#kitty fane

One of my favourite scenes from the film. I find this particular scene is amusing and unironically ironic. Or is it ironically unironic? I don't know. The picturesque background ironically supports the mood of this scene beautifully though — and correctly, I suppose.

The Painted Veil is a beautiful, beautiful film that nobody sees.

Edward Norton. I mean...Edward Norton.

The other cast are pretty great too: Naomi Watts, Diana Rigg, Toby Jones, Liev Shrieber etc.

It’s actually realistic about rushed marriages like they don’t fall in love immediately and she goes off and has an affair etc.

Kitty, the main female character, starts off as vain and shallow, as being an adulteress, who only cares for parties and dancing etc. She grows in the film and becomes far kinder and more bearable

Walter, her husband, is literally adorkable; he’s a bacteriologist who’s super awkward, can be a little rude when he’s angry, handsome, he likes babies, has a good heart, and he grows too because he sees the good side of his wife.

Walter being a snarky little shit when he’s angry - it’s actually so savage, I love him

Accurate depiction of a cholera epidemic - you see dead bodies, really sick people etc., like there’s no brushing over it

Edward Norton

This film was also produced by Norton and Watts, just saying

It’s a period piece set in the 1920s (I think?)

The soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful

“I knew you weren’t the cleverest girl in the world, but I didn’t know you were actually a fool.” - SAVAGE

The cinematography and scenery is breath-taking; it’s set/filmed in China

“Walter, you can’t be serious about taking me into the middle of a cholera epidemic!” “...Do you think that I’m not?” DEAD

Edward Norton speaking in an English(?) accent though

The children at the nunnery + Kitty bonding with them is super sweet, not gonna lie

“The very idea that a woman should marry any Tom, Dick or Harry, regardless of her own feelings, is...simply prehistoric!” - UMM YES THANK YOU

Walter you adorkable tol bean sTAHP being so damn cute

The costumes though - I just love the costumes in this movie

The movie is a bit different than the classic book it’s based on but it’s actually WAY better than the book because it’s not totally depressing and soul crushing

“He doesn’t speak any English?” *proceeds to insult him in English*

Edward Harrison Norton

The love scene in the film is actually tasteful and classy

The fact that a character is literally called fucking Waddington

“I despise myself” (Why?) “For allowing myself to love you once”

“I’ve gotten used to not speaking unless I have something to say” - sAME WALTER

Actual Chinese culture (at least, I think it is) is in the film

Angst and then some light fluff - and then extremely heavy angst with a bittersweet ending. Be prepared to have your heart ripped out!

Edward. Freaking. Norton.