Soundtrack Review: The Painted Veil

By Jeff Swindoll Feb 27, 2007, 15:13 GMT

Based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham, The Painted Veil is a love story set in the 1920s that tells the story of a young English couple, Walter (Edward Norton), a middle class doctor and Kitty (Naomi Watts), an upper-class woman, who get married for the wrong reasons and relocate to Shanghai, where she falls in love with someone else. When he uncovers her infidelity, in an act of ...more

In 1920s England, the spoiled Kitty (Naomi Watts) entered into a marriage of convenience with doctor Walter Fane (Edward Norton).  Kitty was badgered by her mother to hurry up and find a husband and when Fane steps into the picture he promises her a life of excitement and mystery in Shanghai.  Unfortunately, Kitty finds more than mystery and excitement in Shanghai.  She also finds adultery with the handsome diplomat Charlie Townsend (Live Schreiber). 

When Fane finds out about he offers her a less than attractive choice – to face the societal ravages of an adulteress divorced by her husband or accompany him into the deep inland of China to fight a cholera epidemic.  Kitty accepts accompanying her husband, but along the way the two will either learn more about the other or succumb to the ravages of cholera. 

The film is based on the novel by Somerset Maugham.  The music is composed, orchestrated, and conducted by Alexandre Desplat and features piano virtuoso Lang Lang and Vincent Segal on electronic cello.  Lang Lang is on 13 of the tracks and Vincent Segal on 7 of them with the Prague Symphony Orchestra accompanying them. 

The music definitely has an oriental feel to it and is really quite moving.  The soundtrack also features one work by Erik Satie (Gnossienne no.1), but the rest are Desplat’s compositions.  The score is really quite moving with echoes of the Orient in it.  If you’re a fan of the film or the players then you’ll definitely want to get a copy.

‘The Painted Veil’ is now available at Amazon. Visit the soundtrack database for more information and a complete track listing.