publicity for "Anna and the King of Siam"
Release date 06.20.1946
"Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera..."
In 1862, young widow Anna Owens (Irene) arrives with her son Louis (Richard Lyon) in Bangkok to teach the children of the King of Siam (Rex Harrison.) Although she was promised a house of her own she and Louis have to settle into their living quarters in the palace only to discover that they are living next to the king's harem. However, Anna starts her job not only teaching the 67 children of the king but also his favorite wives.
One class, one family!
Confronted with a king who one one side wants to modernize his country and find a place for it in the modern world and on the other side is still rooted in rather cruel traditions, Anna has to fight a lot of battles. So, we find ourselves in a story about slavery, fitting out the king's wives for a dinner party with European dignitaries, the burning of a run-away wife, and how to get along with a "barbarian" totalitarian monarch who does not know how to use a napkin. But of course stiff-upper-lip Anna manages to hold her own against him and to influence not only the king but his son and heir...
That's not the only clash of culture...
The author on whose book "Anna and the King of Siam" is based, Margaret Landon, lived in Siam for a decade and used the memoirs of the "real" Anna who taught English from 1862 till 1867 at the Siamese court. In its turn the film is full of historical inaccuracies and it's no wonder that Irene Dunne was a little bit hesitating to meet the delegation from Thailand during her time as alternate delegate at the United Nations in 1957. (Siam became Thailand in 1939.)
Even not expecting correctness from a Hollywood production the whole thing doesn't work for me. I simply don't understand the fascination of the topic which led to a musical, a TV series and a remake. So, basically not impressed by the story there are some more obstacles on my way to the film.
Firstly there is the simple fact that it was not filmed in color. 20th Century Fox did spend a lot of money on the setting and the costumes - all written elaborate production over it - which makes the decision to film in BW hardly understandable. If I could indulge in lavish Classic Hollywood colors - "Leave her to Heaven" like - fitting in the exotic surroundings and Miss Dunne in the middle of the bliss, this movie certainly would have a better standing with me.
Firstly there is the simple fact that it was not filmed in color. 20th Century Fox did spend a lot of money on the setting and the costumes - all written elaborate production over it - which makes the decision to film in BW hardly understandable. If I could indulge in lavish Classic Hollywood colors - "Leave her to Heaven" like - fitting in the exotic surroundings and Miss Dunne in the middle of the bliss, this movie certainly would have a better standing with me.
Color, please!
Secondly, Mr. Harrison blocks me. He started his succesful Hollywood career as King Mongkut and although he prepared meticulously for the part, his performance landed to much on the ridiculous side for me. It's partly embarrassing what I don't like and the heavy make-up to make him look Asiatic isn't helpful either. Anyway, one has to live with Asians a la Hollywood which works pretty well for Linda Darnell and Gale Sondergaard but Lee J. Cobb as the prime minister looks out of place.
Looks probably better in BW!
Even our heroine doesn't make my day! It's certainly a solid performance but Miss Dunne scores mainly with her looks in period costumes and many close-ups very well photographed by Arthur Miller who won an Academy Award for his work. For the first time Irene uses what I call her "housewife voice" (we will hear this one again in some films to come) and this partly irritates me. Avoiding sexiness and playfullness in tone is of course correct for the part but doesn't sound like the fine-tuned instrument I'm used to.
Play of shadow and light
However, at least Miss Dunne trusted in the story because for the very first time she negotiated a deal in which she relinquised any upfront salary and would earn all of her income from the film's distribution profits. Fortunately the confidence in her star commodity turned out at the box office. "Anna and the King of Siam" is in the top ten of Irene's films when it comes to financial profit. Good for la Dunne that obviously the audience liked that flick a lot more than I do.
Bye, Anna! Probably won't see you again!
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Why, why, oh why did we have to wait for so long to read one of your fascinating reviews again? Thank your this one, which, to my humble opinion, is pitch perfect.
ReplyDeleteThe pic hasn't aged that well (just as bad as all those other embarrassing Yellowfaces, that raged from silly and foolish (Mickey Rooney in „Breakfast at Tiffany’s“) to downright racist (Alec Guiness in „The Company of Two“). Apart from this, I wholeheartedly agree that Miss D. is not perfectly cast. Maybe Mr. Zanuck was right when he assumed "I think, she is too old". I think Jean Arthur would have been the first, last and only choice, with O. de Havilland running a close second.
Well, maybe 20th Century Fox should have stayed in the Gay Nineties and Tin Pan Alley when going back in time, with „Old Chicago“, „Lillian Russel“ et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, so well remebered.
May it as it be, the film helped our Dear Irene to make a come back and carried her well into the end of the decade.
Nevertheless, what, if Miss D. had beaten I. Bergmann to sing along Bing Crosby in "The Bells of Sankt Mary's"? What, if Mr. Zanuck later into the decade had given Irene the coveted part in "Come to the Stable" instead of throwing her into the frying pan of "The Mudlark". Indeed, what if...
Kind regards
TJ
I thrilled that you have managed to preview this film, and I certainly don't hate you for your review of Irene as Anna! It's your opinion and you are naturally entitled to express that - after all it's your blog. OK, I don't agree with you on several points. Miss Dunne was obviously trying to use a cultivated British accent (actually Anna was supposedly Anglo-Indian but certainly born in India). As someone who is of British stock I have an understanding and ear for the many British accents. Miss Dunne's affected accent sadly caused a slightly stilted sound and maybe that's why you feel that it is "housewife"! Her pronunciation of the son's name, Louis, was certainly not the best (sounds very similar to Jodie Foster's in Anna & The King). If you didn't hear her "fine-tuned instrument", does this not indicate that she has actually become her character? As for colour, it certainly would have been beautiful in colour, but we accept it again for what it is. The make-up of Rex Harrison and Lee J. Cobb as Asians, sadly not the best. At the time Hollywood was always using Caucasian actors for so many Asian, American Indian, Indian roles - sadly not using many genuine non-Caucasian actors to play these roles. I loved the film and I loved Miss Dunne as Anna!
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