Anna and the King

Director: Andy Tennant
Stars: Jodie Foster, Chow Yun-Fat, Bai Ling
Year:  1999 Running Time:  145 mins Rating: 2 out of 5 Certificate 12

The classic story of the musical The King and I gets the big screen treatment with Jodie Foster playing the English schoolmarm who tries to civilise the King of Siam (Chow Yun-Fat). Rich scenery and colourful costumes do their bit in concealing a threadbare plot. A good, old-fashioned yarn…but don't go expect any radical expose of the East-West conundrum.

Review

A sumptuously set new version of the 19th-century tale that spawned the classic musical, The King and I, about the young woman who became governess to the children of the King of Siam.

Exquisite performances from Jodie Foster (slightly hampered by her English accent), Bai Ling (as the beautiful young girl, Tuptim) and especially Chow Yun-Fat (as the King), previously known for action roles, ensure that this is well up to the standards of previous versions - and most of its more poignant moments squarely hit their targets.

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