The Painted Veil REVIEW: From Book to Movie

The Painted Veil: From Book to Movie #thepaintedveil #ednorton #filmcriticisms
The Painted Veil is a 2006 American drama film directed by John Curran. The screenplay by Ron Nyswaner is based on the 1925 novel of the same title by W. Somerset Maugham. Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Toby Jones, Anthony Wong Chau Sang and Liev Schreiber appear in the leading roles.
This is the third film adaptation of the Maugham book, following a 1934 film starring Greta Garbo and Herbert Marshall and a 1957 version called The Seventh Sin with Bill Travers and Eleanor Parker.
Book Review:
I wanted to read this novel because of the emotionally devastating 2006 movie of the same name. Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber, and Toby Jones absolutely brought these characters to life. Screenplay by Ron Nyswane made some notable changes and additions to this novel which I completely agree with. This was an amazing movie. I loved it. Now for the book,
Ok I must pause and say that it was written by a man in 1925. So I have to "forgive" the racism, sexism, and how he apparently felt about both women and people of non-European races, specifically the Chinese which were characters in this story. I usually do not make those kinds of observations unless it severely stuck out to me. So much so that I had to stop and look up what year this had been written...ok....then some of the actions of the main character, Kitty, and other women seemed unusual and odd for a woman of any era I had to research if the W. was for a male name and I was right, a male's take on how a woman would react to situations and love. With this deeper knowledge I continued with the story with those things in mind.
Now on with my review of the work. Notwithstanding what I alluded to above the story was actually very good. This is a story as old as time and will repeat itself if humans are on this earth and beyond. It is a story about loving the wrong person. Kitty loved a man who did not love her in the same passionate way. I have seen this in life where we seem to gravitate towards something we cannot have, that's the passion, the excitement. We don't yearn for the dull and suitable mate who adores us and would do anything for us. In fact, it is usually a spinning circle of "I love him" but "He loves her" and "She loves someone else" and so on.
The author does a good job of making you feel what the characters are going through and luckily for me I had seen the movie so I could imagine them easily in my head even though they did seem different in his novel. I enjoyed it. It is a very well told story and I felt for each character. However, the movie was better. It added much needed depth to the characters especially to Kitty's husband Walter. The movie does him justice that the book did not. The movie also cut out parts that literally made no sense. The ending in the book was silly and ridiculous and the movie thankfully deleted those scenes entirely!!
Screenwriter Ron Nyswaner and Ed Norton collaborated on the screenplay for the film. They considered the 1925 novel by W. Somerset Maugham to be one-dimensional. Norton expanded the character of Walter Fane, giving him an enhanced role. He also had Walter make peace with his wife Kitty, leading to them falling in love with each other. Norton explained, "I like to think that we didn't change the book so much as liberate it. We just imagined it on a slightly bigger scale and made external some of what is internal in the novel." Norton described the novel as "almost unremittingly bleak" and believed that the author had thought that British colonials were unlikely to change. The actor said of his changes, "I went on the assumption that if you were willing to allow Walter and Kitty to grow... you had the potential for a love story that was both tragic and meaningful." Norton considered The Painted Veil to be in the spirit of such films as Out of Africa (1985) and The English Patient (1996), seeing it as "rooted in really looking at the way that men and women hurt each other"
I thought the narrator, Kate Reading, did a very good job and was perfect for this story. I recommend it if you enjoy dark romance. Like I do.
So, have you seen the movie The Painted Veil? Have you read the novel? Let me know what you thought in the comments below. Please make sure to LIKE and Subscribe because that truly helps this channel grows.
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[@dominiqueibanez1395]

i love this movie. i have watched it so many times. it's sad that it did not get the popularity and acclaim it deserve. i agree that the arc of finding love in a marriage that started on the wrong foot is so amazing. you can see them grow in their appreciation and admiration of each other. they see depth in each other and let themselves be moved by what they see. i like how the people around them also see this and are rooting for them. i love that, at the end, Kitty completely dismiss her previous lover. she sees him for who he is.

