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 | Family | 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 | Uncle Tom's Cabin | Teacher | Widow

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 7 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)

Cinematography by
Leon Shamroy		(director of photography)

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

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

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

Costume Design by
Irene Sharaff		(costumes designed by)

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup
Helen Turpin	....	hair styles
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	....	orchestration
Ken Darby	....	associate music supervisor
Oscar Hammerstein II	....	lyrics by: 1951
Gus Levene	....	orchestration
Bernard Mayers	....	orchestration
Alfred Newman	....	music conductor
Alfred Newman	....	music supervisor
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestration
Trude Rittman	....	arrangements by: ballet
Richard Rodgers	....	music by: 1951
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	....	presents: Rodgers and Hammerstein's
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)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere) (pan/scan)
• 20th Century Fox (1957) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (Canada) (DVD) (2 disc edition)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (2 disc edition)
• Encore Entertainment (199?) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Magnetic Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)

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:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

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

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:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Tuptim's play "Small House of Uncle Thomas" is an inaccurate hodgepodge of characters and scenes from the original book, but this can easily be understood as her best interpretation of the story as a new speaker of English who wants to use the story for her own purposes to change the King's heart. However, few of the references to Buddha or Buddhism within the song are depicted accurately and shows a clear Western interpretation of the religion. Some specific examples are that Buddhists do not view Buddha as God but rather as the founder of their teachings and the first to attain Enlightenment, they do not therefore pray to Buddha for help and guidance, they do not believe in angels, and they do not believe that Buddha calls them to his presence when they die; all of these are strictly Christian beliefs, most likely used in the story for the purpose of relating to a Western audience.

Quotes:

Prince Chulalongkorn:[to his father, the King] You believe! Does that mean that you do not know?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Petticoat Junction: The Valley's New Owner (#7.18)" (1970)

Soundtrack:

I Whistle A Happy Tune

A magnificent, emotionally packed unusual love story

I originally saw THE KING AND I at the Roxy Theatre in New York when I was ten years old. My grandmother took me after a day trip to the Statue of Liberty, and I was expecting to see one of my favorites, Jan Clayton, the star of LASSIE, in the starring role.

When the movie unfolded I was enraptured by the beautiful redhead playing the lead and realized it wasn't Miss Clayton (whom I later learned had played in the road version of the show, and kids that age don't really know the difference). I went out into the theatre lobby and looked at the ornate program, which listed Mrs. Anna as Deborah Kerr.

What an impression this woman has had on my life over the years from the retelling of the classic tale of the British woman who comes to Siam to teach the king's children. It is superb, not only musically, but from a story standpoint holds up as the best of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals. It is essentially a women's lib story, which makes it as relevant today as it was fifty years ago when it premiered on Broadway.

The fiery, but compassionate Mrs. Anna who is at first turned off by the king and then charmed by him, and who little by little changes him from a near-despot to a man who can grow.

The subplots are fanciful, but lovely and, in the ballet of Uncle Tom, as performed by Tuptim draw a direct analogy to the unpleasant lives endured by Siamese slaves, in particular women. It does so with majesty and intelligence, no less so than Arthur Miller did in "The Crucible," contrasting the Salem Witch Trials with the awful McCarthy political witchhunts on Capitol Hill.

It is an extraordinary achievement, and it is shocking that it did not even make the top 100 AFI films a year ago. It is continually fresh and alive, and every time there is a festival or re-release it does well. Indeed, a few years ago it was shown on a huge screen at The Hollywood Bowl, with orchestral accompaniment, and it was a smash again.

My only regret is that Deborah Kerr (six times nominated for an Oscar) was not gifted with an Academy Award along with her co-star Yul Brynner.

It is a film that should be seen for generations to come.