MovieChat Forums > Anna and the King (1999) Discussion > question about Bai Ling's character, Tup...

question about Bai Ling's character, Tuptim, and her death

posted 18 years ago by rampantdreams
9 replies | jump to latest

Okay, I have seen this movie on television before and I just watched it today. However, I was away for the part as to why Tuptim was executed. I have some questions about this character:

1. I saw the execution scene, but I am not sure why she was executed. Can anyone help?

2. Was she a lover to the King Mongkut? If not, then what was her role in the movie?

3. Who was the man who was kneeling next to her in the execution scene?

Thanks, to anyone who comments....

[–] inign0t 18 years ago

1) She was in love with a guy, but the king took her away so that she could be one of his concubines. The guy was completely miserable without her so he joined a monastery, saying, "Only Buddha will be able to ease my pain" (or something along those lines). She couldn't live without him anymore, and she ran away from the palace to have an affair with this guy.

2) She was one of his many concubines, but she didn't love him.

3) I don't remember which man was kneeling next to her, but it was probably the guy she truly loved.

[–] rampantdreams 18 years ago

thank you. it was bothering me because i didn't know what the meaning of her death was all about. once again, thank you.

[–] Samantha_LB 18 years ago

Only the King didn't take her away, she was given to him by her father. The King was unaware untill after she was arrested that she was love with someone else.

[–] Hollybeee 18 years ago

Also, Tuptim joined the monsastery (that's why she cut off her hair) and pretended to be a man. She was sold by her father to be one of the kings concubines, and when the court found out she had run away from the king to have an illicit affair with a buddhist monk, and pretended to eb a monk, they killed her. The buddhist monk was her lover, they loved each other, and he's the one who kept sending her all those messages, and whom she kept sending messages too, saying it was from her family. Also, he's the one that died next to her.

I made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

[–] bestdream 18 years ago

Although she joined the monastery she did not have an affair with her true love - he did not even recognise her with her hair cut off - see the part where they were both taken before the court - she swore she just wanted to be near him and denied any affair whilst in the monastery - Also the King would have stepped in to save them if Anna had not made a comment to the court saying that she would speak to the King. Because she had done this he was unable to do anything as he would have lost face appearing to be taking instructions from a governess.

[–] Hollybeee 18 years ago

Oh, I just figured he was lying when he said he didn't recognise her.

I made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

[–] mattyjames1983 18 years ago

in a way it does seem like the king took her away from her lover BUT it was her parents that presented her to the king. it was purely her parents'decision. you could watch it again if you don't believe.

[–] bron-tay 11 years ago

Did the king even ask how she felt about becoming his sex toy?

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Please put some dashes above your sig line so I won't think it's part of your dumb post.

[–] rc1990 7 years ago

1. The king didn't take her.. She was given to him by her father.

2.She didn't have an affair with him. She tried to join the monastery.

3.The guy next to her is Ballat, the man she loves.