The King and I
Short description
In 1860s Siam, a Welsh widow named Anna Leonowens arrives at the royal court with her young son Louis to serve as governess and English tutor to the many children and wives of King Mongkut. The king is determined to present his country as modern and civilized to the outside world, while Anna holds firm to her own ideas of dignity and custom. Their stubborn personalities collide repeatedly, yet over time the two develop mutual respect, and Anna becomes a trusted adviser as the court prepares to receive a group of European diplomats whose opinion of the king matters greatly.
The film is a musical adaptation of Margaret Landon's novel, itself drawn from Anna Leonowens's accounts of her years at the Siamese court. Walter Lang directed, working from a screenplay by Ernest Lehman; Charles Brackett produced for 20th Century Fox. Deborah Kerr plays Anna and Yul Brynner plays King Mongkut, with Rita Moreno, Martin Benson, Terry Saunders and Rex Thompson in supporting roles. The film came sixth in the directing career listed here, between There's No Business Like Show Business and Desk Set.
Made for about 5 million dollars, it took roughly 21 million worldwide. On IMDb it holds 7.4/10 from around 29,000 votes, on TMDB 7.1/10 from more than 400, while critics rated it 8.2/10 across 29 reviews, placing it above the audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- According to Rita Moreno, who played Tuptim, the actors suffered headaches all day from the heavy headdresses they had to wear for some of the dances.
- The original play was written for Gertrude Lawrence (1898-1952), and a contract was even signed guaranteeing her the role in the film adaptation. However, shortly after the play’s premiere, the actress was diagnosed with cancer. She died while performing the role of Anna on Broadway.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
