The Painted Veil: forgiveness comes at a price

The 2006 film The Painted Veil tells the tale of a couple, Dr. Walter Fane (Edward Norton), and his wife, Kitty (Naomi Watts). He works in China as a bacteriologist. During a visit home to England in 1923, he falls in love with Kitty Garstin. She marries him to escape from her overbearing mother, and they return to China. Walter hopes that his wife will learn to love him on closer acquaintance, but she finds herself unable to love him.

Kitty meets British vice consul, Charles Townsend (Liev Schreiber), at a Chinese theatre. There he tells her of the character onstage, who is weeping because of her life of loveless slavery. It is clearly a metaphor for Kitty's own marriage. She seeks to find romance with Charles, and they start a passionate affair.

In 1925, a cholera epidemic breaks out in a small village called Mei-tan-fu, and Walter volunteers to assist the victims. By this time, he knows about his wife's infidelity, and he presents her with a stark choice: come with him to the village (and risk dying of cholera), or be divorced for adultery. She reluctantly agrees. Although they continue to live in the same house, they despise one another. It seems as though Walter is trying to punish his wife for her actions.

Ideas of Love

As a romance movie, love is a key theme that is explored in 'The Painted Veil.' Kitty loves Charles over her husband. But when it's put to the test, she learns that he values his reputation and his position over his love for her. Walter claims to love her from their first meeting. He overlooks her flaws hoping that she would be able to overcome them. But as he learns of her unfaithfulness, he begins to despise himself for loving her in the first place. Kitty tells him:

'It was silly of us to look for qualities in each other that we never had.'

They created ideas of what the other should be, and were disappointed when those standards were not met.

Love and Duty

There is a convent in the village, where a group of French nuns run an orphanage and hospital. It is here that Walter, and later Kitty, volunteer their efforts. In one scene, the mother superior explains the difference between love and duty. She uses her relationship with God as a metaphor. At first it was full of passion, when she was only seventeen. But as the years passed, her feelings changed. She reveals that she and God have

'... settled into a relationship of peaceful indifference.'

She concludes, saying:

'He knows I will never leave him. This is my duty. But when love and duty are one then grace is within you.'

Questions

• What is the difference between Walter's love for Kitty at the beginning of the film, Charles' love for her, and Walter's love at the end?
• There are different kinds of love. What do you think is the difference between the long-term love of a marriage and the duty of marriage?
• C S Lewis once said 'everyone thinks forgiveness is a wonderful idea - until they have something to forgive.' Do you find it difficult to forgive people who have betrayed your trust?
• Is there a difference between punishment and revenge? What is the difference?
• Was Walter justified in his treatment of his wife? If so, why? If not, why not?
• Do you agree with Kitty's reason for marriage? What if you had lived in that society?

- Richard Blakely, June 2009