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Title: Yul Brynner excels
Review: There are elements of this film that rate 5 stars, and other elements that rate from 1 to 3 stars, resulting in a final tally of 4.What works--Yul Brynner, Yul Brynner, and Yul Brynner. The songs are generally wonderful, and the adaptation of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is visually breathtaking.What doesn't--It's too long. Also, both the main plot and the subplot (involving one of the king's concubines and her lover) are resolved too abruptly with the unexplained death of the king. In fact, the only reason that I can see for the king to die is good old-fashioned racism. Romance and possibly even marraige is the logical outcome of the close relationship that develops between Anna and the king of Siam over the course of the film. Killing the king, no matter how contrived, was the only way to avoid the distasteful (in some eyes) prospect of a romantic liaison between a white woman and a virile Asian male.Nevertheless, the songs and performances are strong enough to recommend this film.
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