The King and I

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic movie. But missing too many great songs!
Review: The King And I, Is a fantastic film. A great adaption from stage to film. The peformances by Brynner and Kerr are simply amazing, and the beautiful Rita Moreno does a spectacular job as playing the slave Tuptim. I'm sure you know the story, so I won't go on about that. I am most dissapointed with the cut of so many great songs, I understand the film was very long, but cutting many great songs makes the movie less enjoyable for me.

The songs cut for the film are Tuptim's beautiful "My Lord And Master", "The Royal Bangkok Academy", "A Puzzlement REPRISE", "Shall I Tell You What I Think Of You?", "Western People Funny", and Tuptim's and Lun Tha's "I Have Dreamed". In my opinion the two most drastic cuts are the beautiful "My Lord And Master", and "I have Dreamed", which are considered two of the most beautiful and powerful songs in the whole score. LUCKILY! Those two songs were recorded along with "Shall I Tell you..." So its great we get to hear Rita Moreno on Tuptim's other songs, even though Rita had slight augmenting done with her high notes by another woman, for most part it was Rita's voice, and her voice was beautiful indeed. Sadly, songs like Lady Thiang's and Wive's hilarious "Western People Funny" was not recorded, And I think the song is fantastic.

Otherwise, the cut of those wonderful songs, are the only dissapointment for me. So this movie is amazing. I highly recommend this masterpiece. The DVD is great, with great bonus features, and being remastered..the picture quality is great.

Get this DVD, and enjoy a classic musical!

Rating:
Summary: King of the R&H Movie Musicals
Review: Of the four major screen adaptations of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Broadway classics, I think this is the finest, and probably the truest to its roots, yet adds Hollywood's special gloss. Luckily, Oscar-winner Yul Brynner was allowed to re-create his role as the King and Deborah Kerr (although dubbed by the versatile Marni Nixon) was a fine substitute for the late Gertrude Lawrence as royal school-marm Anna Leonowens. In an unusual move, Jerome Robbins was allowed to re-create his original stage choreography (most notably in the "Small House of Uncle Thomas" ballet) and Jo Mielziner's opulent stage sets were topped by John DeCuir's sumptuously designed sound stages. Though well made, "Oklahoma!" didn't take root on film quite as well (especially in the Agnes de Mille ballet numbers, which looked so stage-bound on screen), and "Carousel" and especially the hugely popular "Sound of Music," though handsomely photographed on location, bogged down in sentiment. Sure, "The King and I" is a tad schmaltzy too, but fiery Brynner and feisty Kerr, ably directed by Walter Lang, bring tears that don't taste of treacle. Alfred Newman's Fox orchestra and chorus were in peak form too. It's too bad the songs cut from the film version couldn't have been restored here (mostly likely they were recorded and not unfilmed). But this remains one of the rock-solid screen adaptations of a beloved classic Broadway show. Happily, the color on the full CinemaScope 55 image DVD disc is excellent and the disc includes the Overture, Entr'acte and Exit Music that would have been heard in the original '50s first-run engagements. The sound isn't a crisp as the visuals, regrettably, but good considering the nature of magnetic recording in the mid 1950s. The other DVD bonuses include a grainy rendering of the 35mm theatrical trailer, quickie bios of the principal creators, some Fox newsreel highlights of the premiere and Oscar ceremonies (mostly blantant commercials for Fox performers and products) and three audio-only replays of tunes from the show billed as a "Sing Along" (Mitch Miller is nowhere in sight, thank goodness).

Rating:
Summary: A big disappointment
Review: I've felt for many years that this was the best of Rogers and Hammerstein's musicals and the original film was nothing short of magnificent. But the DVD is a terrible disappointment. The video is fine, but the sound is sorry indeed. (Perhaps they weren't able to recover the original tracks). But the real tragedy is the loss of two of the show's beautiful songs: "My Lord and Master" and "I Have Dreamed." The origianl film was very long by today's standards, but leaving out these two numbers left a big hole for me. Darn!

