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. 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. Also harking back to garbos silent days is the fact that neither one of the men in her life is particularly interesting. The painted veil essays are academic essays for citation. 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 romance between the leads is so unconvincing it. In a situation comparable to the plotlines of most of her silent films, garbo is.
While the chinese characters remain mostly anonymous, either children or suffering disease victims, kitty and walters exclusive. This novel has been adapted for the screen three times. The film was produced by hunt stromberg for metrogoldwynmayer. 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. Original score, cinematography a lock, editing, ad. The novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november 1924 march 1925. Kitty garstin is a shallow socialite who decides to marry boring bacteriologist walter fane when she finds that.
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. 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. 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. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the painted veil by w. Edward norton, naomi watts, toby jones, anthony wong chau sang and liev schreiber appear in the leading roles. It is also wonderfully entertaining, and a good introduction to the period piecehistorical epic genre some. Aug 22, 2008 character analysis and comparison with book and drama and focused essay and period piece the painted veil nathan 5. I admired the potraiture of people as people complex. 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.
I love the 2006 adaptation of the movie, and i read the book for the first time last year. The painted veil is an excruciating lengthy bore that doesnt have a minute that is worth acknowledging. 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. The painted veil 1934 richard boleslawski synopsis. In the novel the veil is painted, which means that it is not an innocent veil the characters are wearing. The painted veil is the best movie no one is talking about. The painted veil is the third remake of a 1920 story 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.
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. 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. 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. The painted veil is a 2006 american drama film directed by john curran. 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. 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. T he painted veil is a film that is in love with the idea of love. Somerset maugham, takes viewers on a journey into early 20th century rural china, where a cholera epidemic. The painted veil preface through chapter 5 summary. If a man hasnt whats necessary to make a woman love him, its his fault, not hers. 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. The painted veil is a 1925 novel by british author w.
Watts, who has been raised for a life of abject uselessness. 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. Financial analysis of the painted veil 2006 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability. The third film iteration of the painted veil turns w. 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. 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. 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. 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 painted veil is a 2006 drama based on the novel of the same name by w. The screenplay by ron nyswaner is based on the 1925 novel of the same title by w. This is the third film adaptation of the maugham book. At a wedding, a veil is usually white, representing the innocence of the person wearing it. Sounds like it could be an interesting hour and twenty min, huh. Somerset maugham and stars edward norton and naomi watts. Dec 20, 2006 first published in 1925, the painted veil recounts the moral awakening of a vain, careless young woman, kitty ms. The painted veil should get 4 or 5 oscar nominations.
In this beautiful but dangerous country, they experienced emotional waves that never imagined and experienced in. The romance between the leads is so unconvincing it becomes worthless, similar to the rest of the film. Maugham used this concept to show how all of society and the people living in it are tainted. The painted veil is a 1934 american drama directed by richard boleslawski and starring greta garbo. Somerset maughams distaff bildungsroman into a fine romance. The book has been adapted for the screen by ron nyswaner philadelphia. 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. Jan 19, 2007 t he painted veil is a film that is in love with the idea of love. The picture opens in 1925, with a sequence showing the tedious and painful journey of an english couple, dr. 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. First published in 1925, the painted veil recounts the moral awakening of a vain, careless young woman, kitty ms. 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. Complexity of relationships the focus in painted veil movie. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the painted veil by w.
Walter fane, a bacteriologist living in china who falls madly. Walter fane, a bacteriologist living in china who falls madly in love with her. What is the significance of the title the painted veil. Somerset maugham, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Glenn lewis fall again the painted veil movie by darko. The painted veil chapters 17 summary and analysis gradesaver. Gender, sexuality, and history in the painted veil. 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. I remember watching once the razors edge from the mid 1940s, filmed immediately after the publishing of the novel. The painted veil begins with a story of a young, upperclass woman names kitty married a middleclass bacteriologist calls walter. The painted veil is the sort of moviestar vehicle that usually provides for outsized, capital a acting.
The painted veil is the story of kitty fane, a beautiful, but thoughtless, shallow, and selfcentered woman. Walter fane edward norton spots kitty naomi watts, a beautiful upper class london socialite, descending the stairs at a party and is swept off his feet with. Only yesterday i borrowed the book again because i wanted to write a brief comparison between the two. 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 study guide contains a biography of w. 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. Somerset maugham novel was the source for the fairtomiddling greta garbo vehicle the painted veil. 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. Beginning in may 1925, it was serialised in the united kingdom in eight parts in.
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. 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. 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. The painted veil vintage international kindle edition. 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. Marriage can be a dangerous business, not to be entered into lightly. The storyline of the painted veil has some major changes between the movie and the novel. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. How kitty fane, struggling to break female stereotypical roles prevailed at that time led her to a pity. 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.
Somerset maughams 1925 novel may carry the infectious dullness of prestige filmmaking. With outstanding performances all around, a strong script and the lush, evocative cinematography of onlocation china. The movie is based on the 1925 novel of the british author w. By peter rainer film critic of the christian science monitor. 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. Complexity of relationships the focus in painted veil. Through the whole film, kitty follows walter to meitanfu and this changes kitty, selfcentered lady to a loving wife. With naomi watts, edward norton, liev schreiber, catherine an.
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