[@mariacuachon3906]

Films are mainly to escape reality. The present is severely flawed...in films we can find a vestige of "almost perfection" can be satisfying -- getting what you paid for at the cinemas

[@ladylove2310]

It’s a beautiful movie, with such depth of characters. I relate to Walter and Kitty’s onscreen relationship. It shows the complexity of people, and the relationships they share. The onscreen story really sticks with you. It is a real love story, and the ending leaves feels of both tragedy, but hope. The growth of both the characters is beautiful to watch unfold. Thank you for sharing your perspective. ❤️

[@lindataylor5779]

Thanks for this excellent review. I agree with your comparison of the book and the 2006 film that the film is much better because the characters grow and the understanding of love is much deeper. I've loved this film since I first watched it. The landscapes of China in the film (which was partially shot there) are breathtaking. My father was born in China in 1916, one of 4 siblings, to Baptist missionaries. They lived in the interior of China, Chengdu until forced to leave for Shanghai by a revolt of Chinese warlords. My grandparents were not racist in the same way as many Americans and British colonials. My grandfather was responsible for building 40 schools, hospitals, universities, etc. in China between 1912 and 1935. One thing I really liked about the 2006 film was the portrayal of intelligent Chinese characters, especially the General and the scientist who was working on cholera beside Walter. The scientist character was an example of a highly educated man, who studied in England and there was such an educated elite in China at that time. In 1925 and when the two previous film versions were made (1934 with Greta Garbo) and even1957 (with Eleanor Parker) there was a strong double standard of sexual behavior for women. Adultery was taken much more seriously if committed by a woman and birth control was not available. Because of this film, I've been reading biographies of Somerset Maugham. He was a best selling author in his lifetime and many films are based on his books (he hated Hollywood because of the conventional morality applied to his novels, but appreciated the money he earned from films). He was bi-sexual and less sexist than the typical male of his time. He married for respectability, but his marriage was very unhappy for both partners. There are many parallels in The Painted Veil to his wife and other women in his life. This film was a passion project for Edward Norton and Naomi Watts. It took 7 years to get the funding. I appreciated hearing about Edward Norton’s views on the changes he and the screenwriter made in the story which I agree made it a much stronger love story and movie!

[@themoviebuffer]

Wow thanks for the backstory! I love learning more about writers because their stories comes from a part of their own lives. Thanks for sharing your story as well!!

[@MF-se1zl]

Thanks for this review. Needed a good movie to watch! Will look for it.

[@TT-wu8kc]

I love this movie. When I finished watching it for the first time, I ran into the bedroom to hug my long-term partner, who was soundly asleep, and had no idea what was going on 😂 The pay-off near the end of the movie, after all the struggles and the hurt inflicted, is so beautiful. That's why, for me, I prefer the movie over the book. But a part of me feels the book ending is more realistic. Kitty married her husband to satisfy family and social expectations, not because she loved or even liked him. That's precisely why she was having an affair. So it's unrealistic to expect they would end up in a loving/ romantic relationship by the end. Respect, admiration, truly seeing and accepting the other person, is just as meaningful and valuable. By the end of the book version, I feel they get to the point where the relationship has progressed enormously - they understand themselves and each other better. The book is definitely of its time and should be read with this in mind. I also think Kitty's character suffers, as seen through the eyes of a male author, and the movie did well to make her much more sympathetic and realistic. Watching the movie is a must. The book is also a good read.

[@fralencemelograno]

Out of Africa 1995? I really don’t think so … indeed, I went to watch at the cinema …

[@themoviebuffer]

1985 - sorry about that slip of the tongue. Loved that movie!

[@mariacuachon3906]

Maugham is pronounced with silent "g" =Mauham

[@15Yards]

How do you come across your movies? You always seem to find movies that center around great acting on top of interesting storylines.

[@themoviebuffer]

When I started this channel I was trying to do what was new and out but I didn't like all of the movies. So I decided to focus on the movies that I love. I love watching movies and that's how I come across them, just movies in my own repertoire, per se. Thanks for asking! :)

[@Darkslide99]

I loved this. I’m a huge fan of the movie and the book. I love that you pick “off the common grid” movies! Can you do one of these; A Farewell to Arms (book) comparing to the movie of same name vs the movie In Love and War which was more biographical version The Innocents (book) vs movie adaptation The Dreamers The Romantics book vs the movie adaptation of the same name A Sound of Thunder book vs movie of the same name. I love time travel movies😊 The Story of your Life book vs the movie Arrival

[@themoviebuffer]

Wow thank you! I will check these out!!

[@chasx7062]

So the movie was pretty much a whitewashed version of a male fantasy about Unrequited love?

[@hudsonufrn]

Pior way to define It.

[@meltedjax3619]

This movie seems like romanticised debauchery