Hong kong as a city where east meets west, is kittys entry to the other side of the world, where she is sure to undergo change. The main thrust of the book is kitty s transformation after she and walter husband move to a cholerastricken region and she volunteers in a conventhospital. Complexity of relationships the focus in painted veil. Alexandre desplat few american films secure the right to film in china these days, but the filmmakers of the painted veil decided that no other location would suffice. The painted veil is both a critical social commentary and deeply. Top american libraries canadian libraries universal library community texts project gutenberg biodiversity heritage library childrens library. Her relationship to her mother wasnt particularly good as her mother was only focused on having pretty daughters to marry off to men in the upper class. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is.
The painted veil is the story of walter and kitty fane. I mostly enjoyed to witness the development of kittys character. Walter is quiet and faithful while kitty is loud and unfaithful. Though on a somewhat smaller scale, john currans melodrama takes w. The author touches on the themes of taoism and eastern spiritualism that are given. Im glad that i didnt read the cover blurbs on my paperback copy of maughams 1925 classic the painted veil. Kitty and charlie fall into an affair and the painted veil enters at the point.
Who is the father of kittys child at the end of the painted veil. I have read goldsmiths elegy, and found it quite interesting in reference to the events in the painted veil. The main thrust of the book is kittys transformation after she and walter husband move to a cholerastricken region and she volunteers in a. Alexandre desplat lang lang the painted veil original. The painted veil symbols, allegory and motifs gradesaver. Somerset maugham novel the painted veil, about a british couple who travel to china in the 1920s, is not specifically oriental in tone. 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. 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. Sumptuous and moody, the soundtrack to the movie, the painted veil, is one that i have enjoyed listening to over and over again. 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. Having read the original novel by somerset maugham, a stark yet moving tale of a young womans reevaluation of her life and values, the movie was a slightly more romaniticized version of the novel.
Vintage classics, 1925, 214 pages first published in 1925, the painted veil is an affirmation of the human capacity to grow, change, and forgive. May 04, 2011 in my opinion, the painted veil was a great choice for a book discussion group. The novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november 1924 march 1925. Book, movie and radio program all recommended i dont know what it is about this story that i love, but i found the idea fascinating, the characters. 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. Somerset maugham book, movie and radio program on the steamer that took them up the western river walter read incessantly, but at mealtimes he endeavored to make some kind of conversation. It is a powerful story of a broken marriage healed through love, charity and devotion to duty. Provided to youtube by universal music group kittys theme lang lang prague symphony orchestra alexandre desplat the painted veil. As usual for a somerset maugham, i was compelled to read it in almost one session. Perhaps i should see more movies based on his books. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to a remote region of china ravaged by a cholera epidemic. For your consideration promotional cd for the painted veil track 2 composed by erik satie 18861925 cd packaged in a slim jewel case with white printed cover, front of cd printed with tracklisting.
My feeling is that he was better than good he was great. The painted veil was an excellent introduction to somerset. The similarities between the elegy and the novel are that walter and kitty, just like the man and the dog, start off being friends. Much to my chagrin, i cannot change the typeface of this posting. Aug 11, 20 here is the soundtrack kittys theme from the amazing 2006 movie the painted veil. Underpinning the entire plot is kittys manipulative, socialclimbing. Somerset maugham im pretty sure i have never read a book so depressing and yet so interesting as this book. Pdf the painted veil download full pdf book download. While the specifics of the painted veil are different, the themes are clearly present. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful but lovestarved kitty fane. While his work for the queen has garnered the most widespread support from mainstream listeners, the painted veil is a more cerebral, listenable, and arguably more interesting score for its film.
Their perseverance paid off, for the films authenticity in location is a key ingredient to the success of the character drama set against it. I wanted to read the painted veil because it was one of the few somerset maugham books i never read as a teenager, when i devoured most of them, and i had seen the film. Alexandre desplats score for director john currans film adaptation of the w. This is a story about love with the heroine, kitty garstin, sacrificing her life with death risk caused by cholera in the deep forest of china, trying to dig her heart to. The plot centres around beautiful englishwoman kitty and her. Its boring, but her face certainly captures kittys hopelessness. 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. 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. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the painted veil by w. The painted veil is both a critical social commentary and deeply personal tale of self realisation. Yet, in the end kitty hates herself, while in the beginning she thought highly of herself. The painted veil by alexandre desplat 28947765523 cd.
May 21, 2010 the painted veil does show kittys change to some extent. After kittys betrayal, however, walter takes her to the cholera. First published in 1925, this documents the sad and short marriage of kitty and walter and how kittys affair with. May 10, 2009 kittys theme from the painted veil soundtrack. 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. The painted veil is simple, well told and enjoyable, but i wish there had been more descriptions of this area of china and its people.
