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. Even in the end when i thought there may be a turning point in the story kitty again let me down. Even charlie, who is not exactly likeable, has his part to play. The painted veil by somerset maugham books the guardian. The painted veil is a 1925 novel by british author w. Walter and kitty fane into rural china of 1925 with a cholera epidemic while simultaneously taking us into the wasteland of kittys heart. 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. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic. 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.
First published in 1925, the painted veil recounts the moral awakening of a vain, careless young woman, kitty ms. From all the posts im reading here, i think i would prefer the movie the painted veil to the book too. The question and answer section for the painted veil is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. The painted veil is the story of kitty fane, a beautiful, but thoughtless, shallow, and selfcentered woman. Vintage classics, 1925, 214 pages first published in 1925, the painted veil is an affirmation of the human capacity to grow, change, and forgive. From lift not the painted veil which those who live by persy bysshe shelley 17921822. The painted veil is a beautifully written affirmation of the human capacity to grow, to change, and to forgive. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is. The painted veil is a 2006 american drama film directed by john curran. June book club discussion the painted veil i finished reading the painted veil and felt a little let down. Opinions about the characters varied widely and we talked as much about the authors intent as we did the story. From all the posts im reading here, i think i would prefer the. I admired the potraiture of people as people complex. I read the horse whisperer and thought it was a good book, but when i saw the movie i thought it was better.
The novel also inspired a 2006 drama movie of the same name starring edward norton and naomi watts. I remember watching once the razors edge from the mid 1940s, filmed immediately after the publishing of the novel. Somerset maugham novel was the source for the fairtomiddling greta garbo vehicle the painted veil. The painted veil intelligent scripting, solid thesping and eyecatching location shooting arent enough to make a compelling modern film of the. I think he is a brilliant actor and he came through again in painted veil. The painted veil discussion questions classics reading group. Though i think kitty on the whole is a more interesting character and the painted veil a more compelling novel. The imperialism of the westerns is impressive and a doctor is capable to order to burn down the houses of the villagers to the ground without explaining them the reason why. 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.
This summary of the painted veil includes a complete plot overview spoilers. Kitty fane is a beautiful young woman whose mother has raised her to make a suitable match. The main thrust of the book is kittys transformation after she and walter husband move to a cholerastricken region and she volunteers in a. The ending is a bit of a let down the 2006 movie adaptation starring edward norton and naomi watts is much better, but on the whole the painted veil is a compelling tale of love, betrayal, revenge and redemption and confirms maugham as one of my favourite writers. Lift not the painted veil which those who live call. Walter and kitty barely spoke as they travelled by chair through the inscrutable chinese hinterland.
The painted veil is the story of the beautiful but shallow young kitty fane, who marries for money rather than love. 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. The only characters in the novel that wear white, literally speaking, are the nuns. With naomi watts, edward norton, liev schreiber, catherine an. Only yesterday i borrowed the book again because i wanted to write a brief comparison between the two. While the chinese characters remain mostly anonymous, either children or suffering disease victims, kitty and walters exclusive. There were major changes to the plot, especially to the ending, that i thought were improvements from the book. Unfortunately, he is dull and she is a whinger, and to punish her for sleeping with liev schreiber, he drags her along to a remote village where he. The 2006 movie adaptation of the painted veil, a novel written by somerset mangham in 1925, romanticises the resolution of the marriage of walter fane and kitty, an english frivolous socialite.
I was expecting a victorian type happy ending kitty and her husband will get back. I liked the book much much better than the movie as the novel reveals the complexity of kittys emotions. 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. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, this beautifully written character study is an affirmation of the human capacity to grow, change, and forgive. 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. In the novel the veil is painted, which means that it is not an innocent veil the characters are wearing. Beginning in may 1925, it was serialised in the united kingdom in eight parts in.
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. The painted veil is an excruciating lengthy bore that doesnt have a minute that is worth acknowledging. Maugham used this concept to show how all of society and the people living in it are tainted. Craddock, another work by maugham, the character of bertha vaguely reminds me of kitty.
The painted veil book vs movie janet cheng in literature on 12 march, 2020. The painted veil study guide contains a biography of w. The romance between the leads is so unconvincing it. In the preface to his book, maugham tells how the main characters were. Somerset maugham, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and. The painted veil has the ingredients of a great film, including cinematography alternatively lush and parched and highcaliber actors. I also find that the film is obsessed with ending a tragic and loveless.
The painted veil book vs movie showing 16 of 6 goodreads. The 2006 movie adaptation of the painted veil, a novel written by. The painted veil created the most lively discussion our group has ever had. Several times in the novel, the death of a character is a liberation for those close to them. In my opinion, the painted veil was a great choice for a book discussion group. I liked the book ending much more than the movie too. The screenplay by ron nyswaner is based on the 1925 novel of the same title by w.
An elegy on the death of a mad dog by oliver goldsmith 17281774. The painted veil is the sort of moviestar vehicle that usually provides for outsized, capital a acting. It is a story of love, betrayal, hatred, revenge and redemption. 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. Somerset maugham was one of the twentieth centurys most popular novelists as well as a celebrated playwright, critic, and short story writer. In a situation comparable to the plotlines of most of her silent films, garbo is. 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. The painted veil succeeds brilliantly on two levels. The painted veil is a romance with a corny conclusion about a marriage without love of a dedicated researcher and a bored housewife. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, it is the story of the beautiful but shallow young kitty fane.
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. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. 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. Her philosophical journey is about half a mile from not caring for anyone but herself to believing she can raise her own. My main disappointment is that i never could feel any emotion for kitty. Differences between the painted veil book vs movie page 1. 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. I love the 2006 adaptation of the movie, and i read the book for the first time last year. Watts, who has been raised for a life of abject uselessness. 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. I wish, the book would have been written as the movie was.
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