The painted veil is the story of the beautiful, but lovestarved kitty fane. Is it supposed to be ambiguous whether walter or charlie was the father, or do you have reason to believe that it s one or the other. Dec 20, 2006 its no surprise that one of the best scenes in the latest and third film iteration of w. After kittys betrayal, however, walter takes her to the cholera. The painted veil is both a critical social commentary and deeply. With naomi watts, edward norton, liev schreiber, catherine an. Although the fact that i finished the painted veil in early july also does not bode well. The painted veil original motion picture soundtrack. Compare and contrast two approaches to the idea of what is love as evidenced by the following characters. The theme of love is central to the painted veil and has many manifestations. The novel itself takes its title from a percy bysshe shelley sonnet that states, lift not the painted veil which those who live call life maugham, ix. Only when it is too late does dymov s wife olga like kitty realize her husband s moral worth and see that he is a far finer man than she had realized. Gender, sexuality, and history in the painted veil.
It is kittys love for her unborn child that pushes her to become a better person. Suite of the main theme of the 2006 film the painted veil, composed by alexandre desplat. In the book his story isnt really tied up yes, we see that he has used kitty again and doesnt care about her. Kitty believes that townsend is madly in love with her and prepared to divorce his. Jan 09, 2007 this is an introspective theme that desplat slowly transforms throughout the film as kitty comes to a better understanding of herself, her husband, and her humanity.
Vastly more engaging than his oscar nominated score for the queen, alexander desplats work for the painted veil settles down beneath striking cinematography, onpointacting, and engaging directing to be one of the more effective dramatic scores for a periodfilm in recent memory. Lang lang piano book score box edition 1 cd download. The painted veil william somerset maugham 1925 babbling. The painted veil william somerset maugham my book affair. How can such a book be representative of a huge country like china.
In the painted veil it is walter who is the dog and kitty the man. Aug 20, 2009 i happened to see the literary adaptation by john curran made in 2006 over the weekend and was deeply moved by the experience. She thought that he grew a trifle pale, but when the salad was handed to him he helped himself. Somerset maughams 1925 novel the painted veil, previously filmed rather beautifully in 1934 starring greta garbo and indifferently in 1957 as the seventh sin, is the tale of kitty naomi watts. May 04, 20 in regards to charles townsend, kittys lover, in the book i thought him to be a character similar to jack favell from rebecca. Vintage classics, 1925, 214 pages first published in 1925, the painted veil is an affirmation of the human capacity to grow, change, and forgive. Throughout the novel kitty was developed significantly and she. I have read goldsmith s elegy, and found it quite interesting in reference to the events in the painted veil. Obviously then, i wasted no time in buying somerset maugham s the painted veil to see how differently the filmmakers had interpreted the story. Still, if not a major feminist work, the book has literary interest. The painted veil love theme by reelsingingstarscom. Somerset maughams novel the painted veil doesnt happen in the book. Aug 11, 20 here is the soundtrack kittys theme from the amazing 2006 movie the painted veil.
My feeling is that he was better than good he was great. Shallow, spoilt kitty garstin has married dr walter fane, a bacteriologist living in china just so that she can walk down the aisle before her. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is. Even so, i find the opening cue, the painted veil, to be the strongest overall. A british medical doctor fights a cholera epidemic in a small chinese village, while being trapped at home in a loveless marriage to an unfaithful wife.
Apart from that, i thought nothing of him as a character. Jan 12, 2007 the christian science monitor is an international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage via its website, weekly magazine, online daily edition, and email newsletters. Who is the father of kittys child at the end of the painted. At the beginning, kitty does not love her husband walter, but is instead enamored. The painted veil is the story of kitty fane, a beautiful, but thoughtless, shallow, and selfcentered woman. The painted veil, an album by lang lang, prague symphony orchestra, alexandre desplat on spotify we and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes.
Kitty may be somewhat conceited and dishonest, but she does have a sharp wit. Recorded in widescreen technical sound by deutsche grammophon, desplat s score for the painted veil catches the film s mood of morbid romanticism, and anyone who saw the movie and wants to hear the music independent of the images will be more than satisfied with this 54minute soundtrack. Walter is quiet and faithful while kitty is loud and unfaithful. Alexandre desplat lang lang the painted veil original. Somerset maughams novel the painted veil is today recognized as a 20th century classic. Jun 07, 2007 i think it almost refers back to waddington s comment on the beauty of life, and also kitty s question as to whether or not what the nuns do really matters if there is no such thing as god, and the heaven to which they aim. The painted veil was first published in 1925 and is usually described as a strong story about a woman s spiritual journey. Nov 02, 2007 we see kitty and her fiveyearold boy at the end of the painted veil, but earlier in the film she told walter she didnt know who the father was. Kittys theme the painted veil soundtrack by tudorgeekdisneyfreak. Jan, 20 this one phrase completely epitomizes kitty fanes abject, egocentric nature in the painted veil.
