Anna and the King of Siam

1946 2h 8m EN

😐

6.2

MID

★6.2TMDB · 42

DramaRomanceHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In 1862, a young Englishwoman becomes royal tutor in Siam and befriends the King.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Irene Dunne
Anna Owens
Rex Harrison
King Mongkut
Linda Darnell
Tuptim
Lee J. Cobb
Kralahome
Gale Sondergaard
Lady Thiang
Mikhail Rasumny
Alak
Dennis Hoey
Sir Edward
Tito Renaldo
Prince Chulalongkorn (as a boy)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Cromwell
Writers: Talbot Jennings, Sally Benson
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

80 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Cromwell, shot by Arthur C. Miller. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Bernard Herrmann. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Harmon Jones shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Irene Dunne and Rex Harrison and Linda Darnell carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0038303 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 42 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Cromwell directs. Arthur C. Miller behind the camera. Bernard Herrmann scores. Harmon Jones cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

180 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by John Cromwell, shot by Arthur C. Miller. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Bernard Herrmann. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Harmon Jones shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Irene Dunne and Rex Harrison and Linda Darnell carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0038303 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 42 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
8Classified under 11 themes, including "widow", "bangkok, thailand", "thailand", "palace".

The technical file

Cinematography: Arthur C. Miller
Original score: Bernard Herrmann
Editing: Harmon Jones
Costume design: Bonnie Cashin
Makeup / hair: Ben Nye
Runtime: 128 min · 2h 8m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
IMDB: Anna and the King of Siam (1946)

Awards

Academy Award for Best Art Direction, Black and White
Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White
National Board of Review: Top Ten Films

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

John Cromwell

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-07-07
★ 7/10
This is quite an under-rated gem of a film; depicting a far grittier and more authentic interpretation of the diary of Anna Leonowens than was reflected in the altogether lighter, more joyous "King and I". Rex Harrison rather woodenly portrays King Mongkut as he works to bring 19th century Siam into the modern world; hoping to improve the lives of his people and at the same time ensuring the continued independence of his nation from the marauding colonial powers at large at the time. Irene Dunne captures wonderfully the stoic determination of the widowed Anna trying to bring her son up as a single parent in a time when that simply wasn't done. Their story isn't one of sentimental love, but of ultimately a trust and inter-reliance that endured. Lee J. Cobb adds value as the Prime Minister and Bernard Hermann's authenticly-sounding score supports John Cromwell's able and quite poignant direction.

Production companies