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The King and I (G, 1956)

common sense media says

A boisterous, big-costumed classic musical.

parents & educators say
  • 67% say there are positive role models
  • 33% say violence is an issue
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this film characterizes the ancient Asian culture of Siam (now Thailand) as somewhat backwards and sexist. The king has dozens of wives and hundreds of children, which may bewilder kids. Also confusing, the roles of the main Thai characters are played by white and Latino Americans. But the story's music and enchanting characters are perfect for kids, who are likely to see the king's poor grasp of English as endearing and fun. But older children and adults may find the portrayal of the king rather racist.

Positive messages: There's a lot of fun made of the king for his poor grasp of English; he's made into a fool. While the film is set in what is modern-day Thailand, none of the primary characters are Asian. The king is also sexist, thinking women more "lowly" than men in general, and certainly much lower than him. Many of the songs teach life lessons, like how to deal with fear and how to learn about a new culture.
Violence & scariness: The king threatens to whip a slave girl who tries to escape to be with her lover. Talk of someone drowning.
Sexy stuff: Some close dancing, but no kissing or sexual behavior. There's a lot of talk, however, about women being "made to please men" and the king has multiple wives. When the Thai ladies are dressed up in European gowns, they "wear practically no undergarments," prompting them, in a moment of shock, to hike their dresses and flash English men. But nothing is seen on screen.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: The king passes out cigars, though no one smokes on-screen.
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More on The King and I

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about Thai history and culture. Were the clothes, dance styles, and culture in the movie true to the culture? What do you think about movies that don't cast Asian actors in Asian roles? Can you think of other examples of that happening? Do you think you could play the role of someone of a different race fairly? Do you think the actors in this film were fair?

What's the story?

What's the story?

The classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical is based on Margaret Langdon's 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam, which itself is based on the true story of Anna Leonowens (Deborah Kerr), an English woman in the 1800s who, after her husband dies, takes a job as teacher to the multitude of children sired by the King of Siam, King Mongkut. Anna finds when she arrives that the job and her new life are both more wonderful and more frustrating than she could have imagined. The children of the palace are delightful and sweet, and the king (played by Yul Brynner, who won an Academy Award for the role) is enchanting and progressive, but also very sexist. She's confronted with the king's dozens of wives as well as European beliefs that the king, who wants to make his reign "modern" and "scientific," is a barbarian. Can she take care of herself, her young son, and her charges, and help the king keep his kingdom?

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Like Breakfast at Tiffany's and Flower Drum Song, THE KING AND I is a classic movie with legions of followers and great music. But it's also, like those films, fraught with racial misrepresentation that may make some viewers uncomfortable. The real treat of this film is the charm of Brynner's king and the songs. The songs! Children will love "Getting to Know You" and "Whistle a Happy Tune." Romantics will love "Shall We Dance." And all viewers will likely be mesmerized by the performance of Uncle Tom's Cabin.

To a young child, the king's silly sayings -- like his dramatic "etcetera, etcetera, etcetera" -- and his odd dictated letter offering to send the U.S. some elephants as beasts of burden, are endearing and fun. But adults may be disturbed by how inept and parochial this king appears. Add to that the fact that none of the primary Asian characters are played by Asian actors, and you have a recipe for racial misrepresentation. Like Flower Drum Song and Mickey Rooney's appalling Asian caricature in Breakfast at Tiffany's, the Asian characters here are shown as meek, silly, and absurd. Anna is a remarkably strong woman for the 1860s, which makes for some great verbal sparring between her and the king. But the idea of a white woman coming into a foreign country and "civilizing" them -- while it sure goes with the thinking of the time period -- is disturbing.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
Director: Walter Lang
Cast: Deborah Kerr, Rita Moreno, Yul Brynner
Genre: Musical
Run time: 133 minutes
Theatrical release: June 29, 1956
DVD release: November 7, 2006
MPAA Rating: G
This review was written by Heather Boerner
 
 

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What parents & educators say

10
Based on 3 parent & educator reviews:
  • 67% say there are positive role models
  • 33% say violence is an issue
  • 33% say there are positive messages
  • 33% say it's educational
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Most useful reviews by all members

jillianlovescats
adult
15
 
Getting To Know You!!!!
Great DVD and Movie!
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helped me decide (5) | had useful details (5) | read my mind (7)
turtlekins
teen, 16 years old
7
 
Great Movie For All Ages
This movie is very good for everyone! Children that are used to watching family guy will find that this is much more amusing! One of my favorite movies of all time!
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helped me decide (6) | had useful details (6) | read my mind (5)
Alki Kalotis
adult
10
 
Shall We Dance? A movie that the times have caught up with.
Having recently rewatched "The King and I", which I saw as a youngster, I greatly enjoyed the film. Adults will enjoy the chemistry between Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner (which his then-wife Doris characterized as "trusting each other like brother and sister off screen"). Kids will love the upbeat songs about whistling to overcome fear of a new situation, and getting to know a new culture. The secondary plot of an unhappy slave girl will, I think bore the kids and go right over their heads, which is ok. This plot has the only concern I have, that the King brandishes a whip and threatens to whip her. This is scary, but is made into a positive role message when Anna tells him that if he does, "He is truly a barbarian!" At which point the King throws down the whip and storms from the room. The role of the King is much richer than I remember. His song "Puzzlement" is a poignant reminder about how we all have to do our best day by day as adults, just as the king does. The play deals with human rights, as shown in the "Small Cabin of Uncle Tom" scene, which is magical; and feminism in the feisty nature of Anna and her assertiveness in the face of the sexist King. None of this gets into the way of the film being great family fun, and I agree with the reviewer above that it is a great movie to spur family discussion about getting to know more about others -- and to do your best day by day.
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textingqueen
teen, 15 years old
9
 
Good for everyone who likes singing!
One of the best musicals Ive ever seen!
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Sammy Keyes
kid, 11 years old
8
 
Enjoyable for ages 8+
Hi, I'm ten years old, I think the king and I is a great Enjoyable film! It's about a Proper Lady from Europe comes to teach the King of Siam's children. She teaches him and them how to be kind and fair. In the beginning a young women is given as a present, but she really wants to be with her true love,she sneaks out and meets him but then they get caught he dies and she gets threated. At the end the king dies.
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Tsion
parent of 15 year old
6
 
A Decent Old-Fashoined Musical...
THE KING AND I isn't as grand as I remembered it. In fact, some parts make you want to fast forward very quickly. Some parts are rude (casting whites in Thai roles) and some parts are corny (the song between Tup-Tim and the slave guy), but it's impossible to give such a good-natured movie a bad rating. Some of the music is very good, like "Getting to Know You", "Shall We Dance" and "Hello Young Lovers". I wasn't impressed by Yul Brynner, but Gertrude Lawrence is very good. There is really no objectionable material at all. Kids may be saddened at (SPOILER) the king's death at the end of the film. The movie raises moral questions about slavery and the like, and the King is poised to whip a slave girl (he doesn't).
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