Paothong Thongchua is a patriot with a difference. When most of the Thai crew dropped out of Anna and The King following the controversy, he stayed with Andy Tennant to ensure that King Mongkut was treated properly, writes Pimpaka Towira in The Nation.
FINE arts consultant Paothong Thongchua was bitterly disappointed at the critical feedback from certain authorities when he joined the production crew filming Anna and the King in Malaysia.
''I am as patriotic as any Thai,'' he said. ''I simply wanted to make sure that King Mongkut was portrayed in a proper light. The film needed a consultant otherwise the same mistakes would have been made again.''
In the hope of winning approval of the National Film Board to film in Thailand, director Andy Tennant went through five re-writes to correct a long list of objections in December last year. But it was to no avail, and the production was moved to Malaysia where the budget soared to US$70 million. Anna and the King is now in post-production and is expected to be released worldwide on December 24, 1999 -- except in Thailand.
The film is based on the fictionalised story of a real English schoolteacher, Anna Leonowens (played by Jodie Foster), who travelled to Siam in 1862 to teach at the Royal Court of King Mongkut, who is played by Hong Kong actor Chow Yun-Fat -- in a very different role from his gangster image.
Paothong was originally contacted for his skills as a leading historical consultant, having been an adviser to countless productions in the Thai movie industry. Subsequently, Paothong and a research team spent months finding locations and shifting through the minefield of protocol surrounding the Royal Court in preparation for shooting.
But when the filming moved to Malaysia, Paothong was the only Thai member of the crew who was willing to go, because of his stated desire to see the image of King Mongkrut portrayed accurately and with respect.
He was motivated by the cultural insensitivities in the two previous vers
ions, firstly in the film Anna and the King of Siam made in 1946, followed by The King And I, the 1956 movie-musical starring Yul Brynner.
He also felt that Tennant had the right intentions, being sensitive to both the mood and historical accuracy. Although there are Thais who may be offended that a foreigner is portraying King Mongkut, Chow Yun-Fat's role is far more regal and commanding than Brynner's charming, but slightly buffoonish character. What's more, with Paothong's input, King Mongkut is seen as a visionary who kept colonialism at bay by launching Siam's modernisation.
''Chow is a really good guy,'' enthuses Paothong, ''On the first day of shooting he asked me to warn him if he did anything inappropriate concerning Thai behaviour or protocol.''
Paothong, who is also a lecturer on Southeast Asian art history and textiles at Thammasat University, feels the film is a far better interpretation in terms of East meets West. As King Mongkut was considered the first Thai monarch to open up Siam to Western ideas, having Anna Leonowens in the Royal Court of Siam they both learned from each other's cultures.
''Actually, there is a confrontation of two cultures,'' says Paothong, ''But this movie enhances a respect for both.''
One of the major stumbling blocks to having the movie shot in Thailand was the authorities view that Anna's character was the pivotal figure -- and far more superior to the King in every way. It is Anna who appears to take the credit for introducing Western ideology to the country, rather than the King for initiating the idea in the first place. Then there is the question of romance between the monarch and the schoolteacher, which was simply unacceptable.
Filming of Anna and the King started in March this year and was shot largely in the town of Ipoh in the Northern state of Perak, where a gigantic green and gold replica of the Grand Palace was constructed by some 500 Malaysian and Australian workmen on seven acres at the Ipoh golf course -- one of the biggest movie sets ever built.
Using local extras has certainly been a challenge, especially in teaching them the traditional Thai greeting of the wai, the graab (the polite way to pay homage to elders and aristocrats) and the morb (the respectful manner of sitting in front of members of the royal family).
As Malaysians comprise many races -- Chinese, Indian, and Muslim -- scenes relating to religious custom were also tricky as Muslim extras could not pay respect to a Buddha image.
Paothong's vast knowledge has certainly been put to good use in lending this film an air of respectful gravitas and reality. For instance, in former productions, the King's concubine was burned at the stake for keeping a secret lover, but Pauthong suggested that in Thai culture, burning means ''purifying one's spirit'' and that in old Siam a serious crime would have resulted in the criminal being beheaded. After several discussions, this was incorporated into the script.
The fine arts consultant accepts there are some details which may surprise viewers but will certainly not cast Thai customs or traditions in a bad light.
Because Hollywood movies are made principally to entertain, ''We have to understand and treat it as such -- it's a movie,'' says Pauthong, ''Their intention is to make a feature film not a documentary, so we have to be open-minded.''
Although Anna and the King will be banned in Thailand, there is little doubt that video copies will enter the country. What's more, Paothong sincerely believes that those Thais who do get to see it will be heartened by the result --even though it was shot in another country.
Written by Pimpaka Towira in The Nation, Tuesday 21st September 1999. Click here for more pictures.
[ Archives | Anna and the King | Homepage ]
