The Legend of Suriyothai
Encyclopedia
The Legend of Suriyothai is a 2001 Thai film
directed by Chatrichalerm Yukol
, telling the story of Queen Suriyothai, who died in a battle in 1548 (the Burmese–Siamese War of 1548) against Burmese invaders. In the film, Queen Suriyothai takes her battle elephant in front of the Burmese army and sacrifices herself to save the life of her king Maha Chakkraphat and his kingdom
.
The principal king dies, and Tien's father inherits the throne. A few years later, smallpox
makes its first appearance in Siam and the king is stricken with the disease. On his deathbed he extracts a promise of support for his young son from Chai Raja, his nephew, and Tien. Burma invades in the north and Chai Raja assumes the throne in order to protect Siam. He executes the child king, which Tien protests but on Suriyothai's advice accepts Chai Raja as his ruler.
Chai Raja's wife, Queen Jitravadee, dies shortly after giving birth to the heir Yodfa. The king takes a new consort, Srisudachan, and has another son by her. After several years of peace, Chai Raja leaves the capital, Ayutthaya
, for a military campaign in the north. Soon after, Srisudachan, descended from the deposed U-Tong dynasty, takes Boonsri Worawongsa, another U-Tong descendant, as a lover and starts plotting to take over the throne.
The king is wounded in battle and comes back to the capital to recuperate, where Srisudachan poisons him and attempts to blame the deed on Tien. Tien saves his own life by becoming a Buddhist monk. Srisudachan proceeds by naming Worawongsa as regent and promptly poisoning young Yodfa, thereby assuming power. Suriyothai then summons her old friend Piren, who was Chai Raja's troop commander, to help set things right. His troops ambush and kill Worawongsa and Srisudachan, and Tien accepts the throne despite his monkhood.
Upon hearing this, Burmese King Hongsa invades again and lays siege to Ayutthaya. In a desperate attempt to boost the morale of their troops, both the un-warlike King Tien and Queen Suriyothai join the battle. The queen is slain, falling in slow motion from the elephant in full uniform with her throat cut.
personnel were called upon to help make up the thousands of extras required.
Chatrichalerm states that this film was originally the idea of Queen Sirikit. According to Chatrichalerm, the Queen wanted the Thai people to have a better understanding of their history and felt that a motion picture would be a good way to accomplish this.Chatrichalerm and Queen Sirikit mutually agreed to use Suriyothai as their first subject. Documents sent to King John III of Portugal
(1521—1557) from Domingos de Seixas, a mercenary in the Ayutthaya Kingdom
from 1524 to 1549, were consulted in the making of the film. The film depicts some Portuguese, and their introduction of Early Modern warfare, but the only one with a speaking part depicts a physician called to the deathbed of the poisoned king. A follow-up film on King Naresuan
, King Naresuan
was planned for release in 2007.
Amporn Jirattikorn argues that other motivations for the film included a fear of foreign influence after the 1997 Asian financial crisis and competition from another historical figure, the sister to King Naresuan. According to Jirattikorn, the film attempts to provide a national hero connected to the current monarchical dynasty, in contrast to other Thai films presenting events of the same era (e.g. Bang Rajan
).
The movie uses many locations and sites within Thailand as its sets and with its massive cast and expensive production richly displays life in the 16th century. The battle scenes employed thousands of extras and there are hundreds of real elephants used as moving battle platforms. It took three years to shoot. It is rumored that the film cost between 8 and 20 million US dollars, making it the most expensive Thai film ever made. However, due to the involvement of the Thai Royal Family, any figure is hard to substantiate. Additionally, the royal family’s association with this motion picture allowed filming in locations that would have been difficult or even impossible for any other director to access.
In 2003, the film was released in the United States
, with a running time of 142 minutes. This version was edited by Francis Ford Coppola
. The US release by Sony Pictures Classics
was entitled Francis Ford Coppola Presents: The Legend of Suriyothai. Some critics argue that the original Thai release was the better presentation of the film, with still others even preferring the five-hour DVD set, which does have English subtitles.
, Piyapas Bhirombhakdi, as Queen Sri Suriyothai. She is a royal descendant, carrying the title M.L., or Mom Luang.
Thai pop star Mai Charoenpura
is among the highlighted performers, portraying the scheming Lady Srisudachan. Other cast members include Sarunyu Wongkrachang as Prince Thien, Chatchai Plengpanich
as Lord Piren and Johnny Anfone as Lord Worawongsa.
