In this famous musical, Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr face off as the equally stubborn King Mongkut of Siam and Anna Leonowens, the English governess he invites to the capital city to teach English and Western values to his many children (in all, he had 82 by 39 wives). Mongkut wants to westernize his country in an attempt to avoid being conquered by the English or French who have taken over much of Southeast Asia, and to drag his "backward" country into the 19th century, what he sees as a century where science will triumph over superstition. The hard-headed Anna finds the authoritative king's manner off-putting, especially after he refuses to acknowledge his promise to build her a house of her own so she doesn't have to live with his harem in the walled city. Gradually, Anna comes to love the many children she is teaching and develops a certain affection for the headstrong king himself, who reveals himself to be less omnipotent than he would like to let on. She slowly becomes necessary to his house, serving as everything from a den mother to his children to a reluctant political advisor. There is a subplot in which one of Mongkut's wives, Tuptin (Rita Moreno), pines for her lover Lun Tha (Carlos Rivas), whom she is banned from ever seeing again. Anna, with her western notions of true love conquering all, must decide whether to help the young lovers escape.

In his signature role, Yul Brynner plays King Mongkut (also called Rama IV) of Siam, the epitome of blustering masculinity. It is nearly impossible to think of Brynner without picturing him striding around barefoot, his barrel chest thrust out of his fine silks like a peacock showing off, bellowing imperatives and impatiently saying things three times (et cetera, et cetera, et cetera being the most abused phrase). Despite the fact that he is nearly impossible to deal with, he is by far the most likeable character in the film, mostly because Brynner plays him as a well-meaning spoiled teenage brat. He fills the room when he's present, like a force of nature, a bellowing and strutting whirlwind who demands attention. Brynner was awarded with a Best Actor Oscar for his attention-demanding portrayal. He is not a great singer, but his honest delivery and soothing baritone are comforting: here in this sea of dubbed vocals is a man who sounds like a regular guy, only more so.

For all the music's reputation, the fact remains that I didn't think many of the songs were all that memorable. There are usually one or two songs from any given musical that survive, out of sheer quality or sheer determination, outside the musical. Think about just about any musical and try to remember the lyrics to more than one or two songs: unless you're a musical addict, I'll wager you won't be able to do it. Those two songs in this film were "Shall We Dance" and "Getting to Know You," both fine sing-along songs. But who remembers "I Whistle a Happy Tune" or "We Kiss in a Shadow"? Better yet, who wants to remember the awful songs sung by Brynner as the pidgin-English King, such as "A Puzzlement" (incidentally, Brynner was the only major cast member who sang his own songs).

The sets, and the entire production, are gorgeous. This isn't Thailand, it's Hollywood's version of it on a sound stage, so the sets are at the same time more extravagant and more fake than they should be. The odd Technicolor effect, where colors are crayon-bright, gives everything an almost flat look. Technicolor made everything hyper-real, making the outsized movies of the 1950s (this one was shot in an incredible 55 mm stock, which has never been used again) larger than life fantasies that were reflected in their enormous subject matter. One of the pinnacles of 1950s filmmaking inventiveness is in this film, in the extended "play within a play" adaptation of Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, adapted freely into traditional Thai theater. It's the best music in the film, and the costumes and sets, as well as the surprisingly accurate style, make it something to behold.

This portrayal is a far cry from the real King Rama IV, who was a true Renaissance man: he knew several languages (such as English, French, and Latin) and studied political science, hard sciences, western cultures, and colonialism. He apparently accurately predicted a full solar eclipse that occurred in 1868 a full two years in advance (an event that may have led to his death: his observatory was built in a mosquito-infested area, and he most likely died from malaria). His expertise in foreign relations is the major reason Thailand, alone of the southeast Asian countries, was never taken over as a colony or protectorate of a European power. Because of his portrayal as a semi-literate bumpkin with no knowledge of Western ideas, this film is banned in Thailand. The fact that the screen version is so different from the real person does not bother me, even though in similar cases it has. Brynner's King is a cartoon that says more about American values, history, and views of outsiders than it says about Thailand. While I can understand outrage against this paternalistic and somewhat racist appropriation of a national hero, I do not share it. I try to go into historical movies with the knowledge that I am not going for a history lesson, and that people who take movies as such lessons deserve what they get; sometimes, I am successful.

The film was nominated for nine Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress. It won Actor, Art Design, Costumes, Music, and Sound Recording.