I love the 2006 adaptation of the movie, and i read the book for the first time last year. In her prime, she was the apple of her mothers eye and virtually guaranteed a marvelous marriage only she waited too long to choose a husband from amongst her many suitors. Lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. Oct 01, 2007 the painted veil, a reelsingingstar edward norton, naomi watts. When charles heartlessly abandons her, she accepts walters demand to follow him into the cholera epidemic in mainland china. The painted veil is the fifth book ive read from my tbr pile challenge list. 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 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. The painted veil is not a fastpaced and bubbly romance. With the exception of a few changes, the film remains relatively close to the source material. Hes invited to a party where he espies uppercrust socialite kitty garstin watts, and for walter, its love at first sight.
The two leads were passionate about the project with both naomi watts and edward norton choosing to produce the film. Walter and kitty barely spoke as they travelled by chair through the inscrutable chinese hinterland. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him. It is a morality tale of astonishing depth and humanity. An elegy on the death of a mad dog by oliver goldsmith 17281774. From lift not the painted veil which those who live by persy bysshe shelley 17921822. My feeling is that he was better than good he was great. Somerset maugham novel, the painted veil tracks the troubled marriage of kitty naomi watts and walter edward norton. May 18, 2010 below are some questions to get us started. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful, but lovestarved kitty fane. Somerset maugham, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Lift not the painted veil which those who live call. Both maughams parents died before he was 10, and the orphaned boy was raised by a paternal uncle who was emotionally cold. Rather, as this slowburning, oftentimes bitter romance unfolds, it takes patience but is ultimately rewarding.
If you like the painted veil you are looking for touching, emotional and captivating movies about with loveless marriage, couple relations, love and romance, infidelity, cheating wife, marriage and unfaithful wife themes of drama and romance genre shot in china or usa. Financial analysis of the painted veil 2006 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability. Lifting the veils in william somerset maughams the. The painted veil 1934 film, directed by ryszard boleslawski. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, it is the story of the beautiful but shallow young kitty fane. For kitty, walter is a means to escape her family s depressing expectations her mother maggie steed dotes on kittys sister while fully expecting the spoiled kitty to dwindle into deserved spinsterhood. The christian science monitor is an international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage via its website, weekly magazine, online daily edition, and email newsletters. Jun 07, 2015 the painted veil is both a critical social commentary and deeply personal tale of self realisation. At the beginning, kitty does not love her husband walter, but is instead enamored with the dashing politician charles townsend. The novel also inspired a 2006 drama movie of the same name starring edward norton and naomi watts. The painted veil is a compelling tale of lust and redemption, a story that begins sordidly and ends profoundly and one that is rich in reality, compassion, and hope. Published by vintage international on february 10, 2004 originally published april 1925. The painted veil soundtrack, composed by alexandre desplat. Edward norton and naomi watts at an event for the painted veil 2006.
The painted veil is a beautifully written affirmation of the human capacity to grow, to change, and to forgive. The painted veil a beautifully written story about a young wife, kitty fane, who is brought to hong kong by her doctor husband in the 1920s. Nov 14, 2008 walter and kitty barely spoke as they travelled by chair through the inscrutable chinese hinterland. Apr 05, 20 the painted veil is not a fastpaced and bubbly romance. Somerset maugham andits about a young english couple, played by edward norton and naomi watts, whomove to. Kitty may not be clever or deep, but she is beautiful and well bred. Beginning in may 1925, it was serialised in the united kingdom in eight parts in. 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.
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. Somerset maugham was one of the twentieth centurys most popular novelists as well as a celebrated playwright, critic, and short story writer. Still, the movie version of the painted veil seems nonplussed when it has to come to terms with the catholic mysticism that pervades the last third of the novel. Original score, cinematography a lock, editing, ad. Jan 12, 2007 the christian science monitor is an international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage via its website, weekly magazine, online daily edition, and email newsletters. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of the beautiful but lovestarved kitty fane.
