Smorgasbord Music Column – Songs from the Movies – Shall We Dance – The King and I

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I have watched both versions of The King and I... with Yul Brynner and the lovely Deborah Kerr and the 1999 and more action led adaptation Anna and the King with Chow Yun Fat and Jodi Foster. I have not seen the stage musical that the films were based on, but I understand it is spectacular live.

This was another magical film that I was introduced to as a teenager by my mother on one of our Saturday Afternoon viewings.. as my father slept in his recliner ‘watching’ the football behind closed eyelids… We always kept our fingers crossed he would sleep through until the results which came up shortly on the main channel!

There are some lovely songs from the soundtrack that have become hits over the years and I know many of you will have your own favourites, but Shall We Dance, has my heart…

The King and I is the fifth musical by the team of composer Richard Rodgers and dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Margaret Landon’s novel, Anna and the King of Siam (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. The musical’s plot relates the experiences of Anna, a British schoolteacher hired as part of the King’s drive to modernize his country. The relationship between the King and Anna is marked by conflict through much of the piece, as well as by a love to which neither can admit. The musical premiered on March 29, 1951, at Broadway’s St. James Theatre. It ran for nearly three years, making it the fourth longest-running Broadway musical in history at the time, and has had many tours and revivals.

The musical was an immediate hit, winning Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Actress (for GertrudeLawrence) and Best Featured Actor (for Yul Brynner). The 1956 film with Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr was a massive hit with an academy award for Yul Brynner. He revived his role a number of times on stage including for four years before his death in 1985. Find out more about the movie: Wikipedia – The King and I

Buy the film: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK

And here is the corresponding dance scene from the 1999 version Anna and the King.. which I also have on repeat…thanks to Samuel

You can buy or rent the full movie from YouTube Movies

I hope you have enjoyed these two magical moments… and as always your feedback is most welcome.. thanks Sally.

34 thoughts on “Smorgasbord Music Column – Songs from the Movies – Shall We Dance – The King and I”

  1. Oh my!! Thank you for this, Sally. My husband walked by and told me he was in the play when he was in high school. What! And that is when he met his first girlfriend. I love the original, it is more powerful than the remake. Thank you for making this rainy day a sunny one for me. ❤️

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  5. Wow, I had almost forgotten those two. They bring up many childhood memories. Thanks so much for the leap back in time, Sally. Hugs

    William

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  6. I have not seen The King and I, Sally. I watched this clip and think I should. South Africa is going into lock down from Thursday night at 12pm in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus. I think I will have more time to do things like watch a musical. Silver linings and all of that.

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  7. I’ve seen The King and I with Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr. I haven’t seen Anna and the King with Chow Yun Fat and Jodi Foster. I watched Chow Yun Fat when he started doing the TV series in Hong Kong. He is an excellent actor. I should check out this version.

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  8. I know and i love it too! Thank you for mentionint, Sally! Just heared, Boris is going to become scary. Only one hour per day outdoors, and walking only one kilometer around the house??
    Keep on, having postive mood. Best wishes, Michael

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