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The King and I is a 1999 American animated musical film that is loosely adapted from the Anna Leonowens story, and uses songs and some of the character names from the 1951 stage musical The King and I.
Plot[]
In 1862, a ship sails from London to Bangkok; on board are Anna Leonowens and her son Louis. Kralahome, the Prime Minister, uses his powers of illusion to make it appear as if a massive sea serpentis attacking the ship as it's battered in a storm. Anna, with the help of Captain Orton, manages to save Louis from drowning, and they all manage to fend off the sea serpent by whistling. As they approach Bangkok, the captain explains to Anna how the kingdom is politically structured.
In the Grand Palace of Siam, Anna witnesses King Mongkut receive a gift in the form of a slave—a young woman named Tuptim from Burma. “A BARBARICAL custom — the king LOVES it!” says Kralahome to Anna, the former secretly plotting to have Mongkut removed from the throne on grounds of barbarism. Hoping to use Anna to achieve his goal, he cultivates an attentive friendship with her while grossly and unfairly exaggerating every one of the King’s flaws. Despite being promised her own house outside the palace, Anna is denied it, which Kralahome warned her would happen. The King drags Anna to his workshop, where he tests new inventions such as hot air balloons and trains. Louis is taken on a tour of the armory by Kralahome's henchman, Master Little, who barely misses an injury and begins to lose his teeth one after the other. In the palace gardens, Prince Chulalongkorn meets Tuptim, and they fall in love, but Chulalongkorn keeps his true identity hidden. While the King's wives help her unpack, Anna sees Chulalongkorn and Tuptim in the courtyard and supports their relationship. Since she will not receive the house, she wants to leave, but she soon changes her mind after meeting the royal children, especially Chulalongkorn.
With Kralahome still plotting to overthrow the King, he writes a letter to officials from the British Empire, led by Sir Edward, that claims Anna is in danger. As for Anna, she begins to teach the royal children, especially given that they have never been outside the palace walls. To give them hands-on experience, she takes all of them around the city to see how other people live. Kralahome hears it from Master Little, who tells him of the outing, and informs the king in the guise of praising him for his daring, which in turn angers the King, as he had no knowledge Anna would take his children without his permission, and is understandably fearful for their safety. Mongkut confronts Anna when she and the children return, and it boils over into a fight, with Anna still complaining about the house that she was promised but has yet to receive.
Chulalongkorn meets with his father to discuss traditions. He wants to be with Tuptim, but he knows that his father would never allow it. Confused, Mongkut goes to pray to Buddha. Kralahome then uses his powers on the statues in the room to try and attack the King, whose pet black panther, Rama, manages to fight them off with a roar. While Chulalongkorn is practicing kickboxing, Tuptim finally learns that he is the crown prince and that their love is forbidden. However, he tells her that he does not care about tradition and wants to be with her. Master Little learns of their relationship and tells Kralahome, who plans to use it to anger the King at the right time. Anna goes to the King and sees that he is troubled after learning that the British are coming because he is allegedly a barbarian, which she knows is false. Anna advises Mongkut to throw a banquet for the British when they arrive so that he can show them he is civilized. At the dinner, Kralahome mentions the royal ivory pendant that the King is supposed to wear, which he gave to his son, who then gave it to Tuptim. When it is revealed that Chulalongkorn gave it away, Tuptim is brought in by the guards. Dishonored by the relationship, the King threatens to whip Tuptim to death but finds that he can't do it. He orders her to be sent back to Burma, but knowing that this will be a death sentence for her, Chulalongkorn turns against his father and fights off the guards, fleeing with Tuptim and escaping into the jungle with Louis on elephants.
While they escape, Kralahome uses his powers to guide them through the jungle to a river marking the borderline of the kingdom. Encouraged by this knowledge, they attempt to cross a rope bridge. But the bridge collapses, and Tuptim and Chulalongkorn are almost swept away by the river. The King, having had a change of heart and using one of his hot air balloons, rescues them with Louis's help in distracting Master Little's interference. However, on their journey back to the palace, Kralahome fires a firework, destroys the balloon, and causes it to crash. Everyone but Mongkut is able to jump into a lake for safety. Kralahome celebrates his apparent victory in the murder of the king but ends up exposing his true nature in front of Sir Edward and the royal guards.
An injured, bedridden Mongkut tells his son to be ready to lead Siam if he dies and allows him and Tuptim to be married and become king and queen. With his evil schemes of overthrowing the King exposed, Kralahome loses his position; as a punishment, he is forced to clean the elephant stables with Master Little as his boss, who now loses his last tooth and attacks him out of retaliation. The King heals from his injury and presents Anna with her house outside the palace walls, and the two of them dance.