The painted veil is the story of kitty fane, a beautiful, but thoughtless, shallow, and selfcentered woman. How frighteningly yellow were the faces that surrounded them. Lifting the veils in william somerset maughams the painted veil. The painted veil has the ingredients of a great film, including cinematography alternatively lush and parched and highcaliber actors. Set in england and hong kong in the 1920s, the painted veil is the story of. First published in 1925, the painted veil recounts the moral awakening of a vain, careless young woman, kitty ms. The painted veil is a novel about love, betrayal, and selfsacrifice. Somerset maugham, the painted veil is a love story set in the 1920s that tells the story of a young english couple, walter, a middle class doctor and kitty, an. I admired the potraiture of people as people complex. Watts, who has been raised for a life of abject uselessness. Walter fane, a bacteriologist living in china who falls madly in love with her.
Maugham used this concept to show how all of society and the people living in it are tainted. Since its themes of love, pain, and forgiveness are universal, viewers can relate, at some level or another, to the internal struggles of kitty and walter. In walter fane she sees a man who truly loves her, and she realizes that he is someone she can take. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic. While the chinese characters remain mostly anonymous, either children or suffering disease victims, kitty and walters exclusive. The painted veil should get 4 or 5 oscar nominations. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. The painted veil william somerset maugham 1925 babbling. The nature of love is one of the primary themes of the novel.
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. May 04, 2011 in my opinion, the painted veil was a great choice for a book discussion group. The painted veil 2006 is an adaptation of the novel by w. Dec 21, 2006 the painted veil is a love story in reverse. What is the significance of the title the painted veil. At a wedding, a veil is usually white, representing the innocence of the person wearing it. 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. The plot centres around beautiful englishwoman kitty and.
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. It is a story of love, betrayal, hatred, revenge and redemption. The painted veil is the best movie no one is talking about. In the novel the veil is painted, which means that it is not an innocent veil the characters are wearing. The painted veil is a 1925 novel by british author w. The painted veil discussion questions classics reading group. The only characters in the novel that wear white, literally speaking, are the nuns. It was short, a fast read, and possessed of an intriguing setting. 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. 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. Beautifully written and entertainingly read, it it is well worth listening to more than once.
Differences between the painted veil book vs movie page 1. Dec 20, 2006 first published in 1925, the painted veil recounts the moral awakening of a vain, careless young woman, kitty ms. He made no further claim for himself than that he was a good storyteller. The book touched a lot of themes, the ones that stood out for me. The idea for the novel began when maugham was studying italian under the tuition of the daughter of his landlady in tuscany before world war i he had by then decided to abandon a. The title is taken from percy bysshe shelleys sonnet, which begins lift not the painted veil which those who live call life. Somerset maugham published by vintage international on february 10, 2004 originally published april 1925 series. The painted veil 2006 original theatrical trailer youtube. The movie is based on the 1925 novel of the british author w. Naomi watts and john curran interviewed the painted veil. Books similar to the painted veil meet your next favorite book. Only yesterday i borrowed the book again because i wanted to write a brief comparison between the two. Several times in the novel, the death of a character is a liberation for those close to them.
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. It is a powerful story of a broken marriage healed through love, charity and devotion to duty. Vintage classics, 1925, 214 pages first published in 1925, the painted veil is an affirmation of the human capacity to grow, change, and forgive. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him more. The painted veil is a brilliant, morally uplifting drama for mature audiences. Somerset maugham, which followed the disillusionment and growth of a shallow young socialite named kitty fane. The painted veil is the sort of moviestar vehicle that usually provides for outsized, capital a acting. 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 is both a critical social commentary and deeply personal tale of self realisation. Somerset maugham andits about a young english couple, played by edward norton and naomi watts, whomove to china. Your students can use these discussion questions to navigate these themes, as well as their own thoughts on the novel.
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 remains an important interwar novel as it opened room for other writers to follow suit and sketch woman characters in such a way so as to normalise their being imperfect individuals, who should not be demonised for not meeting unrealistic societal standards of morality. 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. The painted veil study guide contains a biography of w. The novel was first published in serialised form in five issues of cosmopolitan november 1924 march 1925. The painted veil, a reelsingingstar edward norton, naomi watts. The painted veil is a novel written by w somerset maugham in 1925. 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, combined with wanting to marry before her younger and less attractive sister. Aug 18, 2017 the painted veil is the story of kitty fane, a beautiful, but thoughtless, shallow, and selfcentered woman.