The Painted Veil
On a brief trip to London in 1923, earnest, bookish bacteriologist Walter Fane (Edward Norton) is dazzled by Kitty Garstin (Naomi Watts), a vivacious, vain, and vacuous London socialite. Kitty lives w…
The Painted Veil
On a brief trip to London in 1923, earnest, bookish bacteriologist Walter Fane (Edward Norton) is dazzled by Kitty Garstin (Naomi Watts), a vivacious, vain, and vacuous London socialite. Kitty lives with her parents Mr Garstin (Alan David) and Mrs Garstin (Maggie Steed), along with sister Doris (Lucy Voller). Kitty is under pressure to get married. Kitty is open minded and would not agree to marry anyone if she is not in love with them. Her mother retorts that her father cannot be expected to support her indefinitely. Walter purses Kitty and they go on a few dates. Walter says that he needs to get back to China quickly and is in a bit of a hurry. Walter says that life in China is very exciting with lots of dancing. Walter proposes and Kitty accepts "only to get as far away from [her] mother as possible". The couple embark on a tense relationship in China. Following a honeymoon in Venice, the couple go to Shanghai, where the doctor is stationed in a government lab studying infectious diseases. They are ill-suited, with Kitty much more interested in parties and the social life of the British expatriate community. While Walter is the stay-at-home type and wants to play cards with Kitty. They consummate their marriage in Shanghai and Walter is extremely respectful towards Kitty. He would not even touch her without her permission. Kitty is much more adventurous and wants to leave the lights open while having sex, but Walter insists on shutting down the lamp. Kitty meets Charles Townsend (Liev Schreiber), a married British vice consul, and the two engage in a clandestine affair. Charles is nothing but charming and brings a smile to Kitty's dour existence in China. Kitty invites Charles into her bed, and they start having sex regularly. One day, Kitty believes that Walter almost walked through the door into her bedroom, but he restrained himself as he heard Kitty and Charles, and did not want to confront them during the act of sex. Charles believes that even if Walter finds out about them, he is likely to do nothing as there is no gain from a huge public scandal. Charles says that he loves Kitty. When Walter discovers his wife's infidelity, he seeks to punish her by threatening to divorce her on the grounds of adultery if she doesn't accompany him to a small village in a remote area of China, where he has volunteered to treat victims of an unchecked cholera epidemic sweeping through the area. Kitty begs to be allowed to divorce him quietly and he agrees, provided Townsend will leave his wife Dorothy (Juliet Howlan) and marry her. Walter says that he knew Kitty wasn't the smartest girl, but believing that Charles loved her, convinced him that she is actually a fool. Kitty is livid that Walter would consider taking her into the middle of a Cholera epidemic and is adamant that Charles would not allow him to do anything of the sort. Kitty says that Walter is as much to blame for what has happened as is Kitty. When Kitty proposes this possibility to her lover, he, despite earlier claiming his love for Kitty, declines to accept. Charles says that Dorothy will never agree to divorce him. He adds that his station in Shanghai is far too important for him to get embroiled in a scandal of this sort. Kitty is thus compelled to travel to the mountainous inland region with her husband. Walter and Kitty arrive in rural China in 1925. They embark upon an arduous, two-week-long overland journey, which would be considerably faster and much easier if they traveled by river, but Walter is determined to make Kitty as unhappily uncomfortable as possible. Kitty has to travel in a palanquin, it is deathly hot inside, and she gets hay fever from exposure to all the fields and the countryside. On their way, they pass funeral processions of the victims of Cholera epidemic. Upon their arrival in Mei-Tan-Fu, she is distressed to discover they will be living in near squalor, far removed from everyone except their cheerful neighbor Waddington (Toby Jones), a British deputy commissioner living in relative opulence with Wan Xi (Lu Yan), a young Chinese woman. The house provided to Walter is bereft of any furniture or any amenities of any kind. The house belonged to a family that was ravaged by Cholera and died in that very house. Waddington says that if Cholera doesn't get them, the nationalist might. Waddington says that he was posted here but was shocked to hear that Walter volunteered. Walter and Kitty barely speak to each other and, except for a cook and a Chinese soldier assigned to guard her, she is alone for long hours. After visiting an orphanage run by a group of French nuns, Kitty volunteers her services, and she is assigned to work in the music room. She is surprised to learn from the Mother Superior that her husband loves children, especially babies, and in this setting, she begins to see him in a new light as she learns what a selfless and caring person he can be. When he sees her with the children, he in turn realizes she is not the shallow, selfish person he thought her to be. As Walter's anger and Kitty's unhappiness subside, their marriage begins to blossom. She soon learns she is pregnant but is unsure who the father is. Walter - in love with Kitty again - assures her it doesn't matter. Just as the local cholera problem is coming under control, ailing refugees from elsewhere pour into the area, forcing Walter to set up a camp outside town. He contracts the disease and Kitty nurses him, but he dies, devastating her. Bereft and pregnant, she leaves China. Five years later, while shopping with her young son Walter in London, Kitty meets Townsend by chance on the street. He suggests the two get together and asks young Walter his age, realizing from the reply that he could be Walter's father. Kitty, however, rejects his overture and walks away. When her son asks who Townsend is, she replies "No one important".
