Review of Anna and the King

Anna and the King is the fourth Hollywood movie based on the diary of Anna Leonowens, an English woman who went to Siam in 1862 to tutor King Mongkut 's children. This movie ,Anna and the King ,cost a little long time，but leaves me a deep impression and makes me know more about the culture difference between different countries . In the movie, many plots reflected famous culture theory, and showed clearly the culture difference.

Before visiting the King , Anna met the prime minister, the prime minister called her “sir” ,then her asked translator why she was called “sir” .The translator told her that Siam’woman mustn’t stand in front of the prime minister. And prime minister warned that Anna and her son should put forehead to touch the floor. Anna said that although they had been getting familiar with Siam’ customs, but they also had their own etiquette and habits. She would use their country etiquette to express her highest respect. This action fully reflects power distance. In high power distance cultures, people are expected to display respect for those of higher status. Thailand is a power distance higher state, the King has supreme imperial, and anyone that see the King must kneel down.

The privacy concept of the traditional easterners is weak. We are glad to know more about others’ experience, and others are willing to tell us. While westerners pay much attention to personal privacy and space .And they aren’t reluctant to reference to personal privacy and be interfered by others.

Anna met the prime minister, she was asked about her private affairs. The prime minister asked whether she had friends in Bangkok, how her husband died, and how long her husband had died .She was very embarrassed, but had to answer. Then she asked translator to tell the prime minister that she came to act as a teacher and hoped no questions about her personal privacy. Unexpectedly, the prime minister answered to her in English that it’s the custom of Siam to ask private when people meet at first time and it just shows the politeness. This action reflects Anna, a westerner, pay much attention to personal privacy. What’s more, it also show that the culture of Hector Foster ’Long-term & Short-term Orientation. In Siam, all pay attention to Anna’ past, while Anna holds that everyone should look towards to the future and shouldn’t look back. And Anna is particular about the personal space. In the movie, although Anna is refused by the King many times but she always intensively asks to be allowed that she can own her own accommodation outside the imperial palace. She hopes that she can keep away from the crowed and own personal space. This action obviously shows that Anna, a westerner, has the intense concept of the personal space.

The Universalism and Particularism are also shown fully in this movie. When the prince of Siam clashed with Anna’ son, he didn’t get the favoritism from Anna because of his honorable status. And Anna didn’t indulge her son. On the contrary, she punished them in the same way. This is a typical western legal authority. There is no particular for anyone. And no one will be regarded particular, while everyone is regarded the same.

The exchange and communication of the cultural of the world greatly promotes

mutual respect and understanding of various historical tradition and culture. The cultural communication and exchange also continuously break tradition and barriers. From this movie, we can not only learn about the east unique cultural tradition and values, but also realize misunderstanding and hurt made by cultural discrimination and prejudice from clash between the eastern culture and the western culture. Nowadays, intercultural communication becoming more and more frequent and degree of internationalization being enhancing, we must know the difference of intercultural communication.

第二篇：A simple analysis in culture differences of Anna and the King 安娜与国王影评

A simple analysis in culture differences of Anna and the King

Anna and the King is a film which directed by Hollywood in 21th century. It is adopted from Elizabeth Hand’s Biographical Novel. The romantic story may not strictly based on history. Full-bodied exoticism mixing with conflicts and fusion of western-eastern culture, alternately present in the film.

Anna and the King tells a story setting in Siam, 19th century. A young governess, Anna, is invited far from England to Siam by the King Mongkut: who yearns for exit may exist in western system. It is the first time Anna steps on a land totally different from the western. This courageous and stubborn bachelor mother is impacted on various aspects. As the plot developing, Anna and the King, from see each other, know to phase for the love. These romantic and dramatic conflicts also unfold how people from different background comprehend each other, communicate with each other.

This article is going to analysis some culture differences.

●Privacy Concept

In the film, a conversation happening when Anna and Prime Minister Mr. Hong firstly meet emerges a conflict usually occurring between westerners and easterners-----privacy. The western emphasizes individual

while the eastern minds social. So when an easterner politely asks with concerns about, the westerner may take it as offence.

●Time Concept

It takes Anna three weeks waiting to meet the King. The King rejects Anna’s requests for respect as a visitor. All these conflicts unfold two different attitudes, rules, and ways of dealing with time. Hall promoted them as ‘Unit time culture’ and ‘Multiple time culture’. For people living in ‘Unit time culture’, everything should be done strictly and effectively based on schedule. Being punctual and the deadline are deeply rooted in them. However, for people live in ‘Multiple time culture’, they don’t schedule every detail and abide by it. The ‘Unit time culture’ makes people only concern about time table ignores other elements, such as communications. While the ‘Multiple time culture’ hints people the head of series is the most important. These emerge in the film, Anna waiting for the King to receive, Anna’s request of living outside the palace. ●High/low power distance cultures & gender discrimination

Asian is a typical delegate of high power distance culture. It accepts power is distributed unequally power, teachers and students, parents and children, the emperor and the minister. High power distance culture also represents male power culture. This oriental stylish culture penetrates the film. In Siam, nobody is allowed to look in the face of the King, and men

never apologize to women. And the King Mongkut can’t imagine a man only has one wife. While western countries tend to low power distance culture. People try hard to break unequally distributed power. They

believe everyone is born equally and everyone deserves respect, whether women or men. So in the film, we know a gentle Anna, who won’t accept polygamy and slave’s suffering.

Anna and the King paints a colorful engaging picture of Smile Land, Siam. Its multicultural conflicts make this film a classical case of cross-cultural research.