THE PAINTED VEIL (M)

Director:
John Curran

Starring:
Edward Norton
Naomi Watts

Plot Summary:
Based on the 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 (Edward Norton), a middle class doctor and Kitty (Naomi Watts), an upper-class woman, who get married for the wrong reasons and relocate to Shanghai, where she falls in love with someone else. When he uncovers her infidelity, in an act of vengeance, he accepts a job in a remote village in China ravaged by a deadly epidemic, and takes her along. Their journey brings meaning to their relationship and gives them purpose in one of the most remote and beautiful places on earth.

Genre:
Drama

Duration:
2 hours 5 Minutes

Origin:
U.S.A.

Language:
Mandarin / English (with some subtitles)

Review by Margaret Pomeranz

W. Somerset Maugham wrote his novel THE PAINTED VEIL in 1925. Since then there have been two film versions, neither of them widely acclaimed.

With the dust brushed off this potentially dated melodrama it is surprisingly romantic and moving.

I’ve never thought of Edward Norton as a romantic lead but he’s wonderful, as is Naomi Watts.

Norton was reportedly a major force behind the making of the film. The screenplay by Ron Nyswaner has gone for the heart of the story, the redemptive love that a good person can engender, and John Curran allows his actors to breathe their roles.

The richness of the film is enhanced by the music of Alexandre Desplat, cinematography by Stuart Dryburgh, with gorgeous costume design by Ruth Myers.

But to add to all that, much of the film was shot on location in Guangxi province in China and it is beautiful, green and beautiful.

I love melodramas, it’s not a genre that contemporary cinema goes for much, but when it’s as good as The Painted Veil, you wonder why not.

MARGARET: Why not, David?

Review by David Stratton.

DAVID: Well, indeed why not. Look, I had misgivings when I heard that this film was being made because I thought it's going to be very difficult to breathe new life into this story.

But I think the filmmakers, John Curran and his team, have succeeded wonderfully in doing it, no small part due to the actors, as you say. I mean, I think Naomi Watts and Edward Norton and Liev Schreiber are very, very good and, of course, the fact that it was shot entirely in China adds a great deal to it.

I think it's interesting because I think it was part of a deal that the production company, because it's a Chinese co-production officially, and so all of it was shot in China, even the scenes that are supposed to be taking place in London.

MARGARET: Yeah, it's amazing how they...

DAVID: They were filmed in Shanghai.

MARGARET: Yes.

DAVID: So it's fascinating, all of that. It's a very, very beautiful film and it's a really moving love story, I think, to my surprise, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

MARGARET: Me too. I just melted with this one.

MARGARET AND DAVID
****FOUR STARS EACH RATING.

Trailer: