Anna and the King

The story of Anna Leonowens, the strong minded, widowed British governess who travelled to Siam in the mid-1800's to educate the king's many children, has been told in film many times before. The most famous incarnation of this story is Rogers and Hammerstein's musical The King And I, in which Yul Brynner virtually made the role of the despotic but benevolent king his own, and its subsequent tv spin off. The story was previously …

…attempted coup and treachery threatening the palace. The intrigue is resolved in a spectacular, if contrived, climactic Bridge On The River Kwai-like confrontation. PhilaFlava: While Anna And The King explores broader themes of colonialism, tradition, and the clash of cultures, its treatment is nonetheless rather superficial. The film lacks enough dramatic confrontations and clashes between the headstrong Anna and the king to sustain tension and thus hold the audience's interest for its generous running time.