The King and I (1956 film)
The King and I is a 1956 musical film made by 20th Century Fox, directed by Walter Lang and produced by Charles Brackett and Darryl F. Zanuck. The screenplay by Ernest Lehman is based on the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical The King and I, based in turn on the book Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon. The plot comes from the story written by Anna Leonowens, who became school teacher to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. Leonowens story was autobiographical, although a recent biographer has uncovered substantial inaccuracies and fabrications. An animated adaptationremake was made in 1999.
Once inside the Royal Palace, Anna demands to see King Mongkut and is allowed by the Kralahome to enter the Throne Room. A pleased Mongkut ignores her objections as he introduces her to his numerous wives who include head wife Lady Thiang and a graceful girl from Burma named Tuptim. King Mongkut later presents the fifteen children she will tutor, aside from the other sixtyseven among them his eldest son and heir Prince Chulalongkorn March of the Royal Siamese Children. Anna eventually agrees to stay and tutor the Kings children, prompting formality to break down. Later that night, Lady Thiang and the other wives assist Anna in unpacking while also interested in how the British dress and act. When an old photograph of her late husband Tom is discovered, the wives start to deride the unhappy Tuptim because she is in love with another man named Lun Tha, the same man who brought her to Siam. This causes Anna to reminisce about her life with Tom and give her blessing to other girls who are like she once was Hello Young Lovers.Anna refuses to give up on the house and teaches the children about the virtues of home life to King Mongkuts irritation. The King contemplates how he craves truth and wonders why the world has become so complicated with different cultures saying different things A Puzzlement. Meanwhile, Anna shows the children a modern map saying that England is even smaller than Siam. Anna starts to form a relationship with the children as getting to know people is her favorite thing to teach Getting to Know You. The lesson, however, creates disorder when the children refuse to believe in snow. The King eventually enters a chaotic schoolroom, ordering his pupils to believe Anna. Upon noticing Tuptim has a copy of the novel Uncle Toms Cabin, he engages in a slightly heated conversation with Anna about slavery an institution embraced by all his people. ........
Source: Wikipedia
