The Painted Veil (2006)

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

Director:

John Curran

Writers:

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

Stars:

Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 10 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

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

Storyline

This love story has Kitty meeting young, intelligent, shy and somewhat dull Dr. Walter Fane, whose forte is the study of infectious diseases, and the convenient marriage that she finds herself committed to. It is in this web of intrigue that they head for China, only after Walter discovers Kitty's infidelity with one dashing and witty diplomat Charlie Townsend. So much as to hide her from herself and to help thwart a cholera outbreak, this is a marriage more than on the rocks. This is a cold, indifferent and loveless partnership in a vast unknown and deadly environment that will test both these flightless lovebirds and with the hardships and tolerances more than any had ever anticipated. A visual delight amid the pain and suffering of a dying people and failing marriage. Will a cure be found for both, before it's too late?

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Plot Keywords:

loveless marriage | unfaithful wife | china | epidemic | cholera | 

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Taglines:

Forgiveness comes at a price

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

China USA Canada

Language:

English Mandarin French

Release Date:

19 January 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Al otro lado del mundo

Filming Locations:

Beijing Film Studio, Beijing, China

Box Office

Budget:

$19,400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$71,814, 24 December 2006

Gross USA:

$8,060,487, 26 April 2007

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$26,522,838

Company Credits

Production Co:

WIP, Stratus Film Co., Bob Yari Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Warner Independents and Yari Groups brought in a Chinese production company to help finance the film. The Chinese partner was granted approvals over the script and the finished film. It was concerned about the film's depiction of the uprising during the Chinese Revolution as well as the cholera's victims and asks for these contents to be reduced, something Edward Norton and John Curran disagreed upon. In the end, about 38 seconds of footage were removed.

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Goofs

During the love scene between Kitty And Walter, Kitty takes Walter's shirt off while they are kissing. In the next shot, Walter has his shirt back on and in the shot after that, when they are falling onto the bed, he has the shirt off again.

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Quotes

[opening lines]
Walter Fane: Hello.
Kitty Garstin: Hello.
Walter Fane: Say, I was wondering...
Kitty Garstin: What?
Walter Fane: Sorry. I - I was wondering if you'd like to dance.
Kitty Garstin: Why not?

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: The Painted Veil/Miss Potter/Perfume: The Story of a Murderer/Notes on a Scandal/The Curse of the Golden Flower/Pan's Labyrinth (2007)

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Soundtracks

Reste Avec Moi
(French translation of "Abide with Me")
Words by Henry F. Lyte (as Henry Lyte) (in the English version, but translated here to French)
Music by William H. Monk (as William Monk)
Arranged by Evan H. Chen (as Evan Chen)
Performed by The Choir of the Beijing Takahashi Culture and Art Centre

User Reviews

A most transporting film.

I think is the tone of the film –– and by that I mean everything from the cinematography to the dialogue the music and, most of all, the nuanced performances –– which, because it is so consistent and so consistently sublime renders the film far apart from the ordinary.

I was interested to see that Naomi Watts and Edward Norton produced this film. No matter which of them (or, for that matter, any one of the film's fine cast) is on the screen, we are fully involved: they invite us into their story, they invite us to care.

Even if one were to strip away the performances and the story there is still the sheer beauty of the Chinese countryside, filmed to perfection.

Just go, and see for yourself.