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. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life the novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november 1924 march 1925. Aug 20, 2009 the painted veil was definitely great, changed in a skilfull way but no so much and beautiful in its own, rather different than the novel, way. Obviously, this post includes many spoilers about the gone girl movie and book. The painted veil is a novel written by w somerset maugham in 1925. The novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november 1924 march 1925. I wouldnt normally see a movie like that, but it was based on the book by maugham, so i bent my rules and watched it. I think he is a brilliant actor and he came through again in painted veil. Set against the backdrop of colonial hong kong, the tale is of a colonial housewife of a lower level civil servant, who settled for a man she really didnt love out of fear of missing her moment and ended up embarking upon a lackluster tryst which ends in folly. The painted veil this movie has the distinction of being the only film that i enjoyed more than the book. We wont necessarily discuss each of these questions in order or in so many words, but these are general ideas and themes for the discussion. I suspect well have plenty to talk about tomorrow night. Vintage classics, 1925, 214 pages first published in 1925, the painted veil is an affirmation of the human capacity to grow, change, and forgive. I try to write about films within 48 hours of viewing them, but with one thing and another, it took me almost a week to get around to the painted veil, and this i think is a good thing, because immediately after viewing it, i was under the distinct impression that it was a great.
Another film that varies from the book plot is john currans 2006 film the painted veil which brings together a wonderful cast including then real life husband and wife liev schreiber and naomi watts. 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. However, one crucial point is that in the book there is no romantic journey completed by walter and kitty, as happens in the movie. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. With naomi watts, edward norton, liev schreiber, catherine an. They do not come out of it in the end reunited by love but parted by death. The painted veil is the story of kitty fane, a beautiful, but thoughtless, shallow, and selfcentered woman. Not frustration against the great plans of men gone awry, but simple. In this essay i will investigate what the intertextual references bring to the novel, and what their functions are. I love the 2006 adaptation of the movie, and i read the book for the first time last year. May 04, 20 2006 babies book broken daphne du maurier death edward norton emotional favell films heart hero human jack literature lover medicine movie rebecca the end the painted veil post navigation previous post cranford. Craddock, another work by maugham, the character of bertha vaguely reminds me of kitty. He made no further claim for himself than that he was a good storyteller. I saw the film of this book and decided to read the actual novel.
Only yesterday i borrowed the book again because i wanted to write a brief comparison between the two. The film was produced by hunt stromberg for metrogoldwynmayer. In this third adaptation of somerset maughams novel of white people in china in the 1920s, watts plays kitty, a bored socialite who marries. The title is a reference to the shelley sonnet lift not the painted veil which those who live. The painted veil has the ingredients of a great film, including cinematography alternatively lush and parched and highcaliber actors. The painted veil by somerset maugham books the guardian.
Even in the end when i thought there may be a turning point in the story kitty again let me down. The painted veil is a beautifully written affirmation of the human capacity to grow, to change, and to forgive. It took me two days to locate the book, which i immediately read then followed up with a second viewing of the movie and then the bbc radio 4. 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. 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. In a situation comparable to the plotlines of most of her silent films, garbo is. The screenplay by ron nyswaner is based on the 1925 novel of the same. Somerset maughams simple story the painted vail he does just this. The biographer richard cordell notes that the book was influenced by maughams study of science and his work as a houseman at st thomas hospital. Summary in english the painted veil is a 1925 novel by william somerset. Edward norton, naomi watts, toby jones, anthony wong chau sang and liev schreiber appear in the leading roles. Apr 17, 2016 the storyline of the painted veil has some major changes between the movie and the novel.
Of course, the painted veil is of its era, and we cannot judge it by todays standards, but while the authors capacity to detail human sensibilities may have been both modern and feminist in its time, the bare spelling out of human emotions makes for a style that is, in. After all they had gone through, when they were living amid these scenes of. The screenplay by ron nyswaner is based on the 1925 novel of the same title by w. Kitty is an englishwoman from a very proper family. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, it is the story of the beautiful but shallow young kitty fane. I liked the book much much better than the movie as the novel reveals the complexity of kittys emotions. I wish, the book would have been written as the movie was. The painted veil is the sort of moviestar vehicle that usually provides for outsized, capital a acting. In my opinion, the painted veil was a great choice for a book discussion group. 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. An elegy on the death of a mad dog by oliver goldsmith 17281774. My feeling is that he was better than good he was great. And when he is really gone, kitty learns that she has been such a selfish person.
May 04, 2011 in my opinion, the painted veil was a great choice for a book discussion group. It is a story of love, betrayal, hatred, revenge and redemption. Rated for suggestive themes, though nothing explicit. I remember watching once the razors edge from the mid 1940s, filmed immediately after the publishing of the novel. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. The novel is a perfect period piece of the british in china in the 1920s. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the painted veil by w. The painted veil is a 2006 american drama film directed by john curran. Stripped of the british society of her youth and the small but effective society she fought so hard to attain in hong kong, she is compelled by her awakening. The queen was all wit and charm, slyly winking at the audience through layers of stiff formality. When the guy who has gotten you on board is gone, youre kind of exposed. The painted veil was definitely great, changed in a skilfull way but no so much and beautiful in its own, rather different than the novel, way. I hadnt read the painted veil before i saw the movie with ed norton and naomi watts.
