DVD: "The Painted Veil"

Seen on: March 18, 2008

Edition: Standard Edition

The players: Director: John Curran, Writer: Ron Nyswaner, Cast: Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber, Toby Jones, Anthony Wong

Facts of interest: The film is based on a 1925 novel of the same name and is the second adaptation of the book. The first was in 1934 starring Greta Garbo.

The plot: In the 1920s, A British doctor volunteers to travel to a small Chinese village stricken with cholera, forcing his unfaithful wife to accompany him.

Our quick thoughts: Forget the tired love story cliché of star-crossed lovers who always wind up together in the end, despite the obstacles in their way. How about a love story where the couple is trapped in their own loveless marriage and truly despise one another? Sound impossible? Well not in “The Painted Veil.”
 
The film is a beautiful look at how two people can grow to love one another in the time of need. It does away with the prehistoric idea of “soul mates” and gives us a more realistic look at love between Kitty (Naomi Watts) and Walter (Edward Norton). People do not always marry for love, which is the situation here. Kitty marries to get away from her mother and ends up having an affair, which Walter later uncovers. He gives her the ultimatum to accompany him to the cholera-infested village or be the subject of scrutiny in a nasty divorce. As a sign of the times, Kitty chooses cholera over divorce.

 

After spending several months among the poor, sick and dying, Walter and Kitty both begin to see admirable qualities in one another, and finally their own isolation and loneliness bring about a change in their relationship, presenting a mutual love for one another, which to me seems more realistic than catching one another’s eye from across a crowded room, falling instantly in love, and living happily ever after.

Though this may not sound very romantic, the intense performances by Norton and Watts make it so. Once they start to see one another in a different light, you want desperately for these two to take the plunge and fall in love, and when they finally do, you can really feel their newfound passion for one another.

Freaky quote: "Women are always under the impression that men love them more than they really do." - Liev Schreiber

The final word: If you’re looking for a non-traditional love story, make a date to see “The Painted Veil” and enjoy the beauty of an unhappy couple discovering one another against the breathtaking backdrop of the Chinese countryside. Unfortunately, the DVD edition of the film carries no bonus features.