Anna and the King
| Anna and the King | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Andy Tennant |
| Produced by |
Lawrence Bender Ed Elbert |
| Screenplay by |
Steve Meerson Peter Krikes |
| Based on |
Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon |
| Starring |
Jodie Foster Chow Yun-fat Bai Ling Tom Felton |
| Music by |
George Fenton Robert Kraft |
| Cinematography | Caleb Deschanel |
| Edited by | Roger Bondelli |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
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Release date
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Running time
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148 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $92 million |
| Box office | $113,996,937 |
Anna and the King is a 1999 biographical drama film loosely based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam (and its 1946 film adaptation), which give a fictionalised account of the diaries of Anna Leonowens. The story concerns Anna, an English schoolteacher in Siam, now Thailand, in the late 19th century, who becomes the teacher of King Mongkut's many children and wives.
The film was directed by Andy Tennant and stars Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-fat. It was mostly shot in Malaysia, particularly in the Penang, Ipoh and Langkawi region. It was an Academy Award nominee in 1999 for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design.
Anna Leonowens (Jodie Foster) is a British widow who has come to Siam with her son Louis (Tom Felton) to teach English to the dozens of children of King Mongkut (Chow Yun-fat). She is a strong-willed, intelligent woman for her time, and this pleases the King. Mongkut wants to modernize Siam, thinking this will help his country resist colonialism and protect the ancient traditions that give Siam its identity. Mongkut and Anna discuss differences between Eastern and Western love, but he dismisses the notion that a man can be happy with only one wife. In order to win favors through Britain's ambassadors, Mongkut orders a sumptuous reception and appoints Anna to organize it. During the reception, the King spars graciously and wittily with Sir Mycroft Kincaid (Bill Stewart), of the East India Company. The Europeans express their beliefs that Siam is a superstitious, backward nation. Mongkut dances with Anna at the reception.
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