Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1950s
    Movies - 1950s Movies - K 3 Mins Read

    King and I, The (1956)

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    The King and I was another lavish Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, this time based on Anna Leonowens’ autobiographical novel Anna and The King of Siam.

    Originally a Broadway show, the musical tells the story of Anna, a young, recently-widowed mother of one son who comes to 19th-century Siam (now known as Thailand) to tutor the king’s many children.

    Anna and the King immediately clash. The King expects everyone to submit to his beliefs and demands, and he is greatly annoyed when Anna does not. Her headstrong personality and British upbringing make her bristle at Siam’s notions of subservience and sexism.

    The King and Anna eventually warm to each other, even if they still do not necessarily approve of each other’s thinking. Yet the two are charmed by each other’s distinct, but opposing personalities.

    Anna also loves tutoring the King’s large brood of children and wives, but she soon learns that their perspective of the world is marred by the King’s outrageous opinions and huge ego.

    king&i_003When she tries to instruct them about world geography, she is amused to learn that the children think that Siam is the largest country in the world, and the British Empire is tiny by comparison.

    Anna seems to enjoy living in Siam until she witnesses the King’s harsh treatment of one of his concubines, a young woman unwilling to be the King’s consort because she is in love with another man.

    Anna must decide whether she can live in a country whose way of life she does not approve of, as well as reconcile her feelings for the King himself.

    The King and I included several memorable Rodgers and Hammerstein songs, including Getting to Know You and Shall We Dance?, as well as the famous House of Uncle Thomas performance that featured Thai dancing and pantomime.

    Yul Brenner originated the role of the King of Siam on Broadway and also played him in the film, winning both a Tony and an Oscar for his performance of the same role. The King and I was nominated for eight other awards, including Best Picture, winning five of them.

    After more than five decades in release, The King and I has become a classic musical, still being watched by song and dance fans around the world.

    The story’s continuing popularity has led to two remakes, both released in 1999. Warner Bros.’ The King and I was an animated retelling of the Rodgers and Hammerstein play, while 20th Century Fox’s Anna and the King dispensed with the singing and dancing to focus on Anna Leonowens’ story, with Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat in the title roles.

    Deborah Kerr’s singing voice was provided by Marni Nixon.

    Anna Leonowens
    Deborah Kerr
    King Mongkut

    Yul Brynner
    Tuptim

    Rita Moreno
    Kralahome

    Martin Benson
    Lady Thiang

    Terry Saunders
    Louis Leonowens

    Rex Thompson
    Lun Tha

    Carlos Rivas
    Prince Chulalongkorn

    Patrick Adiarte
    Sir John Hay

    Alan Mowbray
    Sir Edward Ramsay

    Geoffrey Toone

    Director
    Walter Lang

    Related Posts

    • Loving You (1957)
      Loving You (1957)
      Elvis Presley's second movie gives us a precious look at the King in his rock 'n' roll prime. He appeared in…
    • King Solomon's Mines (1950)
      King Solomon's Mines (1950)
      Adventure based on the classic novel by H Rider Haggard, starring Deborah Kerr and Stewart Granger. It is 1897 and…
    • An Affair To Remember (1957)
      An Affair To Remember (1957)
      Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr star in this syrupy sob story, which is actually a remake by director Leo McCarey…
    • King Kong Lives (1986)
      King Kong Lives (1986)
      Ten years ago, the great ape King Kong fell from the top of the World Trade Center in New York…
    • Love Me Tender (1956)
      Love Me Tender (1956)
      Early in his career, Elvis Presley realised that if he wanted to promote all his records, it would be impossible…
    • Solomon And Sheba (1959)
      Solomon And Sheba (1959)
      Solomon's rise to the throne enrages his more warlike brother while the queen of Sheba conspires with the Egyptians to bring…
    • Lady Is a Square, The (1959)
      Lady Is a Square, The (1959)
      Herbert Wilcox directs his wife Anna Neagle and their favourite singing star Frankie Vaughan in this lightweight but charming musical…
    • King Kong Escapes (1967)
      King Kong Escapes (1967)
      This live-action tie-in to the animated TV series King Kong (1966) was also produced by Rankin/Bass Productions in conjunction with…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleKilling of Sister George, The (1968)
    Next Article Krull (1983)

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • Growing up in North England in the 1960s and 1970s
      School dinners, “kiss-catch”, free milk, bob-a-job […]
    • Harum Scarum (1965)
      Elvis Presley stars as action movie star Johnny Tyronne, whose […]
    • Lord of the Flies (1963)
      As war is about to break out, a party of wealthy English […]
    • Go!!
      1 9 6 4 – 1 9 6 7 (Australia) 222 x 55 minute episodes […]
    • Napalm Death
      The music of Birmingham agitators Napalm Death typically crashes […]
    • John F Kennedy
      1 9 1 7 – 1 9 6 3 Born in 1917, John Fitzgerald Kennedy […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disco Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.