Anna and the King

PG-13

Released Dec 17, 1999

2 hr. 27 min.

History

Drama

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List

52%

100 Reviews

Tomatometer

64%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Anna (Jodie Foster) has been employed to educate the king's (Chow Yun-Fat) 58 children. She knows very little of King Mongkut, apart from the fact that his people revere him as a god. She brings with her an East vs. West prejudice against the king, considering him to be uncivilized. She soon realizes that her views are more than matched by the rulers own preconceptions about the West and particularly this impertinent English woman.

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Critics Consensus

Beautiful cinematography can't prevent Anna and the King from being boring and overly lengthy.

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D M

I thought it was a wonderful story and enjoyed the cultural insight. I love the impact one can make on another to see & think differently. It can open so many possibilities vs being narrow minded & stuck.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/24

Full Review

Riccardo D

A great historical movie. Despite not being sure about its historical accuracy, it displays international relationships as they were at the time between West and East Great acting, and many themes of love, life, and death are explored with subtlety. The film is beautifully shot. The musical score is also beautiful and overall is an enjoyable watch.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/24

Full Review

Donald S

Once finishing the movie it makes sense on why everything made the movie. However, while watching the movie a lot of it felt slow and unnecessary. The acting and chemistry between Anna, The king and his children is great!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/24

Full Review

Theresa E

I have always loved this movie. The characters are memorable and the scenery is amazing. HD has made this movie better in my opinion. It's a beautiful glimpse into a long past culture. It asks questions that are still relevant while combining beautiful costumes with a well-known story.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/07/23

Full Review

isla s

I wasn't familiar with the plot of this film and I certainly found it an interesting watch. There are some quite engrossing scenes, when Anna Leonowens witnesses the true suffering of people in the local area who aren't linked to the royal family. The performances are quite good, Jodie Foster does ok as the main character, Annna and Yun-Fat Chow does well as as the King of Siam, King Mongkut, although I'd say the most memorable performance comes from Bai Ling, who plays Tuptim - she speaks very passionately. This is a well made film, with some quite pretty cinematography of the surrounding area and of palaces and places of worship etc., while also some heartbreaking scenes are depicted. The dichotomy between the two, the grim and the wondrous, certainly stuck with me. I can only imagine how Anna must have felt, seeing such division and the politicisation of things, it felt pretty uncomfortable to me. It is at times quite a lavish period drama that I found to be a good watch and I would recommend it to others.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

paul d

Visually beautiful, accompanied by excellent acting and a compelling plot line. Critics seemed to feel it too long and slow-paced, but it did not tax my attention span at all. Highly recommended!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Andy Tennant

Director

Jodie Foster

Anna Leonowens

Chow Yun-Fat

King Mongkut

Bai Ling

Tuptim

Tom Felton

Louis

Syed Alwi

The Kralahome

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Anna and the King: Trailer 1

2:32

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Bob Thomas

Associated Press

Anna and the King is a remarkable achievement for Andy Tennant... He has made full use of the magnificent sets, costumes and spectacle while never neglecting the human relationship that makes the Anna-King saga so enduring.

Jan 17, 2018

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: C+

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Intense, mature version of The King and I.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 21, 2010

Full Review

Chuck Klosterman

Akron Beacon Journal

Perhaps the true problem with Anna and the King is its medium; this probably should have been a TV miniseries... It has all the problems of an overlong art piece, but it still feels incomplete.

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 30, 2023

Full Review

Peggy Fernandez

Santa Cruz Sentinel

Filmed in Malaysia, with an elaborate reconstruction of the original royal palace, it's gorgeous enough to make you want to visit your travel agent right after closing credits.

Rated: B+

Nov 13, 2019

Full Review

Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

Handsome and well-appointed ... but still one of the most boring films in recent memory.

Rated: C-

Jul 23, 2007

Full Review

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Synopsis

Anna (Jodie Foster) has been employed to educate the king's (Chow Yun-Fat) 58 children. She knows very little of King Mongkut, apart from the fact that his people revere him as a god. She brings with her an East vs. West prejudice against the king, considering him to be uncivilized. She soon realizes that her views are more than matched by the rulers own preconceptions about the West and particularly this impertinent English woman.

Director: Andy Tennant
Executive Producer: Terence Chang
Screenwriter: Steve Meerson, Peter Krikes, Anna Leonowens
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Fox 2000 Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Violent Sequences)
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 17, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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