Somerset maugham, takes viewers on a journey into early 20th century rural china, where a cholera epidemic becomes the backdrop for shifts and growing pains in a fractured marriage. The painted veil is the story of the beautiful, but lovestarved kitty fane. Compare and contrast the characters of walter and mr. 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. As a knockon effect of covid19 airfreight prices around the world have soared. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic.
Alexandre desplat s score for director john curran s film adaptation of the w. I struggled to appreciate it, for the book ends without kittys selfrealization being complete. Somerset maughams love story in the painted veil is an. I think it almost refers back to waddingtons comment on the beauty of life, and also kittys 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. First published in 1925, the painted veil is an affirmation of the human capacity to grow, change, and forgive. The painted veil does show kittys change to some extent. Young, beautiful, and shallow, she marries walter fane after suddenly realizing she was running out of time and needed to catch a husband quickly.
It also contains strong, positive christian content. Jun 07, 2015 the painted veil is both a critical social commentary and deeply personal tale of self realisation. Reluctantly, we have had to pass on some of this increase in our standard airmail prices. Alexandre desplat, lang lang the painted veil alexandre. I remember that in the book, kitty and waddington go. I knew one who had lifted ithe sought, for his lost heart was tender. Set in the 1920s in england, hong kong, and china, the painted veil is the story of twentysomething kitty fane. Who is the father of kittys child at the end of the. While i was in the midst of a somerset maugham obsession triggered by selina hastingss superb biography, i mentioned that i thought the painted veil would be an excellent choice for the literary ladies book club. The painted veil is a 2006 american drama film directed by john curran. Since i never liked her to begin with, it seemed rather dreary to me.
Top american libraries canadian libraries universal library community texts project gutenberg. In the preface to his book, maugham tells how the main characters were originally called lane, but that. Desplat s rise to stardom has taken a path through both arthouse and mainstream films, maturing in 2006 with several acclaimed works. At the beginning, kitty does not love her husband walter, but is. Kittys mother is extremely concerned with social position. 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 book in itself is a great book im still reading it and loving it. Alexandre desplat, lang lang the painted veil alexandre desplat music. 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.
Alexandre desplat the painted veil 2006, cd discogs. Due in large part to effective acting and a well developed screenplay, the movie provides a twofold source of satisfaction. Is it supposed to be ambiguous whether walter or charlie was the father, or do you have reason to believe that its one or the other. Maugham uses a thirdpersonlimited point of view in this story, where kitty garstin is the focal character. The nature of love is one of the primary themes of the novel.
Here is the soundtrack kittys theme from the amazing 2006 movie the painted veil. The painted veil is the original soundtrack, on the deutsche grammophon label, of the 2006. The painted veil william somerset maugham my book affair. The painted veil is a 1925 novel by british author w. Lift not the painted veil which those who live lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. As a writer, i was interested in his choice to open his tale with a tryst between lovers who are cheating on their spouses, one an older, experienced cheat and the other totally clueless in the timehonored art of marital infidelity. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. Not sure where she is in this picture, but the wraught iron looks like the porch of a 1970s mobile home. 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. Around the world in 80 books group reads discussions. It was short, a fast read, and possessed of an intriguing setting. Alexandre desplat, lang lang the painted veil alexandre desplat amazon. The painted veil soundtrack d kittys theme youtube.
These contrasts make the themes in this book even more apparent. 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. In the preface to his book, maugham tells how the main characters were originally called lane, but that this was. Somerset maugham novel, the painted veil tracks the troubled marriage of kitty naomi watts and walter edward norton. The painted veil essays are academic essays for citation. For kitty, walter is a means to escape her familys depressing expectations her mother maggie steed dotes on kittys sister while fully expecting the spoiled kitty to dwindle into deserved spinsterhood.
Garstin, and their respective relationships to kitty. 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 the samenamed 1934 film starring greta garbo and. The painted veil is one of those visual and cinematic masterpieces that. These covers from previous editions of the painted veil are everything wonderful about books. The painted veil, is one that i have enjoyed listening to over and over again. But he always had story as well, even if not so great most of the times. But it does have a sense of reserve and a contemplative feel much of the time. He made no further claim for himself than that he was a good storyteller. Aug 20, 2009 but he always had story as well, even if not so great most of the times.
One gets so caught up in kittys growth as a person that we almost forget. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, it is the story of the beautiful but shallow young kitty fane. A sort of reds with cholera in the far east swapped for the russian revolution and a whole lot more bitterness and resentment between its central couple, the painted veil is more or less from the school of motion picture that pauline kael used to say reeks of quality. Books audio book month 28, the tuesday alternative 8, theme.
Gender, sexuality, and history in the painted veil. Some may find maugham a bit dated now, but thats just what i love so much. Only when it is too late does dymovs wife olga like kitty realize her husbands moral worth and see that he is a far finer man than she had realized. The screenplay by ron nyswaner is based on the 1925 eponymous novel by w.
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