The Painted Veil (2006)

[WillyD]

The Painted Veil - Starring Naomi Watts and Edward Norton.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0446755/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pai...eil_(2006_film)

Kitty Garstin (Watts) is a pretty, shallow young woman from a well-to-do London family, under pressure from her parents to find a husband. Soon after she meets him at a party, she marries Dr. Walter Fane (Norton), an earnest, socially awkward doctor on leave from China, even though she does not love him. The Fanes move to Shanghai, where Dr. Fane is stationed in a government lab studying infectious diseases. Soon bored, Kitty meets Charles Townsend (Schreiber), a married British diplomat who is a serial womanizer, and has an affair with him. When Walter finds out, he gives her an ultimatum: come with him to the Chinese interior to assist with a cholera epidemic relief effort for which he has volunteered, or face a divorce on the grounds of her adultery.

I'll admit I've never seen the original 'Veil nor have I read the novel which both movies are based on, so I watched this movie with almost no expectations either way. Just a clear mind ready to absorb whatever came on the screen.

Boy am I glad I rented this one. It is a really good period drama. I am definitely a fan of period dramas and even well done romantic dramas and this one does not disappoint. Both of the stars deliver fantastic performances. The characters have a lot of depth and the relationships seem so realistic. The directing, cinematography, and musical score are top notch. It just works.

It isn't the happiest movie in the world but it isn't supposed to be. It is an emotionally satisfying, realistically portrayed, romantic period drama.

I give this one out of .

[mrstampe]

This one flew under my radar. I'm not sure how, because Ed Norton is one of my favorite male actors and Watts always does a very convincing job. Interesting themes. This will be my next rental. Thanks for the review, Will.

[WillyD]

mrstampe wrote:

This one flew under my radar. I'm not sure how, because Ed Norton is one of my favorite male actors and Watts always does a very convincing job. Interesting themes. This will be my next rental. Thanks for the review, Will.

It was completely off my radar as well. Slipped right on by. Sorry for the bad review, I can't do it justice anyhow.

[DRB]

I was fortunate enough to catch "The Painted Veil" in a decent theater last year. I was enthralled. WillyD is right on in his praise of the character development and the sweep of this fine film. It is all too rare for us to be offered this kind of entertainment these days. I look forward to enjoying the disc at home.

[WillyD]

Glad you watched it, Ray. It is definitely top on my list of movies to buy in HD. I lose myself in movies like this.