An Englishwoman (Irene Dunne) and her son (Richard Lyon) arrive in Siam (now Thailand) in 1862. She has been employed as a governess to the King's (Rex Harrison) 67 children and also to educate his multiple wives. They immediately clash over his promise to give her a house to live in which he has reneged on. This is the first of many conflicts between her Western and his Eastern ideas. Based on the best selling book by Margaret Landon which, in turn, was based on the diaries of Anna Leonowens. It has been proven that both Mrs. Leonowens diaries and Landon's book took great liberties with the actual facts so one shouldn't take this film as a factual account. That being said, it's a compelling story nevertheless and the "artistic" liberties serve to enhance the drama. The casting of Caucasians as Asians is often problematic and no where more so than Harrison's King. He's inauthentic and not remotely believable and his slightly high pitched sing-song delivery seems rather affected. Still, he's Rex Harrison which means his strong screen presence helps to overlook his rather silly performance. On the other hand, Gale Sondergaard (also Oscar nominated) as his head wife is quite good in the film's best performance. Dunne is properly starchy and Linda Darnell makes for a luscious concubine. Tastefully directed by John Cromwell. The Oscar nominated score is by Bernard Herrmann. It was, of course, turned into the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical
THE KING AND I and I must confess, it plays much better with songs. With Lee J. Cobb (also good), Tito Renaldo and Mikhail Rasumny.
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