The Painted Veil (2006) | agoodmovietowatch
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The Painted Veil 2006

Edward Norton and Naomi Watts rebuilds a marriage in this gorgeous period piece

Our Take (by Isabella Endrinal)

Based on the novel of the same name, The Painted Veil is more interested in its romance than the history behind it, so no one should go in expecting in-depth commentary on the British presence in Shanghai during a cholera pandemic. That being said, the film does really well in depicting that romance. It’s beautifully shot, with lovely sets and costumes of a bygone era, and a score that hits all the right notes for the time. However, it’s the cast that makes the journey so worthwhile. Naomi Watts embodies Kitty’s domestic frustration that it’s easy to empathize with her despite her faults, while Edward Norton’s performance had us in tears, especially towards the end. This historical drama is more drama than history, but it’s a good drama nonetheless.

Notable Critics

"Field of Dreams sustains a dreamy mood in which the idea of baseball is distilled to its purest essence: a game that stands for unsullied innocence in a cruel, imperfect world."

— Variety Staff

Synopsis

A British medical doctor fights a cholera outbreak in a small Chinese village, while also being trapped at home in a loveless marriage to an unfaithful wife.

More about it

What happens

A British medical doctor fights a cholera outbreak in a small Chinese village, while also being trapped at home in a loveless marriage to an unfaithful wife.

Awards

Golden Globes

1 nomination

Nominated: Best Original Score

Spirit Awards

2 nominations

Nominated: Best Male LeadNominated: Best Screenplay

Nat. Board of Review

2 wins

Won: Best Adapted ScreenplayWon: Top Ten Films

LAFCA

1 win

Won: Best Music

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About the author

Isabella Endrinal

Isabella Endrinal

Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She's now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She's currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn't coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.