The King and I

Rating:
Summary: A truly enchanting experience
Review: I watched this movie very recently on star movies & it really touched me so much that, I watched again in the repeat session which is the very next day. Every scene is so well made & at the end of the movie you are left feeling empty & choked with sadness.( I even must have cried at some stage). A must see movie for all those people who value love, compassion, & peace. My favorite scenes : " The dance sequence between Anna & the king" " The introduction of the children to Anna," " The outstanding chinese play ( for it's costume)" " The songs " I whistle when I'm scared , getting to know" Finally I have told all my friends to watch this movie without fail. Padma ( India)

Rating:
Summary: An all-around wonderful family musical
Review: "The king and I" is an exellent version of quality family entertainment. The plot and characters are truly spectacular. People of all ages can really appreciate the value of this musical. The actors,costumes,and sets are ful of color and life. I would definately recommend this movie to others. Hernando High School will be putting their form of the play on March 25, 27, and 28. Come out and see our version of the Rodgers and Hammersteins' treasure,"The King and I"

Rating:
Summary: Mrs. Anna and the King let out a big hit, etc. etc. etc.!
Review: Although The King and I is my favorite Rodgers & Hammerstein movie musical, the show was much better. But Gertrude Lawrence could not recreate her stage roll because she had passed away in 1951. Others were breifly considered for the roll of the King, but I think the movie would have flopped. Yul Brynner was and is the King. Etc. etc. etc., The King and I is a awesome movie!

Rating:
Summary: Fun and entertaining!
Review: This musical is one of the first ones I saw when I was little and it is still one of my favorites! The songs are fun to sing along with, the costumes and sets are beautiful, the story is great. Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr are fantastic as the King and Mrs. Anna, the schoolteacher! Their witty dialogue is so enjoyable. I highly recommend this movie!

Rating:
Summary: It's as good as it's supposed to be in Hollywood's sight
Review: "I don't think any man has ever been as good a king as he could have been. But, this King tried. He tried very hard." These are Anna's words that make me feel impressed. As a Thai(Siam is the old name of Thailand)people, I could see how difficult for people from different sides of the world and cultures to get along with each other it was, and it still exists even now. The King is still in our mind and this is one of our culture that would not be changed. I recommend this movie for the easterner to learn the westerner's view. Even though Thai dance and thai costumes in the movie was not quite real, but it was as good as it could have been in a good Hollywood musical movie. I like it in overall!

Rating:
Summary: MOST ENTERTAINING MUSICAL EVER!
Review: If you enjoyed Oklahoma!, The Sound of Music and The Music Man then this is a must see. Yul Brenner by far at his best! You probably have hummed or whistled every song in the movie but just didn't know where you first heard them. A surprisingly funny, musical and heart-warming rendition of the original movie titled "Anna and the King of Siam". A GREAT feel-good family movie. A definite classic!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: One of the Greatest Musicals of All Time!
Review: Rodgers and Hammerstein's THE KING AND I (1956) is a wonderous movie musical, an incredible adaption of the Broadway musical that premiered on stage in 1951 (and has been performed tens of thousands of times since). It tells a timeless story about tradition vs. modernity, Eastern vs. Western culture and men vs. women. This story was first written as the first-hand account of Anna Leonowens' experiences in Siam in the mid-19th Century, where she had been hired by King Mongkut to teach his many children, in his hopes to push Siam into the modern age. This account was first adapted for the big screen as ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM (1946); unseen by me, it has been highly regarded in its own right, and starred Irene Dunne and Rex Harrison. THE KING AND I stars Deborah Kerr (last name pronounced "Carr") and Yul Brynner. Deborah Kerr completely embodies the strong-willed but emotionally fragile young widow Anna Leonowens; she makes Anna into a character with whom we identify and sympathize. We side with her in all disputes, from demanding that she be given her own house in which to stay as part of the original deal, to calling King Mongkut to task for enforcing double-standard sexual laws that were outdated and demeaning to women even at that time. As the equally strong-willed King Mongkut, Yul Brynner commands the screen in every scene he's in. You simply cannot look away. His King Mongkut is someone who wants to change Siam for the better, yet struggles to cling to many of the same traditions that he slowly begins to realize is partly responsible *for* holding Siam back. His heartbreak by film's end is emotionally gut-wrenching, and never fails to bring me to tears. The Russian-born, half-Mongolian Yul Brynner makes you believe he is a Siamese King; his performance is so brilliant that his transformation into this character appears to be almost effortless. And, of course, it won him a very well-deserved Oscar for Best Actor. Deborah Kerr gives a wide-ranged performance that spans all emotions throughout the course of this film. She was deservedly nominated for Best Actress, but unfortunately didn't win.

This film would have given us enough meat to chew on just in the complex relationship between our two principals alone. However, it is not content with just doing that for us. It gives us two spellbinding subplots, one of the forbidden love between Tuptim (a virtually unrecognizable Rita Moreno, in a truly marvelous performance) one of King Mongkut's many wives, and Lun Tha (Carlos Rivas), and the visit by the British Ambassador Sir John Hay (Alan Mowbray) whom King Mongkut wants to impress with how civilized he, and the Kingdom of Siam, is. Also, the "play within the play"; namely, the hypnotic Siamese theater performance of Harriet Beecher Stowe's epic American tale of oppression and cruelty UNCLE TOM'S CABIN, is just so incredible that words fail me as how else to describe it. Anna's young son Louis (Rex Thompson) provides us with an effective sounding-board onto whom Anna reveals the kind of feelings about the situation that she cannot express to the King.

