The director's expertise with that work convinced Watts and Norton that he would be capable of depicting the dysfunctional relationship in The Painted Veil. Overall, “The Painted Veil” is a very interesting film to watch. Will Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross win Golden Globe for Best Original Score for ‘Soul’ or ‘Mank’? It does a nice job of showing the relationship deteriorate and then build again until the sad finale. We didn’t want it to look like a film that you could shoot in Canada or Mexico or Italy." So much as to hide her from herself and to help thwart a cholera outbreak, this is a marriage more than on the rocks. Kitty and Walter Fane are the protagonists. This is a cold, indifferent, and loveless partnership in a vast unknown and deadly environment that will test both of these flightless lovebirds and with the hardships and tolerances more than any had ever anticipated. THE PAINTED VEIL has that rare combination of time, place and character that makes a great period drama. It was as if I had purchased it brand new. All the same, the film is still dominated by the stuffy, repressed personality of Fane, whose emotional stonewalling of his wife produces a stifling of Kitty's naturally more vivacious, if common, personality. [4], Director John Curran suggested setting the film during 1925, when the events of the Chinese nationalist movement were taking place. The 2006 movie adaptation of the Painted Veil, a novel written by Somerset Mangham in 1925, romanticises the resolution of the marriage of Walter Fane and Kitty, an English frivolous socialite. Read 6 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. "[5], The firing of Mark Gill, one of the initial producers of The Painted Veil and who brought it to Warner Independent Pictures, was cited as a reason for the small scale of the film's marketing campaign. The cholera epidemic takes many victims. Here, she begins to see him differently, that he can be unselfish and caring. 3 Reasons You Might Love The Painted Veil 1 – The characters are flawed. Film critic Rex Reed of The New York Observer wrote, "Nobody can understand why Warner Independent Pictures is keeping this movie such a secret; it is filled with Oscar possibilities that should be shouted from the rooftops. So much as to hide her from herself and to help thwart a cholera outbreak, this is a marriage more than on the rocks. When her son asks who Townsend is, she replies: "No one important, darling". Released in United States on Video May 8, 2007 Published in 1925 for the first time, it had slightly different approach to stories in the sense that the author punched a good story into 246 pages and said more with his economy of words, than 1000+-page novels. An Ivy League professor is lured back to his Oklahoma hometown, where his twin brother, a small-time pot grower, has concocted a scheme to take down a local drug lord. Kitty, férje munkája miatt, londoni életét hátrahagyva Sanghajba költözik, ahol rátalál a szerelem a helyi konzul személyében. Edward Norton and Naomi Watts gave amazing performances. Was this review helpful to you? . First published in 1925, “The Painted Veil” recounts the moral awakening of a vain, careless young woman, Kitty (Ms. Watts), who has been raised for a life of abject uselessness. On a brief trip to London, earnest, bookish bacteriologist Walter Fane (Edward Norton) is dazzled by Kitty Garstin (Naomi Watts), a London socialite. Our editors have rounded up their most anticipated horror movies of the year. They considered the 1925 novel by W. Somerset Maugham to be one-dimensional. I had seen The Painted Veil several times and always knew I just had to own it. This is a cold, indifferent, and loveless partnership in a vast unknown and deadly environment that will test both of these flightless lovebirds and with the hardships and tolerances more than any had ever anticipated. Norton explained, "I like to think that we didn't change the book so much as liberate it. The Painted Veil is a fabulous and elegant old school melodrama with flawless acting from leads Naomi Watts and Edward Norton, spectacular cinematography and a heartbreaking script. A British medical doctor fights a cholera epidemic in a small Chinese village, while being trapped at home in a loveless marriage to an unfaithful wife. He said that Fane was confused when the Chinese were not grateful for his help, saying, "Walter means well, but he's the folly of empire, and that adds a whole new dimension to what happens in the story. They are picking flowers for their visit to Walter's grandfather. Todd McCarthy of Variety thought the story "feels remote and old-school despite a frankness the two previous film versions lacked." You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Veil Not The Painted Veil Analysis 730 Words | 3 Pages "Lift not the painted veil", an 1818 sonnet by the British Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, depicts a world covered by a "painted veil". The Painted Veil Questions and Answers. After visiting an orphanage run by a group of French nuns, Kitty volunteers, and she is assigned to work in the music room. Find out where to watch online amongst 45+ services including Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video. He contracts the disease and Kitty lovingly nurses him, but he dies, and she is devastated. Set in the present-day San Fernando Valley, the project revolves around a delusional man who believes he's a cowboy and the relationship that he starts with a rebellious young woman. Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Toby Jones, Anthony Wong Chau Sang and Liev Schreiber appear in the leading roles. Director John Curran said, "We wanted this movie to be distinctly Chinese. At a wedding, a veil is usually white, representing the innocence of the person wearing it. [8] The Painted Veil ultimately grossed $8,060,487 in the United States and Canada and $14,525,904 in other territories for a worldwide total of $22,586,391. Forgiveness comes at a price. Maugham used this concept to … . Kitty is the first character that comes to mind when I think of flaws, but if I scratch... 2 – A mismatched couple: Marriages can be challenging!. At the beginning of the movie, Kitty was a self- centered woman. A British medical doctor fights a cholera outbreak in a small Chinese village, while also being trapped at home in a loveless marriage to an unfaithful wife. View production, box office, & company info. The Painted Veil is a remarkable golden oldie. This love story has Kitty (Naomi Watts) meeting young, intelligent, shy and somewhat dull Dr. Walter Fane (Edward Norton), whose forte is the study of infectious diseases, and the convenient marriage to which she finds herself committed. It is a powerful story of a broken marriage healed through love, charity and devotion to duty. Kitty rejects his overtures and walks away. He found Huangyao Ancient Town (黄姚古镇, huángyáo gǔzhèn) in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which served as the location for the village. The Painted Veil is a 1925 novel by British author W. Somerset Maugham.The title is taken from Percy Bysshe Shelley's sonnet which begins "Lift not the painted veil which those who live / Call Life".. With Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Catherine An. Even though this veil presents "unreal shapes", everybody accepts it as it is, except for one individual lifting it to seek love. The couple embark upon an arduous, two-week-long overland journey to the mountainous inland region, which is considerably faster and much easier if they traveled by river, but Walter is determined to make Kitty as uncomfortable as possible. He added, "Present scripter Ron Nyswaner makes some solid fundamental decisions, beginning with the telescoping down to the barest minimum the London-set opening . The Painted Veil – book vs movie Janet Cheng in Literature on 12 March, 2020. When I read it, I was very affected by it because in it I saw my own failings. Will a cure be found for both, before it's too late? Based on the classic novel by W. Somerset Maugham, "The Painted Veil" is a love story set in the 1920s that tells the story of a young English couple, Walter, a middle class doctor and Kitty, an upper-class woman, who get married for the wrong reasons and relocate to Shanghai, where she falls in love with someone else. She soon learns she is pregnant, but is unsure who the father is. Is The Painted Veil streaming? Previous versions of W. Somerset Maugham's novel include "The Painted Veil" (USA/1934), directed by Richard Boleslavsky and starring Greta Garbo, and "The Seventh Sin" (USA/1957), directed by Ronald Neame and starring Eleanor Parker and Bill Travers. Norton, who had studied Chinese history at Yale University, agreed with the suggestion. 10 wins & 13 nominations. The screenplay by Ron Nyswaner is based on the 1925 novel of the same title by W. Somerset Maugham. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? “The Painted Veil” remains an important interwar novel as it opened room for other writers to follow suit and sketch woman characters in such a way so as to normalise their being imperfect individuals, who should not be demonised for not meeting unrealistic societal standards of … A family's moral codes are tested when Ray Tierney investigates a case that reveals an incendiary police corruption scandal involving his own brother-in-law. Title: No matter which of them (or, for that matter, any one of the film's fine cast) is on the screen, we are fully involved: they invite us into their story, they invite us to care. Their marriage begins to blossom in the midst of the epidemic. (2006). Its reach is wider, its canvas broader. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone rated the film three out of four stars and commented, "If you're suspecting this third movie version of W. Somerset Maugham's 1925 novel may carry the infectious dullness of prestige filmmaking, rest easy . A visual delight amidst the pain and suffering of dying people and failing marriage. . I was interested to see that Naomi Watts and Edward Norton produced this film. . (There is unrest related to the Chinese Revolution.) Instead, as nicely directed by John Curran and adapted to the screen by Ron Nyswaner, this version of the story lulls you by turning Maugham’s distaff bildungsroman into a fine romance. Bereft and pregnant, she leaves China. "[16], Composer Alexandre Desplat won the 2006 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score. Cornered by the DEA, convicted New York drug dealer Montgomery Brogan reevaluates his life in the 24 remaining hours before facing a seven-year jail term. [3], The project began development at producers Bob Yari and Mark Gordon's Stratus Film Company, but when Stratus executive Mark Gill left to start Warner Independent Pictures, he took the project with him. Gillian Armstrong was previously attached to direct. All of them are performed by the Choir of the Beijing Takahashi Culture and Art Centre:[7], The film's post-production schedule was slated to conclude in late summer 2006, but did not finish until November. [5], The Painted Veil initially had a limited release in four theaters in the United States on December 20, 2006, grossing $51,086 over the opening weekend. "[citation needed], The official soundtrack was composed by Alexandre Desplat, and features Lang Lang on the piano. The Painted Veil is a 1925 novel by British author W. Somerset Maugham, which was first serialized in Cosmopolitan and Nash’s Magazine.It focuses on a young debutante named Kitty Garstin, who, after rejecting dozens of marriage proposals, finds herself marrying an eccentric doctor named Walter Fane. The actor said of his changes, "I went on the assumption that if you were willing to allow Walter and Kitty to grow... you had the potential for a love story that was both tragic and meaningful. 191 of 231 people found this review helpful. The director did not want to build a set for the village beset by cholera, and instead sought a rural area in China. Whether through craft or constitution, [he] invests Walter with a petty cruelty that makes his character’s emotional thaw and Kitty’s predicament all the more poignant. . Gulong village, Yizhou District, Hechi, Hechi, Guangxi, China. It's impeccable, but leaves you cold."[13]. A wife neglected by her husband, a medical researcher in China, falls in love with a dashing diplomatic attaché. The Painted Veil is a 2006 American drama film directed by John Curran. The Painted Veil eventually expanded to 23 more markets on December 29, 2006, with additional cities on January 5, 2007. Their pressure resulted in limiting cuts from the film to 38 seconds. It had medium color payoff that … Except for a cook and a Chinese soldier assigned to guard her, she is alone for long hours. . Kitty Fane often gazes at the vast and dreamlike Chinese landscape from a curtained chair lifted by coolies. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. To what does "The dog it was that died" refer? The Painted Veil is passionate, lush, and epic. The Painted Veil subtitles. In the movie “The Painted Veil”, which is a story surrounded with love and romance, there are three very different yet interesting couple relationships. . Asking young Walter his age, he realizes from the reply that he might be the boy's father. For Ray, the truth is revelatory, a Pandora's Box that threatens to upend not only the Tierney legacy but the entire NYPD. The Painted Veil is a beautifully written affirmation of the human capacity to grow, to change, and to forgive. The San Diego Film Critics Society honored Norton for his work in this, The Illusionist, and Down in the Valley. [5], Yari and Warner Independent Pictures collaborated with a Chinese partner who was granted approval over the script and the finished film. My intentions toward you are quite dishonorable. Imagine Debussy's pentatonic melodies and Satie's ironic harmonies coupled with Legrand's grandly sweeping strings and Glass' minimalist ostinatos and you've more or less imagined Alexandre Desplat's score for the film The Painted Veil (2006). In the novel the veil is painted, which means that it is not an innocent veil the characters are wearing. The Painted Veil is the sort of movie-star vehicle that usually provides for outsized, capital "A" Acting. The Painted Veil has often been hailed as a proto-feminist work: Kitty Fane shows a growth and dynamism that the men around her lack, and is ultimately able to move past the bad choices. Warner Independent hosted 80 screenings of The Painted Veil in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and London, as well as to various Hollywood guilds, to promote