Anna and the King (1999)

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CinemaSource

Studio: Fox 2000

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: Dec 17, 1999

Running Time: 147 mins. (V)

Country Of Origin: United States

starring: Jodie Foster, Chow Yun-Fat, Bai Ling, Tom Felton, Syed Alwi, Randall Duk Kim, Lim Kay Siu, Melissa Campbell, Keith Chin, Mano Maniam

director: Andrew Tennant, Jeff Balsmeyer

Anna and the King

The epic tale, set in Thailand in the late 19th century, chronicles to true life adventures of Bristish governess Anna Leonowens, who is hired by the king of Siam to educate his many children. Soon after her arrival in this exotic, unfamiliar land, Anna finds herself engaged in a battle of wits--and in a deepening relationship--with the strong-willed ruler.

In a year where moviemaking broke new ground with experimental genre films such as "Three Kings," "American Beauty" and "The Sixth Sense," another version of the story of Anna and the King would seem to have a distinctly been there, done that ring to it.

But director Andy Tennant and crew have managed to produce something completely refreshing: an old-fashioned, epic drama that actually works. Absorbing and thoughtful, full of good humor and emotion, "Anna and the King" is a convincing love…