Unfortunately, this or any other Western film treatment of this truly fascinating story continues to be banned in Thailand today, namely they feel that King Mongkut, whom I understand was one of their most beloved monarchs, is portrayed as a barbarian. I have two beefs with that sentiment: 1) King Mongkut is most decidedly *not* portrayed as a barbarian in this treatment (or in the 1999 non-musical ANNA AND THE KING, which is quite a brilliant film in its own right)---rather, he is shown to be a deeply conflicted man who agonizes at the prospect of losing centuries-old Siamese traditions, even as he expresses himself as one who wants to help his country modernize; 2) If they want to get the story right in their eyes, then where is the *Thai* version of the story?

Controversies aside, this is just a splendid, gorgeous film. It has great period costumes, in both Eastern and Western traditions. It has a huge, ornate set used for the Palace. It has great music ("Getting To Know You" and "Shall We Dance" are my two favorites). And it has incredible acting from all involved, especially Brynner, Kerr and Moreno (who should have been at least nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her sensitive and delicate protrayal of Tuptim). It is a joy to revisit every now & then. Parents, please do your children a favor and *keep them away* from the HORRENDOUS 1999 animated version, insultingly called THE KING AND I. That simpleminded, stereotype-laden, lamebrained version is a complete insult to anyone of decent intelligence. Just show your kids the 1956 original; it is the only version they will ever need to see!

MOST RECOMMENDED, AGES 6 & UP

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie; DVD *not* Anamorphic
Review: I confess I only chapter-skipped through this DVD. After I put it on and discovered it is *not* anamorphically formatted (i.e. not specially formatted for wide screen tv's), then I "boycotted" this Fox release by not watching it.

Come on, Fox. In 2004 more people own wide screen tvs than ever before. I *hate* popping in a disk that would look gorgeous on my wide screen, only to discover that I must watch it in "square" format with a letterbox.

The gorgeous KING AND I deserves a good, anamorphic transfer to DVD. And while you're at it, please send a memo to Universal to release VERTIGO in anamorphic format as well.

Yes, there is a large segment of the DVD population who don't care about anamorphic format. But there are also a lot of us who *do*. And I'll stop renting and buying your films until you release them that way.

Rating:
Summary: BEAUTY, MAJESTY AND SPLENDOR
Review: One of the grandest, most entertaining musicals ever committed to the silver screen, "The King And I" is one of Rodgers and Hammerstein's greatest achievements. From the film's excellent performances by two beloved screen icons, Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr, to the splendid score, to the breathtakingly beautiful cinematography and set direction and elegant costuming... all come together to create an indelible movie masterpiece.

Loosely based on the real-life story of British schoolteacher Anna Leonowens, the film begins in the year 1860, when Leonowens (Kerr, at her most beautiful and most charming) comes to Siam with her young son to educate the many children of His Majesty the King of Siam (Yul Brynner, in an oustanding Academy-Award winning performance). Although Anna enjoys very friendly relationships with her charges, she has many conflicts with the stubborn King, at first refusing to live in the palace, in the King's "harem". He questions her culture and customs, but many of which he readily adopts, including the phrase: "Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera," (which becomes an oft-repeated line in the film). Although wary of the proper Englishwoman, he is intrigued by her teaching methods and her sly sense of humor and her pronounced propriety. Anna soon finds herself developing a deeper relationship with her employer... and the unspoken feeling is mutual.

Another romantic drama is also unfolding behind the scenes: Tuptim, the King's favorite courtesan, has fallen in love with Lun Tha, a young slave. They wish to run away together, but to forever seal their love, they would have to defy the King... or be separated forever.

With underlined with unspoken emotions, vain pride, and biting humor, "The King And I" is glorious entertainment, not only for its fine performances and glamorous spectacle, but for its legendary music: Kerr and the children perform a delightful rendition of the classic "Getting To Know You", Kerr sings the praises of young love in "Hello, Young Lovers", Brynner shines with his pronounced staccato "Confusion", and the film's most memorable scene has Kerr and Brynner waltzing and singing to the film's masterpiece, "Shall We Dance?".

The film is also full of many golden scenes: the King's wives giggling at the sight of Kerr in a billowy petticoated gown (believing that is how she is shaped!), Kerr teaching the inquisitive Siamese youngsters about falling lace from the sky called snow, and one scene in particular, a royal banquet given for an English ambassador, with a performance by the King's dancers of an interpretive version of "Uncle Tom's Cabin", reworked as "Small House of Uncle Thomas", which is very entertaining. And the film's final, memorable scene will not be forgotten quickly.

Rodgers and Hammerstein work their incredible magic and Hollywood works its own magic in this beloved movie musical, which has delighted and entertained audiences for years, and lives on in this celebrated film classic.

Rating:
Summary: FOX`S BEST MUSICAL...
Review: ... with The Sound Of Music.
THE KING AND I the a lush, wonderful musical extravaganza with cast and crew in at the height of their powers... True I find Anna Leonowens a racist at times, but the photography, sets, performances AND ESPECIALLY THE ORCHESTRATIONS are the definitive of this musical. The power of the Overture and the number "Shall We Dance" is breathtaking and a mindblower.
YOU`LL NEVER SEE THIS ONLY 1CE.