The Painted Veil (2006)

Director:

John Curran

Writers (WGA):

Ron Nyswaner (screenplay)
W. Somerset Maugham (novel)

Release Date:

19 January 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Sometimes the greatest journey is the distance between two people

Plot:

A British medical doctor fights a cholera outbreak in a small Chinese village, while also being trapped at home in a loveless marriage to an unfaithful wife.

Plot Keywords:

Marriage | Cholera | China | Epidemic | Doctor

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Catherine An	...	Hostess
Bin Li	...	Te-Ming
Bin Wu	...	Student 1
Alan David	...	Mr. Garstin
Marie-Laure Descoureaux	...	Sister St. Joseph
Sally Hawkins	...	Mary
Juliet Howland	...	Dorothy Townsend
Toby Jones	...	Waddington
Lorraine Laurence	...	Sister Maryse
Johnny Lee	...	Angry Chinese Man
Li Feng	...	Sung Ching
Gesang Meiduo	...	Amah
Edward Norton	...	Walter Fane
Yin Qing	...	Student 2
Ian Renwick	...	Geoffrey Denison (as Ian Rennick)

Also Known As:

Mian sha (China: Mandarin title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some mature sexual situations, partial nudity, disturbing images and brief drug content.

Runtime:

USA:125 min | Argentina:125 min

Country:

China | USA

Language:

Mandarin | English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:(Banned) | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-11 | Ireland:12A | Hong Kong:IIA | Denmark:11 | UK:12 (DVD rating) | UK:12A (original rating) | South Korea:15 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #42973) | France:U | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Sweden:11

Filming Locations:

Beijing Film Studio, Beijing, China

Company:

WIP

Trivia:

The film was originally being developed by Yari's Stratus Film. When Stratus executive, Mark Gill, left for Warner Independent, he brought this project with him.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Walter is telling Kitty he wants to divorce her, Kitty's necklace (with Charlie Townsend's ring) disappears and reappears between shots.

Quotes:

Kitty Fane: [about Wan Xi] I had no idea you had so much affection for her.
Waddington: What makes you think I do?
Kitty Fane: I can see it in your eyes. I wonder what she sees in you.
Waddington: [In Chinese] What do you see in me?
Wan Xi: [to Waddington] You're a good man.
Waddington: She says I'm a good man.
Kitty Fane: As if a women has ever loved a man for his virtue.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2007-01-06)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Le Furet Du Bois Joli

A terrific flick...great cinematography...fine acting

If you're an Edward Norton fan, (and I am) then you will have a fine time seeing this movie. Norton's blistering focus and concentration serve him well here. Naomi Watts is also fine, as is Toby Jones. It's nice to see Diana Rigg again, too. Sure it's melodramatic, but what's wrong with that? When done well, melodrama is a great treat. And this is done VERY well. It sure beats the dreadful Seventh Sin of the 50's and even tops the Garbo version from the 30's. Filming in China adds a lot, and the really beautiful cinematography helps immeasurably. With all the many good movies out there this time of year, I fear this one might get overlooked--and that will be a shame.