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.
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.
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.

Golden Globes
1 nomination

Spirit Awards
2 nominations

Nat. Board of Review
2 wins

LAFCA
1 win