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| The Painted Veil [2007] | ![The Painted Veil [2007]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51oHoAuKDvL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: John Curran
Actors: Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Liev Schrieber, Diana Rigg, Toby Jones
Studio: Momentum Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: £17.99
Buy New: £4.87
You Save: £13.12 (73%)
Buy New/Used from £3.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  (52 reviews)
Sales Rank: 446
Format: Pal
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Media: DVD
Running Time: 120 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.6
EAN: 5060116721300
ASIN: B000R342RC
Release Date: September 3, 2007
Theatrical Release Date: 2006
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews: Read 47 more reviews...
 The most poignant period film in years December 26, 2008
*spoilers*br /br /This is a wonderful film. I am an ardent lover of period dramas, but deep down I have to admit that I often disappointed by them. There is so often something undefinable lacking from the love story, I suppose because I am a girl of my time, and am therefore not satisfied by anything that isn't rated MA. That's not really true, but I do know that often, the deliberate understatement of the character development often leaves me wanting more and my stomach doesn't drop into an abyss as it does with things I really adore, such as North and South. And when my stomach doesn't take leave of absence, it often means that this is a show/movie I liked, but will not be watching again.br /br /The Painted Veil disappointed in only one way, but I can overlook that. I admit, I usually wallow in Victorian England costume dramas made with skill and finesse by the master of period dramas, the BBC. But this was something entirely different-an American movie, set in early 20th century China, with Hollywood stars. I started watching it with a tight hold on my easily opened box of fangirl squee, prepared for disappointment, but there was no need.br /br /The setting: I read an interview with Edward Norton in which he said that he had paid an entire district in southern China to plant their rice crops later than usual so that they would be the right height for filming. And my god, the scenery is beyond perfect. It was enough to make me want to flee Europe immediately and live in remote rural China. The cinematography was breathtaking, capturing the exquisite hazes and silhouettes of dawn and dusk, and the intense colours in between, across lakes and towering heights of mountains. The little village was rustic and evoked thoughts of a far off time and a completely alien culture.br /br /The story itself was lovely, too. I was pleasantly surprised that it managed to evade the cliches I felt sure I could see coming a mile off.br /The love story is poignant and gorgeous, and oh, so sad. It's quite a sweeping story-how could it be anything but, in that landscape. Kitty is a flighty upper class society girl, pushing the age where if one is not married, one is a burden and nothing more. Walter Fane is a a socially awkward but passionate young Doctor, whose proposal she accepts as a way to escape her overbearing mother. They go to Shanghai, where she is instantly discontented by the slower pace of life, in which she is not the centre of adoration. She embarks on an affair with the slimy but gorgeous Liev Schreiber, while Walter, who is not the fool that he appears, withdraws steadily into himself. He does have quite cruel streak when pushed, though-I was quite shocked when he told her that he would strangle her if she said another word. To punish her, Fane volunteers for a medic's position in an isolated village in the middle of the raging cholera epidemic. She agrees under duress, and from then on their estrangement is such that they barely speak. br /br /The rest of the movie is the story of their journey back to each other, as they fall in love for real. His passion behind his cold indifference, and her emerging realisation of her selfish and spoilt personality lead them steadily closer together-it's always a good sign when I am begging the TV screen "Please don't let them kiss yet, I'm enjoying the UST too much!". The burgeoning intimacy is nicely played, their yearning for redemption and for each other comes about slowly as each learns more about both the other and about themselves and their capacity to endure. It's an absorbing and explosively emotional culmination and the animation that Walter shows in the boat scene, as he finally stops repressing his true personality, combined with Edward Norton's truly gorgeous smile, was heart breaking, especially since I was sure one of them would die. br /br /It's gorgeous, and sad, and dramatic and sweeping and poignant and will definitely become a member of my DVD shelf before the month is out. It was satisfyingly slow burning and it's been too long since I felt such a *need* to see two characters find each other.
 Beautiful adaptation September 26, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
For some reason this film bypassed me on its first release, but eventually I caught up with it at the cinema and on dvd. If you like intelligent, beautifully acted literary adaptations, if you like beautiful scenery, and if you like real emotional content in your films, I heartily recommend The Painted Veil.br /br /It's set in China during the rise of the Nationalist movement (1920s), and really benefits from actually being filmed there. It revolves around the relationship of a married couple Walter and Kitty Fane - brilliantly portrayed by Edward Norton and Naomi Watts.br /Kitty marries Walter to escape from her mother, despite not being in love with him. They begin married life in Shanghai, where they are soon in the middle of the ex-pat British community where Kitty meets a government official and begins an affair. When Walter discovers her infidelity he exacts a fairly nasty revenge: accepting a post in an rural area called Mei Tan Fu with a cholera epidemic and insisting Kitty accompanies him. The main part of the story unfolds here, and is where you really get to know the characters and see them discovering each other.br /At first there is anger and bitterness (he for her betrayal and his own foolishness in marrying her, she for his revenge but more for her lover's betrayal), but in the difficult environment they are forced onto their own resources. This is particularly enlightening for Kitty who has previously led a fairly shallow and frivolous life.br /As Kitty and Walter discover there is more to respect in each other, they gradually fall in love against a backdrop of both Nationalist unrest and the local politics of trying to keep the cholera at bay.br /The excellent leads are superbly supported by Liev Schrieber as the faithless lover, Toby Jones as a cynical neighbour, and Diana Rigg as the Mother Superior of the convent which provides the nursing support to Doctor Fane and his assistant, and a fantastic Chinese cast.br /br /It's a film you can watch again and again because it works on so many levels.
 The scenery and Diana Rigg saves it. June 17, 2008
1 out of 9 found this review helpful
This is one of those films which offers so much, and delivers it with the scenery and fine detail. The down side being the two leading actors, Naomi Watts and Edward Norton, who dominate every scene to the detriment to all the minor parts. Diana Rigg shines through, and a lessor actor would try to steal scenes, (the two leads do enough of that). All in all, not the best film I have ever seen, and not one which I will race to watch again. The pace is rather plodding and the plot all too obvious.
 Saved by the scenery June 15, 2008
2 out of 8 found this review helpful
The plot is rather dull predictable but the overall viewing experience is made enjoyable by the spectacular Chinese scenery commendable performances by the lead characters.br /br /Not recommended however
FILM OF THE YEAR FOR ME June 13, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
It has been so long since I actually watched a film that really touched me. Usually I'm the type of person who spends hours on Amazon choosing films however, recently nothing I have seen has really provoked any sort of real emotion in me. This film however, took my breath away. I knew as soon as I saw the trailer I had to get it and I can safely say that it did not disappoint. Although some may say it can be slow at times I felt the 120min flew in and wish there had been more. I have had the dvd for only 2days and already I have watched it four times over! I just can't get enough of it. I had never thought of Edward Norton as being an actor who would fit the tall dark hansome leading man role but he was absolutely brilliant in this film and visually the pair were spectacular to watch. Always rather upsetting to discover that the on screen romance doesn't exist outside the film. Nevertheless, this only proves to show tjust how amazingly talents both actors are. I was somewhat disappointed by the ending though, as I had predicted it's outcome from the trailer! Though obviously that is more the writer's disappointing choice of ending than the fault of the people who created the film! I dare any woman, or man, to watch this film and not fall for one of the leading actors as they are both so attractive and watchable. I felt like they convey every emotion of how they are feeling to the viewer and found myself crying when they cried etc. I just forced my mum to watch it and she loved it just as much as I so definitely a film for any age. If you are going to buy any film this year you should make it this one. I can't believe I missed this gem when it was showing at the cinema!
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