Review of The King and I (1956) by Josh P — 23 Sep 2014

Only the most stony hearted of people wouldn't love this great movie version of the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner utterly nail their characters giving performances that sparkle and crackle with vigour and energy.

Classic songs like "Shall We Dance", "Something Wonderful", "Getting to Know You" and "Whistle a Happy Tune" keep the toes tapping and really work to push the plot along.

There's also the marvellous "Uncle Tom's Cabin" ballet (which scared me as a child) which still manages to look exotic and is brilliantly realised and choreographed. Sure, the sets are rather stagey looking and Deborah Kerr's dresses are ridiculously wide but this is such a charming and entertaining film that these distractions are unimportant.

Brynner rightly won an Oscar for his performance in this movie and it became perhaps his career defining role. He manages to make the King an attractive and impish character, while maintaining a stubborn haughtiness and sense of entitlement that befits his status.

He looks amazing, every inch the regal, Oriental ruler and the final scene, where he is dying propped up on a chaise still brings a tear to my eye. For me, this is one of the best Hollywood musicals of that golden 1950s and 60s era, and I'm left with a warm glow every time I see it.