THE PAINTED VEIL – Don’t Miss This

“You sure the bus stops here?”

The Painted Veil, John Curran director, 2006

HOOK: Love, emotion, beauty vs. duty, obligation and imperialism

LINE:  “Do you know what I find strange is that your husband never looks at you.”

SINKER: Most movies are really short stories, the this Summerset Maugham adaptation is a rich, layered novel of character development, plot complication and satisfying dénouement.

JOHN: Naomi Watts with her Mulholland Drive wide-eyed vulnerability is being punished by Edward Norton (never likeable in or out of film) to whom she has been unfaithful. He drags her off to a remote village in China devastated by cholera. But after they glimpse a Truman Capote like British compatriot making love to a Chinese woman devoted to him, Norton finally does look at his wife. The way Watts internalizes all these changes in her relationship is amazing to see. You know she is going to die, and then she doesn’t but after reconciling with her husband discovers she is pregnant with the other man’s child instead.

GO GO GO GO (4 GOS out of four)

SPANKY: The location shots are lush and erotic, despite corpse scattered village streets. I suppose the Norton figure represents the positive aspects of duty (British imperialism) both in China and in their marriage, but this film is not simplistic (for example, we learn the orphanage pays families for children so they can be baptized and educated Christian). By the way I nominate Naomi Watts forehead for sainthood. Sure we end up hating the Chinese, but this is a thoughtful treatment of a classic that is executed with good old-fashioned movie craft. Pass the Mongolian Chicken, John.

“TWO PAWS UP” (4 BARKs out of four)

Arguments Kitty packs into a four minute conversation with her husband, Walter:

1. I don’t know what you’re talking about.

2. Mistakes were made, but let’s not make this any worse.

3. If you were a gentleman, you’d take the blame.

4. We didn’t mean to hurt anyone.

5. We’re sick of sneaking around!

6. It’s your fault that I don’t love you.

7. You knew about all my flaws when you married me.