The King and I (1956)

I have always loved The King and I, which was nominated for Best Picture of 1956. It's one of the greatest of the film musicals, in my opinion, and I've always managed to stay completely engrossed each time I watch it (even though I know how it's going to turn out). This is an almost perfect film, from the performances to the production and costume design to the glorious music. To see it again it is one of the highlights of this project.

An English widow travels with young son in tow to Siam to become the teacher of the King's many children. She, of course, must learn to adjust to the very different way of life in Siam (what is now called Thailand), but she also manages to help the king and others in Siam adjust gradually to the ways of the English and "the West" as well. The King (played to the hilt by Yul Brynner after several years in the role on Broadway) always seems to understand just a bit more than he ever reveals to Anna; the grin on his face shows how pleased he is with his cleverness.

Deborah Kerr has a part that allows her to shine here. She is at turns funny, warm, gentle, and then firm, dogmatic, demanding. Yet she always is generous as a performer, interacting with her fellow actors in such a collegial way. Watching her with the King's children, in particular, is such a delight. Their performance of "Getting to Know You" is almost everyone's favorite scene. Kerr was good in almost every role she played, and it's in this film that you see how gifted she was at what is on the surface a "lighter" part.

There is an intriguing subplot involving Tuptim, a newly arrived slave from Burma who is expected to become another of the King's wives. She is in love with someone from her native country and manages on several occasions to express her outrage at the treatment of women and others who are enslaved in Siam. The most vivid expression of her outrage, of course, is her adaptation of Uncle Tom's Cabin to a Siamese setting. I doubt that the film (or the musical upon which it is based) is all that faithful to Siamese culture, but it is a dazzling centerpiece of the film anyway. And Tuptim is played by the amazing Rita Moreno, a multi-talented performer who had not yet managed to be recognized for the star quality that she exhibits even in this small part.

The songs are amazing, some of the best Rodgers and Hammerstein work ever. My particular favorites are "Hello, Young Lovers" (especially the great Mabel Mercer's later version of it) and "We Kiss in a Shadow" and "Something Wonderful." However, few musical sequences on film are as grand as watching Brynner and Kerr performing (well, Kerr dancing, but Marni Nixon singing) "Shall We Dance?" When the King takes Anna's hand for the part of this scene where they are not singing but only dancing, well, you can't do much better than that.

Do make sure that you see this film in its widescreen version. A pan-and-scan version of the film cuts off so much that you don't want to miss. I think that pan-and-scan versions should be banned, but I suppose too many people don't realize just how much of a movie they are sometimes missing when the sides are chopped off of a widescreen film like The King and I.