The Painted Veil
Drama,Romance
Film Details
On a brief trip to London in 1923, earnest, bookish bacteriologist Walter Fane (Edward Norton) is dazzled by Kitty Garstin (Naomi Watts), a vivacious, vain, and vacuous London socialite. Kitty lives with her parents Mr Garstin (Alan David) and Mrs Garstin (Maggie Steed), along with sister Doris (Lucy Voller). Kitty is under pressure to get married.
Kitty is open minded and would not agree to marry anyone if she is not in love with them. Her mother retorts that her father cannot be expected to support her indefinitely. Walter purses Kitty and they go on a few dates.
Walter says that he needs to get back to China quickly and is in a bit of a hurry. Walter says that life in China is very exciting with lots of dancing. Walter proposes and Kitty accepts "only to get as far away from [her] mother as possible".
The couple embark on a tense relationship in China. Following a honeymoon in Venice, the couple go to Shanghai, where the doctor is stationed in a government lab studying infectious diseases. They are ill-suited, with Kitty much more interested in parties and the social life of the British expatriate community.
While Walter is the stay-at-home type and wants to play cards with Kitty. They consummate their marriage in Shanghai and Walter is extremely respectful towards Kitty. He would not even touch her without her permission.
Kitty is much more adventurous and wants to leave the lights open while having sex, but Walter insists on shutting down the lamp. Kitty meets Charles Townsend (Liev Schreiber), a married British vice consul, and the two engage in a clandestine affair. Charles is nothing but charming and brings a smile to Kitty's dour existence in China.
Kitty invites Charles into her bed, and they start having sex regularly. One day, Kitty believes that Walter almost walked through the door into her bedroom, but he restrained himself as he heard Kitty and Charles, and did not want to confront them during the act of sex. Charles believes that even if Walter finds out about them, he is likely to do nothing as there is no gain from a huge public scandal.
Charles says that he loves Kitty. When Walter discovers his wife's infidelity, he seeks to punish her by threatening to divorce her on the grounds of adultery if she doesn't accompany him to a small village in a remote area of China, where he has volunteered to treat victims of an unchecked cholera epidemic sweeping through the area. Kitty begs to be allowed to divorce him quietly and he agrees, provided Townsend will leave his wife Dorothy (Juliet Howlan) and marry her.
Walter says that he knew Kitty wasn't the smartest girl, but believing that Charles loved her, convinced him that she is actually a fool. Kitty is livid that Walter would consider taking her into the middle of a Cholera epidemic and is adamant that Charles would not allow him to do anything of the sort. Kitty says that Walter is as much to blame for what has happened as is Kitty.
When Kitty proposes this possibility to her lover, he, despite earlier claiming his love for Kitty, declines to accept. Charles says that Dorothy will never agree to divorce him. He adds that his station in Shanghai is far too important for him to get embroiled in a scandal of this sort.
Kitty is thus compelled to travel to the mountainous inland region with her husband. Walter and Kitty arrive in rural China in 1925. They embark upon an arduous, two-week-long overland journey, which would be considerably faster and much easier if they traveled by river, but Walter is determined to make Kitty as unhappily uncomfortable as possible.
Kitty has to travel in a palanquin, it is deathly hot inside, and she gets hay fever from exposure to all the fields and the countryside. On their way, they pass funeral processions of the victims of Cholera epidemic. Upon their arrival in Mei-Tan-Fu, she is distressed to discover they will be living in near squalor, far removed from everyone except their cheerful neighbor Waddington (Toby Jones), a British deputy commissioner living in relative opulence with Wan Xi (Lu Yan), a young Chinese woman.
The house provided to Walter is bereft of any furniture or any amenities of any kind. The house belonged to a family that was ravaged by Cholera and died in that very house. Waddington says that if Cholera doesn't get them, the nationalist might.
Waddington says that he was posted here but was shocked to hear that Walter volunteered. Walter and Kitty barely speak to each other and, except for a cook and a Chinese soldier assigned to guard her, she is alone for long hours. After visiting an orphanage run by a group of French nuns, Kitty volunteers her services, and she is assigned to work in the music room.
She is surprised to learn from the Mother Superior that her husband loves children, especially babies, and in this setting, she begins to see him in a new light as she learns what a selfless and caring person he can be. When he sees her with the children, he in turn realizes she is not the shallow, selfish person he thought her to be. As Walter's anger and Kitty's unhappiness subside, their marriage begins to blossom.
She soon learns she is pregnant but is unsure who the father is. Walter - in love with Kitty again - assures her it doesn't matter. Just as the local cholera problem is coming under control, ailing refugees from elsewhere pour into the area, forcing Walter to set up a camp outside town.
He contracts the disease and Kitty nurses him, but he dies, devastating her. Bereft and pregnant, she leaves China. Five years later, while shopping with her young son Walter in London, Kitty meets Townsend by chance on the street.
He suggests the two get together and asks young Walter his age, realizing from the reply that he could be Walter's father. Kitty, however, rejects his overture and walks away. When her son asks who Townsend is, she replies "No one important"..