The King and I (1956)

Director:

Walter Lang

Writers:

Ernest Lehman (screenplay)
Oscar Hammerstein II (book)
(more)

Release Date:

29 June 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

More Than You've Ever Seen On The Screen!

Plot:

Musical about a widow who accepts a job as a live-in governess of the King of Siam's children.

Plot Keywords:

King | Love | Widow | Uncle Tom's Cabin | Teacher

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Deborah Kerr	...	Anna Leonowens
Yul Brynner	...	King Mongkut of Siam
Rita Moreno	...	Tuptim
Martin Benson	...	Kralahome
Terry Saunders	...	Lady Thiang
Rex Thompson	...	Louis Leonowens
Carlos Rivas	...	Lun Tha
Patrick Adiarte	...	Prince Chulalongkorn
Alan Mowbray	...	Sir John Hay
Geoffrey Toone	...	Sir Edward Ramsay
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leo Abbey	...	Guard (uncredited)
Robert Banas	...	Keeper of the Dogs - in Play (uncredited)
Dennis Bonilla	...	Mongkut's Twin Son (uncredited)
Thomas Bonilla	...	Mongkut's Twin Son (uncredited)
Jerry Chien	...	Royal Child (uncredited)
Nancy Chien	...	Royal Child (uncredited)
Mary Lou Clifford	...	Royal Wife (uncredited)
Judy Dan	...	Royal Wife (uncredited)
Gemze De Lappe	...	Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
Amir Farr	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Henry Fong	...	Guard (uncredited)
Margaret Fukuda	...	Royal Wife (uncredited)
Yvonne Garosin	...	Royal Child (uncredited)
Maureen Hingert	...	Royal Wife (uncredited)
Dick Kay Hong	...	Royal Child (uncredited)
Linda Hong	...	Royal Child (uncredited)
Warren Hsieh	...	Royal Child (uncredited)
Daro Induye	...	Royal Child (uncredited)
Charles Irwin	...	Capt. Orton (uncredited)
Michiko Iseri	...	Angel - in Play (uncredited)
Dale Ishimoto	...	Crewman (uncredited)
Kanna Ishu	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Irene James	...	Siamese Girl (uncredited)
Marion Jim	...	Simon Legree - in Play (uncredited)
Misaye Kawasumi	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Candace Lee	...	Royal Child (uncredited)
Virginia Lee	...	Royal Child (uncredited)
Warren Lee	...	Royal Child (uncredited)
Jeanette Leung	...	Royal Child (uncredited)
Fuji Levi	...	Whipping Guard (uncredited)
Weaver Levy	...	Whipping Guard (uncredited)
Joycelyne Lew	...	Princess Ying Yaawolak (uncredited)
Eddie Luke	...	Messenger (uncredited)
Stella Lynn	...	Royal Wife (uncredited)
Marco López	...	Extra (uncredited)
Nephru Malouf	...	Royal Wife (uncredited)
Grace Matthews	...	Royal Wife (uncredited)
Joanne Miya	...	Siamese Girl (uncredited)
Shirley Nishimura	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Valentina Oumanski	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Stephanie Pond-Smith	...	Youngest Princess (uncredited)
Evelyn Rudie	...	Royal Child (uncredited)
Kathleen Shoon	...	Royal Wife (uncredited)
Josephine Smith	...	Guest at Palace (uncredited)
Alladin Soufi	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Leonard Strong	...	Interpreter (uncredited)
Marie Tsien	...	Royal Wife (uncredited)
Alice Uchida	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Russell Ung	...	Royal Child (uncredited)
Lydia Wolf	...	Royal Wife (uncredited)
Jadin Wong	...	Amazon (uncredited)
Jean Wong	...	Amazon (uncredited)
Dusty Worrall	...	Uncle Thomas - in Play (uncredited)
Rodney Yee	...	Royal Child (uncredited)
William Yip	...	High Priest (uncredited)
Yuriko	...	Eliza - in Play (uncredited)

Directed by
Walter Lang

Writing credits
Ernest Lehman		(screenplay)
Oscar Hammerstein II		(book of musical play)
Margaret Landon		(based on the book: "Anna and the King of Siam" by)

Produced by
Charles Brackett	....	producer
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Alfred Newman		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Leon Shamroy		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert L. Simpson		(film editor) (as Robert Simpson)

