Film Snail

6.8

Anna and the King

PG-13·1999·148m

Drama

Romance

History

Drama

Romance

History

Summary

The story of the romance between the King of Siam (now Thailand) and the widowed British school teacher Anna Leonowens during the 1860s. Anna teaches the children and becomes romanced by the King. She convinces him that a man can be loved by just one woman.

Cast

Jodie Foster

Anna

Chow Yun-Fat

King Mongkut

Bai Ling

Tuptim

Tom Felton

Louis

Syed Alwi

The Kralahome

Randall Duk Kim

General Alak

Lim Kay Siu

Prince Chowfa

Melissa Campbell

Princess Fa-Ying

Keith Chin

Prince Chulalongkorn

Mano Maniam

Moonshee

Shanthini Venugopal

Beebe

Deanna Yusoff

Lady Thiang

Geoffrey Palmer

Lord John Bradley

Ann Firbank

Lady Bradley

Bill Stewart

Mycroft Kincaid

Sean Ghazi

Khun Phra Balat

K.K. Moggie

Phim

Dharma Harun

Noi

Harith Iskander

Nikorn

Yank Kassim

Pitak

Afdlin Shauki

Interpreter

Swee Lin Neo

Lady Jao Jom Manda Ung

Ramli Hassan

King Chulalongkorn

Robert Hands

Captain Blake

Lim Yu-Beng

Scarfaced leader

Kenneth Tsang

Justice Phya Phrom

Kee Thuan Chye

Second Judge

Patrick Teoh

Third Judge

Aimi Aziz

Lady of Court No.1

Ellie Suriaty

Lady of Court No.2

Tina Siew Ting Lee

Lady of Court No.3

Ruby Wong Cheuk-Ling

Lady of Court No.4

Zaridah Abdul Malik

Lady of Court No.5

Fariza Azlina

La-Ore

Ahmad Mazlan

Scout No.1

Razib Salimin

Scout No.2

Zaibo

Siamese Trader

Pak Ling

Shipping Dock Woman

Zulhaila Siregar

Distraught Villager

Mahmud Ali Bashah

Mercenary

Paothong Thongchua

Crew

Director

Andy Tennant

Novel

Anna Leonowens

Screenplay

Steve Meerson

Screenplay

Peter Krikes

Reviews

Geronimo1967

August 28, 2023

This is a great looking film; the beautiful photography (Malaysia not Thailand) is stunning and George Fenton's sympathetic score helps create a stylish setting for this retelling of the story about an English widow - played here by Jodie Foster - who takes up a position as governess to the children (and wives) of King Mongkut of Siam (Chow Yun-Fat). This story departs pretty drastically from the original text and turns into more of a sentimental love story tempered by treasonous activities from within the King's extended family. The principle performances are both gentle and sensitive, though Jodie Foster's accent is a little forced, and Bill Stewart puts in a good effort as the dodgy British trader "Mycroft Kincaid". It is just too far removed from the original for me, but I'd watch it again....