Search - The King and I on DVD

MPAA Rating: G Content Advisory: Adult Situations Movie Release: 1956 DVD Release: 04/27/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 13 mins Studio: 20th Century Fox Members Wishing: 64 Genres: Musical, Romance, Romantic Drama, Musical Romance See Also: The King and I [50th Anniversary Edition]

The King and I, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's 1951 Broadway musical hit, was based on Margaret Landon's book -Anna and the King of Siam. Since 20th-Century-Fox had made a film version of the Landon book in 1946, that studio had first dibs on the movie adaptation of The King and I. Deborah Kerr plays English widow Anna Leonowens, who comes to Siam in the 1860s to tutor the many wives and children of the country's progressive King (Yul Brynner, recreating his Broadway role-and winning an Oscar in the process). The culture clash between Anna and the King is but one aspect of their multilayered relationship. Through Anna, the King learns the refineries and responsibilities of "modern" western civilization; Anna meanwhile comes to realize how important it is for an Oriental ruler to maintain his pride and to uphold the customs of his people. After a successful evening entertaining foreign dignitaries, Anna and the King celebrate with an energetic dance, but this is cut short by a bitter quarrel over the cruel punishment of the King's new Burmese wife Tuptim (Rita Moreno), who has dared to fall in love with someone else. Despite the many rifts between them, Anna and the monarch come to respect and (to a degree) love one another. When the King dies, Anna agrees to stay on to offer help and advice to the new ruler of Siam, young Prince Chulalongkhorn (Patrick Adiarte). In general, The King and I tends to be somewhat stagey, with the notable exception of the matchless "Small House of Uncle Thomas" ballet, which utilizes the Cinemascope 55 format to best advantage (the process also does a nice job of "handling" Deborah Kerr's voluminous hoopskirts). Most of the Broadway version's best songs ("Getting to Know You", "Whistle a Happy Tune", "A Puzzlement", "Shall We Dance" etc.) are retained. None of the omissions are particularly regrettable, save for Anna's solo "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You?" This feisty attack on the King's chauvinism was specially written to suit the talents of Gertrude Lawrence, who played Anna in the original production; the song was cut from the film because it made Deborah Kerr seem "too bitchy" (Kerr's singing, incidentally, is dubbed for the most part by the ubiquitous Marni Nixon). When all is said and done, the principal attraction of The King and I is Yul Brynner, in the role that made him a star and with which he will forever be identified. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Deborah Kerr - Anna Leonowens
Yul Brynner - The King of Siam
Rita Moreno - Tuptim
Martin Benson - Kralahome
Terry Saunders - Lady Thiang
Rex Thompson - Louis Leonowens
Carlos Rivas - Lun Tha
Patrick Adiarte - Prince Chulalongkorn

Walter Lang's big-screen adaptation of The King and I arrives on DVD with a widescreen transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. English soundtracks are rendered in both Dolby Digital Surround and Dolby Digital Stereo, while a French soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Mono. English and Spanish subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials on this THX-certified disc include the original theatrical trailer and a singalong section. 20th Century Fox has done a very good job with this popular but older film's DVD release. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide