How Did the king get sick???
was the king really not eating and stuff and that is what made him sick or was it becasue of what she said to him and it broke his heart??? Anyone know...
sharethe way i took it was that because of what Anna said to him, he shut himself away and refused food, company, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. =]
share"food, company, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. =]"
ahhhhh HAHAHA!!
x_(*Theres no[business]like[showbusiness]*)_x
[deleted]
Hi and Merry Christmas!
The King and I is an adaptation of the true story of Anna Leonowens, a teacher employed to teach the children of King Mongkut of Siam (thailand) in 1860 ish. The film has many historical inacuracies, but she existed and so did he. She showed him the story of Uncle Toms Cabin, and she credited the abolition of slavery 40 years later, by Prince Chulalongkorn (the crown prince)to this fact.
The real King Mongkut and the Prince caught Malaria whilst on an expedition, and the king died a few days later. The prince survived and became king.
So, there you have it. I believe his "illness" is deliberately kept vague in the film so you can make your own assumptions. After all, dying of a broken heart is a much more heart rending ending than dying from malaria!
Can you actually die of a broken heart or broken spirit as it is said in the film?
Maggots maggots Michael your eating maggots how do they taste?
Yes, it's possible. People that have die from this just drop out basically. They don't eat or sleep or anything. They just drop out of life and eventually their bodies give out. My Great-Grandfather died of a broken heart after he lost my Great-Grandmother.
The Road To Salvation Begins Tonight...Right Now - The Archangel Gabriel
share
His dying at the end of the film, even though an explanation is given, always seemed so contrived to me. Much as I love the film (saw the 50th anniversary edition last night), I have always found this problematic. It's interesting that in that final scene and just before he dies, the King is very lucid and looks quite robust. Ah, well -- quibble, quibble.
I think Deborah Kerr is perfect as Anna. I haven't seen the film in years and had forgotten how she lights up the screen!
If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.
One of the silliest exchanges in all movies, something like:
Anna: "Why is he dying?"
Lady Thiang: "Mrs. Anna, who can say why a man dies?"
I always want to yell: "I don't know... maybe a DOCTOR?!"
"While putting my pants on, I yodel a chanson."
LOL! DT -- you're so funny! I was listening to some of the bonus tracks and someone asserted (Hammerstein's son, maybe?) that the King dying was his last way to force Anna to stay in Siam.
I dunno -- she seemed very reasonable and maybe paying her 30 or 35 pounds sterling may have convinced her.
If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.
Reading between the lines. From what is said plus the way he is clenching his fists to his chest when he runs out after throwing the whip. I asumed it was a heart attack.
shareAs much as I love THE KING AND I, it's always seemed to me that the King dies of nothing more than a terrible case of plot devicitis.
shareThe producers and writers of this movie apparently didn't seem to know what to do with that ending because, you're right it could a plot problem, but then I thought it doesn't make any sense in the movie. Maybe the writers thought that if the King dies, his death will make the film more dramatic than what it really is or it could be that the King would die for his forbidden love for Anna. I luv this movie to death but also I felt the ending was the only flaw. The ending should have more details and depth to understand why the King is dying. They did say he stopped eating and not getting any medical help but they did not show any scenes that he was declining in his health. All I saw was a man with giant abs who was perfectly healthy and happily dancing and whipping slaves a few minutes ago is suddenly lying in bed dying?
shareThere is no need to find always some rational, literal explanation. Let's be a little more imaginative and poetic. I recall the time my little brother asked me about that when he was about eight years old. "Why did the King die?" he asked me suddenly, several days after we had seen the film. When I answered, "He died of a broken heart," he thought about it for a while and I saw him totally satisfied with the answer.
Memento vivere (Remember to live)
[deleted]
Firstly, I loved The King and I, and the movie’s exotic atmosphere inspired me to learn about Thailand and, as chance would have it, I now live and work in Bangkok. Talk about prophetic. But the only part that is true to the movie is the amazing Grand Palace, official home of the king, which is just amazing with its gold spires, pavilions, colors and battlements...just like in the movie. Nevertheless, as much as I enjoyed the movie, it is full of the most offensive blunders as far as Thais are concerned and for this reason it is banned here.
Secondly, king Mongut (Rama IV) was far from the lovable barbarian as portrayed in this movie. He was highly educated, very sophisticated and a world authority on astronomy. It was during a gathering of international astronomers in Thailand (for an eclipse) that the king contracted Malaria...the viewing platform was located close to swamp...and later died. His son, prince Chulalongkorn (the crown prince in the movie) became the greatest king that Thailand has ever had... styled as Rama V, He is still revered as a great reforming king. How much this was due to Anna, or how much was due to his extensive travelling throughout Europe combined with his desire to modernize his country, is hard to say. As for the prince’s speech at the end, as the king lay dying, about not groveling before the king, well this has never happened. The people still prostrate themselves before the current king...Rama IX, who is the grandson of Chulalongkorn and greatly revered. As for the king dying of a broken heart over Anna, this is highly unlikely. It is probable that Anna and the king never even met, let alone get “friendly”. The status of the king as a demigod was far too grand for that.
Sorry for the lecture. Thought you would like to know.
I think that this is the problem: the Thais see their kings like demigods, while "The King and I" shows Mongkut as a human being, who has doubts, fights with his conscience, wants to become a better king for the sake of his people, and falls in love. In short, the musical is interested in the character's flaws, feelings and humanity, not in its idealization. And I much prefer that; you cannot sympathize with a character otherwise. It's a fictional character, inspired by a historical figure. We all know that and this doesn't prevent us from enjoying the musical. And as a fictional character, the King has its own life in the play's context.
Memento vivere (Remember to live)
"It's a fictional character, inspired by a historical figure. We all know that and this doesn't prevent us from enjoying the musical. And as a fictional character, the King has its own life in the play's context".
I totally agree! As I said, I loved the movie and still do because it indirectly led me to Thailand to live and work and this is a great place to be. I tell Thais, when they bristle at it, that it's a musical... not history...and must be enjoyed on its own terms.
I'm glad you agree. I recall a young boy from Thailand saying that he was prejudiced against the musical, but when he finally watched the film he was touched by the humane way in which Rodgers and Hammerstein had treated the King, and saw no direspect. Until then he had never dared to think of Mongkut as a man, who simply happened to be a king also.
Memento vivere (Remember to live)
[deleted]