The King and I (1999)

Director:

Richard Rich

Writers:

Oscar Hammerstein II (adapted from the musical by), Arthur Rankin Jr. (conceived and adapted for animation),

Stars:

Miranda Richardson, Christiane Noll, Martin Vidnovic

5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Miranda Richardson	...	Anna Leonowens (voice)
Christiane Noll	...	Anna Leonowens (singing voice)
Martin Vidnovic	...	The King of Siam (voice)
Ian Richardson	...	The Kralahome (voice)
Darrell Hammond	...	Master Little (voice)
Allen D. Hong	...	Prince Chululongkorn (voice)
David Burnham	...	Prince Chululongkorn (singing voice)
Armi Arabe	...	Tuptim (voice)
Tracy Venner Warren	...	Tuptim (singing voice)
Adam Wylie	...	Louis Leonowens (voice)
Sean Smith	...	Sir Edward Ramsay (voice)
James Fujii	...	First Wife (voice) (as J. A. Fujii)
Kenny Baker	...	Captain Orton (voice) (as Ken Baker)
Ed Trotta	...	Sir Edward's Captain (voice)
Tony Pope	...	Burmese Emissary (voice) (as Anthony Mozdy)

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

love | falling from height | based on stage musical based on novel | giant spider | siam | 

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Taglines:

The Extraordinary Adventure, The Magical Romance, The Musical Masterpiece

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Genres:

Animation | Family | Fantasy | Musical

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Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros.

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 March 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Le roi et moi

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£135,385 (UK) (28 May 1999)

Gross:

ESP 116,716,382 (Spain) (29 June 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Morgan Creek Productions, Rankin/Bass Productions, Nest Family Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

In response to the overwhelmingly negative reviews, the estates of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein have declared that there are to be no more animated features based on their musicals.

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Goofs

When The Kralahome shoots at the air balloon he goes from wearing a suit to his usual clothes and back to the suit again in a few shots.

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Quotes

[after Anna has just received a house outside the palace]
Anna Leonowens: I'm speechless.
The King of Siam: For once!

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Connections

Version of The Beautician and the Beast (1997)

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Soundtracks

"Getting To Know You"
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Arranged by William Kidd
Performed by Christiane Noll, Emma Stevenson-Blythe, Beau Bruder, Benjamin Fox, Caillegh Harper, Andrew Harper, and Tamara Rusque

User Reviews

pointless, silly, dumbed-down remake

We know the limitations of animation, or do we? Animation can be great, especially if it allows us to see something that we otherwise wouldn't, but this effort is a disaster. Just because Warner had the rights to reshape the story doesn't mean that it was wise to do so. I suggest either the original drama >Anna and the King<, a rather adult approach with much darkness that fits the original story, or the more accessible live-action musical >The King and I<, which has the benefits of Richard Rogers' musical score. It looks much like an attempt to capitalize upon either >Beauty and the Beast< or >Aladdin<, both infinitely better.

This animated film is a disaster from the start. It tries to make a fairy tale out of a story from the nineteenth century by adding sorcery and magical devices that mock the norms of nineteenth-century thought. Sorcery and the hyper-rational nineteenth century do not mix.

Some of the animated sets, I concede, are attractive. That said, the treatment inexcusably confuses Chinese and Thai culture. (To be sure, Thailand has a large Chinese diaspora, and it is quite influential, but not dominant).

Many of the characters are over the top, including the devious Prime minister who exploits a big-screen "magic mirror" and wears a Colonel Klink-like monocle and has a stereotypical stooge as his confederate. The animals are excessively cute and unrealistic, including the sterotypical 'mischievous monkey' and the King's cuddly pet panther(?), not to mention some of the most unrealistic elephants that we have ever seen and the snakes that the evil Prime Minister conjures out of vines. We've seen it all before, and this time it doesn't work.

Forget this one. Too many valid alternatives exist for this general story. If you want magic in an animated flick, then seek something in a more mystical time (such as >Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs<} or place (the beautiful-but-creepy world of >Spirited Away<.

Don't debase your video collection with this derivative rubbish. This movie's story is too dumb for adults and too dark for children.