the film. Even if one were to strip away the performances and the story there is still the sheer beauty of the Chinese countryside, filmed to perfection.Just go, and see for yourself. Despite of its long duration (about 2 hours), there isn’t one single dull moment in the entire film. We just imagined it on a slightly bigger scale, and made external some of what is internal in the novel." Nitta Sayuri reveals how she transcended her fishing-village roots and became one of Japan's most celebrated geisha. Gill was later fired before the film's completion by Warner Bros. production president Jeff Robinov. To detail scenes from the time period, Curran, Norton, and Nyswaner relied on excerpts from historian Jonathan Spence's 1969 book To Change China, which covered the inept efforts of Western advisers during these years. "[14], Meghan Keane of the New York Sun said the film "may at times threaten to fall into an abyss of sentimentality, and it has moments that seem mere transitions to propel the plot, but it manages a charming historic portrait without insulting the audience's intelligence."[15]. White is pure and has not yet been violated. The Queen was all wit and charm, slyly winking at the audience through layers of stiff formality. The script was frequently redrafted, as it was intended both to be close to the source material, and to take liberties with the source material, specifically to create a feminist version. With Greta Garbo, Herbert Marshall, George Brent, Warner Oland. An altar boy is accused of murdering a priest, and the truth is buried several layers deep. Their cheerful neighbor Waddington (Toby Jones) is a British deputy commissioner living in relative opulence with Wan Xi (Lü Yan), a young Chinese woman. . In 1934, Greta Garbo took on the lead role, while Eleanor Parker starred in the 1957 version. Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score, National Board of Review Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay, Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead, "Soundtracks for The Painted Veil (2006)", "The Painted Veil (2006) - Weekend Box Office Results", "The 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2007)", The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Painted_Veil_(2006_film)&oldid=1019608112, Films based on works by W. Somerset Maugham, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Marie-Laure Descoureaux as Sister St. Joseph, "Le Furet Du Bois Joli" (Composed by Pierre De Berville, Arranged by Evan Chen), "Reste Avec Moi" (French translation of "Abide with Me", with words by Henry Lyte, Music by William Monk, Arranged by Evan Chen), This page was last edited on 24 April 2021, at 09:56. . The biographer Richard Cordell notes that the book was influenced by Maugham's study of science and his work as a houseman at St Thomas' Hospital. [10] On the similar website Metacritic, the film has received a metascore of 69 out of 100 based on 33 reviews, considered generally favorable reviews. But cholera-carrying refugees from elsewhere arrive in the area, and Walter sets up a camp for them outside town. According to Nyswaner, a large amount of time of the film production was spent negotiating with the Chinese government for the completion of the film, as there were disagreements over issues in the script. I think is the tone of the film –– and by that I mean everything from the cinematography to the dialogue the music and, most of all, the nuanced performances –– which, because it is so consistent and so consistently sublime renders the film far apart from the ordinary. Ron Nyswaner won the National Board of Review Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay but lost to Jason Reitman for Thank You for Smoking. The Painted Veil has the ingredients of a great film, including cinematography (alternatively lush and parched) and high-caliber actors. [6], There are also three songs not listed on the official soundtrack. But John Curran's version is both lush and intimate, a showcase for subtle performances in which China becomes an "exotic" backdrop for white folks' troubles. [9], On the film review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, The Painted Veil has received an approval rating of 74% based on 143 reviews. Based on the novel by William Somerset Maugham, The Painted Veil had been the subject of two earlier adaptations prior to the release of the 2006 film. Norton and Curran expressed concerns that their studio accepted the censorship too quickly, with the director threatening to remove his name from the film. The Painted Veil is a 1925 novel by British author W. Somerset Maugham. A British medical doctor fights a cholera epidemic in a small Chinese village, while being trapped at home in a loveless marriage to an unfaithful wife. . Charles, declines to accept, despite earlier claiming his love for Kitty. 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