Rating:
Summary: RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN ARE AT THE PEAK OF THEIR POWERS
Review: This is certainly one of the best musicals of all time. I know the motion picture is a little slow and drags at times, and may not be all that developed at some points, but I still rate it as one of my all-time fav. movies. To start with, Yul Brynner was born to play the arrogant, self-righteous King of Siam, and Deborah Kerr gives such a charming performance as Anna Leonowens, the British School Teacher, that both actors are perfect in every aspect and it's hard to imagine ANYONE else doing both roles better than they did. But when it comes to Anna, part of the credit goes to the ever-spectacular Marni Nixon who dubbed Kerr's singing voice. She is my fav. singer by far, and I know for certain that no other singer could have sung Anna's songs better than she did. That's a fact. Her smoothe, gentle voice has probably NEVER sounded better. Just listen to her 'Hello, Young Lovers' 'Getting to Know You' and 'Shall We Dance'. You will know what I mean. Plus, it's almost impossible to tell the difference between Kerr and Nixon as they're voices are so alike. Rita Moreno plays Tuptim, the King's Burmese Concubine who runs away with her lover, Lun Tha, the Emissary from the Court of Burma(Carlos Rivas). Moreno is undoubtedly the ultimate Tuptim, since she captures the character's characteristics very well. Terry Saunders made a pretty effective Lady Thiang, the head-wife, Rex Thompson made an amusing Louis Leonowens, and Martin Benson was splendid as the King's Prime Minister, the Kralahome, who is equally arrogant and self-righetous as the King himself. The only problem I have with the casting is Rueben Fuentes who dubbed Carlos Riva's singing voice. He is awful and sounds old. The direction by Robert Wise and the screenplay by Eernest Lehman are also superb. I think the way the musical was adapted into a motion picture was perfect. I know they had to cut off many wonderful songs such as MY LORD AND MASTER(Tuptim's solo), SHALL I TELL YOU WHAT I THINK OF YOU(Anna's soliquoly), THE ROYAL BANGKOK ACADEMY(School Song), I HAVE DREAMED(Tuptim and Lun Tha's second song) and WESTERN PEOPLE FUNNY(The Royal Wives' song), but the musical is adapted in such a way that one can hardly ever miss the songs, despite how grand they were. THE SMALL HOUSE OF UNCLE THOMAS - BALLET is also another highlight, and in any case, the whole story concerning a British Widow and an Asian Monarch falling in love is unique. I know that the ending is very sad and very emotional, but the truth is, it could NOT have been better, and I for one think it's one of the best 'endings' of all-time. In any case, the songs in THE KING AND I were considered the best songs Rodgers and Hammertsein ever wrote, and the musical is probably the most cherished of all-time. You've simply GOT to see this. It will stay in your head for a long, long time, and make you think alot too. It's well worth four stars, and even five stars wouldn't be too much depending on one's opinion. I think this is much, much better than THE SOUND OF MUSIC...

Rating:
Summary: Disappointed At What's Missing
Review: I recall seeing the original road show engagement of this in the mid-1950's and recall vividly seeing the "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You" (with Anna combing her hair as she sings it) and "My Lord and Master" in that showing and being disappointed that the subsequent theatre, television, and video showings did not have those performances included. I was hoping the DVD would include all of the original material and am disappointed that it evidently does not. Still and all, I love the film and still love watching it.

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: Disappointed At What's Missing
Review: I recall seeing the original road show engagement of this in the mid-1950's and recall vividly seeing the "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You" (with Anna combing her hair as she sings it) and "My Lord and Master" in that showing and being disappointed that the subsequent theatre, television, and video showings did not have those performances included. I was hoping the DVD would include all of the original material and am disappointed that it evidently does not. Still and all, I love the film and still love watching it.

Rating:
Summary: Magnificent!
Review: The color in the dvd is just outstanding. Picture perfect quality. The movie is a spectacle. The costumes, the acting, etc. etc. etc. The choreography has an oriental quality. I loved the play the Siamese put on for the British. It was wonderful. I highly reccommend seeing this classic. The ending was a bit over the top yet it made sense in a film like this. Almost like seeing a production on stage.

Lisa Nary

Rating:
Summary: A PUZZLEMENT OF MAGNIFICENT PORPORTIONS
Review: BEAUTY, MAJESTY AND SPLENDOR, February 2, 2004 Reviewer: [e-mail], Beverly Hills IN United States
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. -- David Harrison Levi --

Rating:
Summary: Shocking...
Review: Leonowens will never realize how she has condemned an entire nation with her lies. True, Thais do revere their kings and do not see them as being human. However, in the case of King Mongkut you have a truly remarkable man, do your homework before making judgements, and keep in mind that Leonowens was exposed to common Thai people most of the time but instead chose to write about the royalty to make $$$. I am truly saddened that King Mongkut a highly tolerant and far sighted ruler must stand in the shadow of lies. I challenge you to research western sources regarding this man. I agree that Thailand should not ban these films or books because they reveal how the West (whom they have always admired) regards them in the 19th century and even today. The fact that no modern scholar has come forth to introduce King Mongkut to the world has burdened Thais to rightfully defend themselves and in doing so make Leonowen's account seem hilariously "unbiased".