I admired the potraiture of people as people complex. Somerset maugham was one of the twentieth centurys most popular novelists as well as a celebrated playwright, critic, and short story writer. Given the controversy already surrounding the twisted conclusion in the. The storyline of the painted veil has some major changes between the movie and the novel. I try to write about films within 48 hours of viewing them, but with one thing and another, it took me almost a week to get around to the painted veil, and this i think is a good thing, because immediately after viewing it, i was under the distinct impression that it was a great deal more interesting than is actually the case. Somerset maugham, with a screenplay by john meehan, salka viertel, and edith fitzgerald, the film is about a woman who accompanies her new husband to china while he conducts medical. First of all, you never have to twist my arm too bad to have me watch anything with edward norton in it. Lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. The movie is based on the 1925 novel of the british author w. The painted veil, based more on the book than the film. The painted veil discussion questions classics reading group.
The painted veil was an excellent introduction to somerset. Beginning in may 1925, it was serialised in the united kingdom in eight parts in. Jan 24, 2015 i liked the book much much better than the movie as the novel reveals the complexity of kittys emotions. Assistant colonial secretary with every possibility of one day ending up governor of the colony.
Aug 18, 2017 the painted veil is the story of kitty fane, a beautiful, but thoughtless, shallow, and selfcentered woman. What is the significance of the title the painted veil. Later editions reverted to hong kong but the name fane was kept for all editions. Alone after her sisters wedding, austrian olga greta garbo with her former schoolmate, brit doctor walter herbert marshall, in richard boleslawskis the painted veil, 1934, from the somerset maugham novel. 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. This is going to be an extremely casual set of thoughts.
The painted veil tells about a woman named kitty garstin, who ends up marrying someone she barely knows for the wrong reasons, such as her desire to escape her family. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. Somerset maughams the painted veil is easily the best book ive. Opinions about the characters varied widely and we talked as much about the authors intent as we did the story. Painted veil, the 1934 movie clip blithering idiot. The novel also inspired a 2006 drama movie of the same name starring edward norton and naomi watts. Maugham, as i may have said before, was a great favourite of my paternal grandfathers. Somerset maugham novel was the source for the fairtomiddling greta garbo vehicle the painted veil. As others have said, the novel is better than than film since there are details omitted in the movie and the novels ending is quite different. Walter fane, a bacteriologist living in china who falls madly in love with her. Whats the difference between the painted veil the book and the painted veil the movie. The painted veil created the most lively discussion our group has ever had. That mystery is gone in the film, because they have reconciled, which.
From lift not the painted veil which those who live by persy bysshe shelley 17921822. Alone after her sisters wedding, austrian olga greta garbo with her former schoolmate, brit doctor walter herbert marshall, in richard boleslawskis the painted veil, 1934, from the somerset maugham novel view the tcmdb entry for the painted veil 1934. Furthermore, i think the emotional distance between kitty and walter seems as big as an ocean in the book. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is. Lift not the painted veil which those who live call. For an early 20 th century male writer, maughams portrayal of kitty fane, a young english woman trapped in a miserable marriage to a bacteriologist in hong. Somerset maugham, which was first serialized in cosmopolitan and nashs magazine. Oct 03, 2018 the painted veil 1925 by somerset maugham is a splendid novel with exquisite details and a curious plot. I dont want my memory of the book to be ruined if i end up disliking the movies. These 10 romantic films will leave you with a lump in the throat when they end. The latest maugham film, a new version of the painted veil starring edward norton. Several times in the novel, the death of a character is a liberation for those close to them. Though i think kitty on the whole is a more interesting character and the painted veil a more compelling novel.
The radio show was different in minor ways but, again, apart from updating the female role to fit modern demands, it wasnt that far off from the book. This is the third film adaptation of the maugham book. May 18, 2010 below are some questions to get us started. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic. The painted veil is about as far as you can get from the queen and still be in the same aesthetic. The character has the same name in both the book and the movie. It focuses on a young debutante named kitty garstin, who, after rejecting dozens of marriage proposals, finds herself marrying an eccentric doctor named walter fane. 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. I watched the painted veil, the movie starring edward norton and naomi watts, one night when huzzybuns was out of either town or country or both, and then tore through my house looking for the book. For an early 20 th century male writer, maughams portrayal of kitty fane, a young english woman trapped in a miserable marriage to a bacteriologist in hong kong, is remarkably earnest and empathetic. The average viewer who rated the painted veil at rotten tomatoes tends to agree with me. But john currans version is both lush and intimate, a showcase for subtle performances in which china becomes an exotic backdrop for white folks troubles. The painted veil 1925 by somerset maugham is a splendid novel with exquisite details and a curious plot.
I wouldnt normally see a movie like that, but it was based on the book by maugham, so i. Lifting the veils in william somerset maughams the. 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 is a 1925 novel by british author w. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful but lovestarved kitty fane. Walter lived, now he and kitty must put the past aside and learn to truly communicate if they ever hope to get along. In fact, it was closer to the novel than the movie. At a wedding, a veil is usually white, representing the innocence of the person wearing it. Oct 09, 2014 4 maugham also wrote the painted veil, which is another compelling book with a great female protagonist it has been filmed several times, most recently in 2006 with edward norton and naomi watts in the main roles an excellent film. The painted veil is a 1934 american drama directed by richard boleslawski and starring greta garbo. While the chinese characters remain mostly anonymous, either children or suffering disease victims, kitty and walters exclusive. Differences between the painted veil book vs movie page 1. Financial analysis of the painted veil 2006 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability.
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