Maugham uses a thirdpersonlimited point of view in this story, where kitty garstin is the focal character. The biographer richard cordell notes that the book was influenced by maugham s study of science and his work as a houseman at st thomas hospital. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, it is the story of the beautiful but shallow young kitty fane. Around the world in 80 books share book recommendations. Somerset maugham this study guide consists of approximately 34 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the painted veil.
Jun 07, 2012 the painted veil william somerset maugham this is a book to get lost in, not just in the usual way of books, but in a way that is haunting and will have you musing for days and days, long after you have turned the final page. The painted veil soundtrack lang lang 1 cd download. Het oppervlakkige societymeisje kitty trouwt met walter fane, een in het verre. The painted veil is a 2006 american drama film directed by john curran. Walter fane, a bacteriologist living in china who falls madly. Here is the soundtrack kittys theme from the amazing 2006 movie the painted veil. I knew one who had lifted ithe sought, for his lost heart was tender.
Edward norton, naomi watts, toby jones, anthony wong chau sang and liev schreiber appear in the leading roles. May 04, 2011 in my opinion, the painted veil was a great choice for a book discussion group. He made no further claim for himself than that he was a good storyteller. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the painted veil by w. Somerset maugham im pretty sure i have never read a book so depressing and yet so interesting as this book. This study guide consists of approximately 34 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the painted veil. Its arch is perhaps the most satisfying element of the score. The painted veil a beautifully written story about a young wife, kitty fane, who is brought to hong kong by her doctor husband in the 1920s. The painted veil gnossienne no 1 composed by erik satie colony club river waltz kittys theme death convoy the water wheel the lovers promenade kittys journey the deal walters mission the convent river waltz morning tears cholera the end of love the. Walter fane, a bacteriologist living in china who falls madly in love with her. There are many changes, but both the book and the film are exquisite.
The novel opens when walter discovers his wifes infidelity. The christian science monitor is an international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage via its website, weekly magazine, online daily edition, and email newsletters. Jun 07, 2015 the painted veil is both a critical social commentary and deeply personal tale of self realisation. The painted veil essays are academic essays for citation. In the painted veil, love is not always a good thing. Its no surprise that one of the best scenes in the latest and third film iteration of w. When her younger sister announces her own engagement to a prosperous duke, kitty panics and accepts the proposal of the very quiet, very shy, dr. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. I mostly enjoyed to witness the development of kittys character. These contrasts make the themes in this book even more apparent. While the specifics of the painted veil are different, the themes are clearly present. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelley s sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. Lift not the painted veil which those who live lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. The screenplay by ron nyswaner is based on the 1925 eponymous novel by w.
The official soundtrack is composed by alexandre desplat. Compare and contrast the characters of walter and mr. Garstin, and their respective relationships to kitty. Having read the original novel by somerset maugham, a stark yet moving tale of a young woman s reevaluation of her life and values, the movie was a slightly more romaniticized version of the novel. Lifting the veils in william somerset maughams the painted veil. The similarities between the elegy and the novel are that walter and kitty, just like the man and the dog, start off being friends. Aug 18, 2017 the painted veil is the story of kitty fane, a beautiful, but thoughtless, shallow, and selfcentered woman. She doesnt love her husband so she soon falls in love and begins an affair with her husbands superior. The novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november 1924 march 1925. You must stay with us, said dorothy, on kittys return to hong kong. Most probably know of this book due to the 2006 adaptation of it starring naomi watts and edward norton ive seen parts of the movie, so i knew the basic plot, but not the details. Several times in the novel, the death of a character is a liberation for those close to them. The painted veil differences between the book and the film by jesica pedone.
The painted veil music from the original soundtrack composed by alexandre desplat lang lang a. Somerset maughams novel was deeply controversial at the time of publication, at the last minute the setting was altered from hong kong to a fictional colony of tchingyen to avoid accusations of slander. Exploring themes of selfsacrifice and regret as it follows kittys emotional journey, and heavily influenced by maughams study of science and his work at a teaching hospital in london, the painted veil remains one of maughams most widely read and acclaimed novels. The nature of love is one of the primary themes of the novel. Sumptuous and moody, the soundtrack to the movie, the painted veil, is one that i have enjoyed listening to over and over again.
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