is, 140 minutes, occupying its length with meaningful scenes and a climax reminiscent of mid-century war films. The few scenes of violence remind us of the differences inherent in cultures distant in both miles and time. There is no nudity or vulgar language, although the word "concubine" surfaces now and again. Viewers 10 and over will enjoy the action and learn from the history.

	Running Time: 140 Min | Rated: PG-13 | US Release: Dec 17th | More >>

Related Links:

• Official Site
• The King and I: Fact or Fiction?
• Upcomingmovies.com: Anna and the King
• Star Seeker Movies: "Anna and the King" (1999)