The King and I1956The King and I
1956
In 1862, widowed English schoolteacher Anna Leonowens arrives in Siam with her young son to teach the many children of the proud King Mongkut. She and the king clash over his household, slavery, and her promised house of her own.
The default: films the whole family can watch together; any scary or intense moments for the littlest viewers are flagged in the Context Notes.
Why it’s here
Rodgers and Hammerstein: a courageous widow and a proud king who slowly learn from each other. "Getting to Know You" and "Shall We Dance?" are family treasures.
Context notes
For parents, before you press play.
The king keeps many wives and receives Tuptim as a gift; polygamy and slavery are shown as wrong through Anna's eyes and Tuptim's "Small House of Uncle Thomas" ballet. Tuptim flees with the man she loves and is threatened with a whipping, and the king's death at the end is sad; its picture of Siam is a Western one that Thailand has long objected to.
The King and I (1956)
Discussion questions
When the credits end, go around the room. Each person gives the film a score out of ten and says why.
- Why did Anna stand up to the king?
- What did the king learn from Anna, and what did she learn from him?
- What does the "Small House of Uncle Thomas" ballet say about slavery?
- Which song was your favorite?
Content advisory
Common Sense Media 8+ (no content flags in its grid). Known content: polygamy as part of the setting; a young woman threatened with a whipping; the king's death.
Trailer
Best edition
The disc comes first.
The King and I Blu-ray (Blu-ray + DVD)
Blu-ray · October 7, 2014
Coming later
Where to stream
Streaming services are not listed yet. When they are, this note stays secondary to the disc.