The painted veil film analysis

Edward norton, naomi watts, toby jones, anthony wong chau sang and liev schreiber appear in the leading roles. Somerset maugham novel was the source for the fairtomiddling greta garbo vehicle the painted veil. Two great performances, one of the years best screenplays, nicely directed, a beautiful film thanks to the great cinematography and an enjoyable cinematic experience. The painted veil is a 1934 american drama directed by richard boleslawski and starring greta garbo. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. The painted veil is directed by john curran we dont live here anymore based on w. It is also wonderfully entertaining, and a good introduction to the period piecehistorical epic genre some. Walter fane, a bacteriologist living in china who falls madly. Watts, who has been raised for a life of abject uselessness. The painted veil is an intelligently adapted, welldirected film with two charismatic, awardworthy lead performances and a strong supporting cast, including liev schreiber, diana rigg, and most notably toby jones as the fanes neighbor. The storyline of the painted veil has some major changes between the movie and the novel. Jan 19, 2007 t he painted veil is a film that is in love with the idea of love. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life the novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november 1924 march 1925.

The romance between the leads is so unconvincing it. The painted veil is the story of kitty fane, a beautiful, but thoughtless, shallow, and selfcentered woman. It is in such a hurry to get to its second actin which the cuckolded walter fane takes his unfaithful wife into the heart of a cholera epidemic so that they can both discover too late that they actually do love rather than hate one anotherthat we are no more certain why kitty was unfaithful than we are why walter. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. The painted veil william somerset maugham this is a book to get lost in, not just in the usual way of books, but in a way that is haunting and will have you musing for days and days, long after you have turned the final page. The film was produced by hunt stromberg for metrogoldwynmayer. Apr 28, 2007 s omerset maughams 1925 novel the painted veil, previously filmed rather beautifully in 1934 starring greta garbo and indifferently in 1957 as the seventh sin, is the tale of kitty naomi watts. Somerset maughams 1925 novel may carry the infectious dullness of prestige filmmaking. The painted veil is a 2006 drama based on the novel of the same name by w. Only when it is too late does dymovs wife olga like kitty realize her husbands moral worth and see that he is a far finer man than she had realized. The movie is based on the 1925 novel of the british author w. The painted veil should get 4 or 5 oscar nominations. The novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november 1924 march 1925.

Glenn lewis fall again the painted veil movie by darko. The painted veil study guide contains a biography of w. Introduction the painted veil 2006 film in this assignment is going to tell the story of a young british couple who came to chinas rural life in the 1920s after they marriage. This novel has been adapted for the screen three times. Jun 07, 2012 the painted veil william somerset maugham this is a book to get lost in, not just in the usual way of books, but in a way that is haunting and will have you musing for days and days, long after you have turned the final page. Also harking back to garbos silent days is the fact that neither one of the men in her life is particularly interesting. The screenplay by ron nyswaner is based on the 1925 novel of the same title by w. In the painted veil, several familiar themes of colonial fiction and film combine to show the impact of the experience on an immature, selfabsorbed young woman in a foreign land at a time of turmoil and danger. 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.

The picture opens in 1925, with a sequence showing the tedious and painful journey of an english couple, dr. By peter rainer film critic of the christian science monitor. The painted veil is the third remake of a 1920 story by w. Somerset maugham, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. The painted veil begins with a story of a young, upperclass woman names kitty married a middleclass bacteriologist calls walter. The painted veil essays are academic essays for citation. Aug 20, 2009 the painted veil was definitely great, changed in a skilfull way but no so much and beautiful in its own, rather different than the novel, way. The painted veil has the ingredients of a great film, including cinematography alternatively lush and parched and highcaliber actors. I love the 2006 adaptation of the movie, and i read the book for the first time last year. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. The painted veil vintage international kindle edition. Aug 22, 2008 character analysis and comparison with book and drama and focused essay and period piece the painted veil nathan 5. Somerset maughams distaff bildungsroman into a fine romance. But john currans version is both lush and intimate, a showcase for subtle performances in which china becomes an exotic backdrop for white folks troubles.

Sounds like it could be an interesting hour and twenty min, huh. Complexity of relationships the focus in painted veil. The painted veil is an excruciating lengthy bore that doesnt have a minute that is worth acknowledging. The painted veil is a 2006 american drama film directed by john curran. Somerset maugham, takes viewers on a journey into early 20th century rural china, where a cholera epidemic. This is the third film adaptation of the maugham book. Kitty garstin is a shallow socialite who decides to marry boring bacteriologist walter fane when she finds that. Far from the madding crowd 2015, last night 2010, love in the time of cholera 2007, the sleeping dictionary 2003, a walk in the clouds 1995, the bridges of madison county 1995, the notebook 2004, the age of innocence 1993, the choice 2016, revolutionary road 2008. In this beautiful but dangerous country, they experienced emotional waves that never imagined and experienced in. In a situation comparable to the plotlines of most of her silent films, garbo is lovelessly married to herbert marshall, but carries a flaming torch for george brent. Complexity of relationships the focus in painted veil movie.

The painted veil beautifully presents the story of a young society woman named kitty and her redemption from a shallow and selfcentered life through her growing ability to love. Marriage can be a dangerous business, not to be entered into lightly. In a situation comparable to the plotlines of most of her silent films, garbo is. Somerset maugham this study guide consists of approximately 34 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the painted veil. With naomi watts, edward norton, liev schreiber, catherine an. Financial analysis of the painted veil 2006 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability. T he painted veil is a film that is in love with the idea of love. The book has been adapted for the screen by ron nyswaner philadelphia. Visually, the painted veil has all the trappings of a stuffy period drama, but nortons and wattss deft portrayals of imperfect, complicated characters give the film a modernday spark. Through the whole film, kitty follows walter to meitanfu and this changes kitty, selfcentered lady to a loving wife. Gender, sexuality, and history in the painted veil. The painted veil film analysis 42 words 6 pages introduction the painted veil 2006 film in this assignment is going to tell the story of a young british couple who came to chinas rural life in the 1920s after they marriage. I admired the potraiture of people as people complex. This is a story about love with the heroine, kitty garstin, sacrificing her life with death risk caused by cholera in the deep forest of china, trying to dig her heart to be given to her husband.

In the novel the veil is painted, which means that it is not an innocent veil the characters are wearing. Somerset maugham and stars edward norton and naomi watts. At a wedding, a veil is usually white, representing the innocence of the person wearing it. Start from the type of this film, the painted veil is a novel adaptation film from the same title of novel, which is written by w. If a man hasnt whats necessary to make a woman love him, its his fault, not hers. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the painted veil by w.

Original score, cinematography a lock, editing, ad. The painted veil chapters 17 summary and analysis gradesaver. The romance between the leads is so unconvincing it becomes worthless, similar to the rest of the film. The painted veil 1934 richard boleslawski synopsis.

The painted veil preface through chapter 5 summary. Well think again, as this 1934 mgm offering, where the sexual heat between brent and greta is turned down low and the moral uplift, especially in the second half, is, well, strenuously uplifted, is a veritable primer of how will hays grubby hands can take what should be an enjoyable. The painted veil is a 1925 novel by british author w. The third film iteration of the painted veil turns w. While there are several significant changes in how her journey toward a better life is portrayed and the particulars of her circumstances, the film nevertheless captures. Maugham used this concept to show how all of society and the people living in it are tainted. This is a love story set in the 1920s that tells the story of a young english couple, walter fane edward norton, a middle class doctor and kitty naomi watts, an upperclass woman, who get married for the wrong reasons and relocate to shanghai, where she falls in love with someone else. How kitty fane, struggling to break female stereotypical roles prevailed at that time led her to a pity. The film chronicles the relationship of walter and kitty fane as they battle an outbreak of cholera in a remote chinese village in the 1920s and seek to restore their marriage. This extraordinary movie deals with the ways in which a marriage in ruins is slowly and inexorably repaired as two disappointed individuals struggle in an alien. That is one of the lessons of the painted veil, a brilliantly acted adaptation of w somerset maughams 1920s novel, which tells the story of kitty, who gets married to walter even though she does not love him. With outstanding performances all around, a strong script and the lush, evocative cinematography of onlocation china. Somerset maughams 1925 novel the painted veil, previously filmed rather beautifully in 1934 starring greta garbo and indifferently in 1957 as the seventh sin, is the tale of kitty naomi watts. The painted veil is the sort of moviestar vehicle that usually provides for outsized, capital a acting.

This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the painted veil by w. When her younger sister announces her own engagement to a prosperous duke, kitty panics and accepts the proposal of the very quiet, very shy, dr. Jan 17, 2007 in the painted veil, several familiar themes of colonial fiction and film combine to show the impact of the experience on an immature, selfabsorbed young woman in a foreign land at a time of turmoil and danger. Somerset maugham, with a screenplay by john meehan, salka viertel, and edith fitzgerald, the film is about a woman who accompanies her new husband to china while he conducts medical. Edward norton, naomi watts, toby jones, anthony wong chau sang and liev schreiber appear in the leading roles this is the third film adaptation of the maugham book, following a 1934 film starring greta garbo and herbert. Only yesterday i borrowed the book again because i wanted to write a brief comparison between the two. S omerset maughams 1925 novel the painted veil, previously filmed rather beautifully in 1934 starring greta garbo and indifferently in 1957 as the seventh sin, is the tale of kitty naomi watts.