Art Direction by
John DeCuir		(as John De Cuir)
Lyle R. Wheeler

Set Decoration by
Paul S. Fox		(set decorations)
Walter M. Scott

Costume Design by
Irene Sharaff		(costumes designed by)

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist
Helen Turpin	....	hair stylist
Hal Lierley	....	makeup: Deborah Kerr (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eli Dunn	....	assistant director

Art Department
Wah Chang	....	designer: Siamese masks (uncredited)
Larry Haddock	....	props (uncredited)
George Westenhiser	....	assistant props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Warren B. Delaplain	....	sound (as Warren Delaplain)
E. Clayton Ward	....	sound
Carlton W. Faulkner	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ray Kellogg	....	special photographic effects
Doug Hubbard	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Lee Crawford	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Bob Rose	....	additional grip (uncredited)
Clyde Taylor	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Charles Le Maire	....	wardrobe director (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Leonard Doss	....	color consultant
Brent Eldridge	....	digital color correction (uncredited)
Lyman Hallowell	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Robert Russell Bennett	....	orchestrator
Ken Darby	....	associate music supervisor
Gus Levene	....	orchestrator
Bernard Mayers	....	orchestrator
Alfred Newman	....	music conductor
Alfred Newman	....	music supervisor
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator
Trude Rittman	....	music arranger: ballet
Robert Mayer	....	music editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Michiko Iseri	....	consultant: oriental dancing (as Michiko)
Jerome Robbins	....	dances and musical numbers staged by
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	presenter
Mrs. Boonuam Boonsaith	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation) (A CinemaScope Picture: CinemaScope 55)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1956) (USA) (theatrical) (released by) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• 20th Century Fox (1957) (France) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere) (pan/scan)
• CBS / Fox Video (1984) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Fox Video (1992) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Fox Video (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (Canada) (DVD) (2 disc edition)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (2 disc 50th Anniversary Edition)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (included in the Rodgers and Hammerstein Collection)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Encore Entertainment (199?) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Magnetic Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation  CinemaScope is the registered trademark of
• Angel Records  soundtrack released by (1990's CD edition) (uncredited)
• Angel Records  soundtrack released by (2001 expanded soundtrack CD edition) (uncredited)
• Capitol Records  soundtrack released by (1956 LP and first CD edition) (uncredited)

Also Known As:

"Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

133 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Thai

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm re-release) | 6-Track Stereo (1956 roadshow version)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Canada:G | Chile:TE | Finland:K-8 | Norway:7 | Peru:PT | Thailand:(Banned) | UK:U | Iceland:L | New Zealand:G | USA:G (certificate #17864) | Malaysia:(Banned) (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Stage 16, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Maureen O'Hara was originally meant to play the lead role in the movie version of "The King and I", but Yul Brynner specifically asked for Deborah Kerr.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the children are being presented to Anna, one of them turns and walks away instead of backing away as would be expected and the King reacts with surprise. The child recognizes the mistake but then continues to back away; however, in the next shot as the next child approaches Anna the first child is seen to be in front of Anna again, this time backing away properly.

Quotes:

Lady Thiang:[meeting Anna for the first time]
[singing]
Lady Thiang:There is a happy land, far far away, where saints in glory stand bright, bright as day!
Lady Thiang:[Anna looks confused] Mis-on-ary!
Anna:Oh, a missionary taught you English!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Doctor Who Confidential: Alter Ego (#3.8)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

We Kiss in a Shadow

Wonderful, glorious colour and Brynner in his finest hour.

Brynner is so strongly identified with this role that it is difficult to remember him in anything else. He gives his all in this performance, sometimes way over the top, but it fits with this movie which is in itself over the top, offering us the Hollywood version of Siam and introducing 1955 sensibilities to the era of 1862. No matter.

The musical numbers are great and hummable, most done by Marni Nixon, who dubbed for so many in that era of endless musicals and no-voice stars.

People who protest about the insensibility and racial aspect of these musicals (Showboat and South Pacific, etc. also comes to mind)don't get it - that this is a musical, composed about an unenlightened era and is not a documentary and cannot be taken seriously.

The play within the play is truly magical, I could watch it over and over again, it is a perfect little opera.

Deborah Kerr is terrific in this and should have received an Oscar. I felt sorry for the boy who played her son - I think they appeared again together in Tea and Sympathy, but I could be wrong - there was not much to his role, he had to stand around and just be pretty and nod at his mother a lot. Very difficult.

Rita Moreno excelled as usual.

8 out of 10. Not to be missed.