Review: Anna and the King
Having been first brought to the screen as Anna and the King of Siam and then musicalized by Rodgers and Hammerstein as The King and I, the story of Englishwoman Anna Leonowens and her employ under Siam's King Mongkut returns to its dramatic origins, this time titled Anna and the King. This version is replete with gorgeous scenery (the film was shot in Malaysia), handsome production values and a menagerie of elephants. Two-time Oscar winner Foster follows her highly pedigreed predecessors Irene Dunne and Deborah Kerr in the role of Anna while Chow Yun Fat, best known as the supremely cool star of John Woo's Hong Kong flicks, takes over where Rex Harrison and Yul Brynner left off.
A widow of 23 months, Anna has brought herself and her young son to Bangkok, circa 1862, to begin her position as tutor to the king's eldest son and heir apparent. She has also brought along her English sense of superiority - "The ways of England are the ways of the world. It is a wise man who knows that." - and a determination to retain her own traditions while trying to somewhat adapt to the customs of her new environment. Of course, she doesn't think twice to stand in the king's presence or speak with him without appointment, actions no one would dare perform. All bow and defer to the king.
Yet the king, despite his dedication to saving face, wants to ensure that his country will survive treasonous fighting to become a force in the new modern world. The king's hope is to integrate tradition with modernity so though he's unapologetic about his horde of wives, concubines and children, he can appreciate Anna's intelligence and strong will. This is, of course, the story of how two strong wills learn to bend because of mutual respect and admiration. At least that's what it's supposed to be.
Anna has all her strengths intact. With Foster portraying her, how could Anna be anything less than a woman ahead of her time, unafraid to speak the truth and present herself as the king's equal and even, at times, his better? Not only does she educate all of his children and some of his wives and concubines, she pulls together a successful palace dinner party and helps the king thwart a murderous usurper. All in a day's work and all well and good, but Anna has the tendency to resemble the plucky heroine of Andy Tennant's previous film, Ever After, which reworked the Cinderella tale.
As with Ever After, Anna gets her man and carries him, too, though not as literally as Drew Barrymore did. The king here is all benevolent amusement and charming tenderness but he seems rather ineffectual. Yun Fat, though, proves he can inform non-action roles with his incomparable physical grace. His English is still in need of assistance but he delivers his lines with finesse. Catching Anna's expression as she first surveys his 58 children, he remarks, "Not as many as Emperor of China but he did not spend half his life in monastery. King making up for lost time."
The principals share pleasing chemistry. Tennant has revised some events of the previous versions though not always to good effect. The king should have retained the haughty arrogance that Harrison and Brynner brought to the role - it makes the king's arc all the more satisfying. Tennant has lessened the focus on the Tuptim (Bai Ling) subplot but allows her and her lover a more poetic finale. Otherwise there's not much to fault in this version. It's beautiful to look at, well-acted and there are moments that stir the soul but it's all not enough.
Anna and the King
Directed by: Andy Tennant
Written by: Steve Meerson, Peter Krikes
Starring: Jodie Foster, Chow Yun Fat, Bai Ling, Tom Felton
