Review of The King and I (1956) by Maximilien K — 27 Oct 2010

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II are quite possibly the greatest music-writing team in the history of musical theatre. Together, the duo wrote some of the most renowned stage plays of all time. These include productions as The Sound of Music, South Pacific, and Carousel. All of these productions had wonderful film adaptations throughout the years. But 1956's "The King and I" just may be the most memorable, mainly because of Yul Brynner's magnificent performance. And when I look at the film now, it's just perfect. This is one of those movies that give the viewer a rare treat to see filmmaking at its finest.

The plot of the movie revolves around Ms. Anna Leonowens (Deborah Kerr), an overqualified schoolteacher sent by the King of Siam (Yul Brynner) to teach his children the ways of the modern world. Once Anna starts teaching, the King does not believe everything she is saying. And it then becomes a clash of cultural differences. Soon, Anna must form a friendly relationship with the King so that both sides of the argument can agree on a reasonable conclusion.

"The King and I" is a fantastic film that defines a perfect movie. The technical aspects, the costumes, direction, etc., etc., etc., are all done extraordinarily well are a real visual treat. But where this movie really shines is in the acting and with the music. The cast is brilliant, especially from Brynner who won an Academy Award for his performance. In fact, just watching him proves he has the power to play one great stubborn jackass so well that you really like him. The songs are so memorable that they can be recognized to this day. In fact, this movie is one of the greatest musicals of all time, and it would be a real shame to not miss out on such a good movie.

This is one of those films that are just perfect and I could not find anything wrong with it at all. Well, if you do want to count the 1999 animated remake.... But that is another story.

Overall, "The King and I" is one of the greatest films Hollywood has ever made. This adaptation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein play does the production justice and it needs to be seen. I highly recommend that everyone sees this movie for what it's worth, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.