Numerous other actors and actresses from Thai film history appear, including action-movie veteran Sombat Metanee
and Sorapong Chatree
, who appeared in many of Chatrichalerm's films in the 1970s and 1980s.
Cinema of Thailand
The cinema of Thailand dates back to the early days of filmmaking, when King Chulalongkorn's 1897 visit to Bern, Switzerland was recorded by Francois-Henri Lavancy-Clarke. The film was then brought to Bangkok, where it was exhibited...
directed by Chatrichalerm Yukol
Chatrichalerm Yukol
His Serene Highness Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol is a Thai film director, screenwriter and film producer. A prolific director since the 1970s, among his films is the 2001 historical epic, The Legend of Suriyothai. A member of the Thai royal family, his official royal title is Mom Chao, or M.C., the...
, telling the story of Queen Suriyothai, who died in a battle in 1548 (the Burmese–Siamese War of 1548) against Burmese invaders. In the film, Queen Suriyothai takes her battle elephant in front of the Burmese army and sacrifices herself to save the life of her king Maha Chakkraphat and his kingdom
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
.
Plot
The film follows the course of the life of Suriyothai from her adolescence to her death. As Suriyothai is only known from three lines in a chronicle, most of the film relies on an invented story rather than claiming to be actual history . It presents a young woman of minor royal standing who has strong opinions and a great deal of self-determination. She loves Lord Piren, but is promised to Prince Tien, the son of the second king of the realm. In an attempt to escape a marriage she does not want, she runs away but is captured by the principal king who explains the possible problems her marriage to Piren might cause to Siam. For the good of the kingdom, she marries Tien to keep peace in the royal families. From this point on she remains loyal to the man she likes but does not love, but remains strongly independent.The principal king dies, and Tien's father inherits the throne. A few years later, smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
makes its first appearance in Siam and the king is stricken with the disease. On his deathbed he extracts a promise of support for his young son from Chai Raja, his nephew, and Tien. Burma invades in the north and Chai Raja assumes the throne in order to protect Siam. He executes the child king, which Tien protests but on Suriyothai's advice accepts Chai Raja as his ruler.
Chai Raja's wife, Queen Jitravadee, dies shortly after giving birth to the heir Yodfa. The king takes a new consort, Srisudachan, and has another son by her. After several years of peace, Chai Raja leaves the capital, Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya (city)
Ayutthaya city is the capital of Ayutthaya province in Thailand. Located in the valley of the Chao Phraya River. The city was founded in 1350 by King U Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya...
, for a military campaign in the north. Soon after, Srisudachan, descended from the deposed U-Tong dynasty, takes Boonsri Worawongsa, another U-Tong descendant, as a lover and starts plotting to take over the throne.
The king is wounded in battle and comes back to the capital to recuperate, where Srisudachan poisons him and attempts to blame the deed on Tien. Tien saves his own life by becoming a Buddhist monk. Srisudachan proceeds by naming Worawongsa as regent and promptly poisoning young Yodfa, thereby assuming power. Suriyothai then summons her old friend Piren, who was Chai Raja's troop commander, to help set things right. His troops ambush and kill Worawongsa and Srisudachan, and Tien accepts the throne despite his monkhood.
Upon hearing this, Burmese King Hongsa invades again and lays siege to Ayutthaya. In a desperate attempt to boost the morale of their troops, both the un-warlike King Tien and Queen Suriyothai join the battle. The queen is slain, falling in slow motion from the elephant in full uniform with her throat cut.
Background
The film was financed by Queen Sirikit, who also appointed royal family members to the directorial position (Chatrichalerm) and to the role of the lead actress. Chatrichalerm wrote the screenplay and directed, and Kamla, his wife, designed the costumes and served as a producer. Because of Queen Sirikit's backing of the film, when the script called for a large number of men in the battle scenes, Royal Thai Army and Royal Thai NavyRoyal Thai Navy
The Royal Thai Navy is the navy of Thailand and part of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, it was established in the late 19th century. Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse is "The Father of Royal Thai Navy". Similar to the organizational structure of the United States, the Royal Thai Navy includes the...
personnel were called upon to help make up the thousands of extras required.
Chatrichalerm states that this film was originally the idea of Queen Sirikit. According to Chatrichalerm, the Queen wanted the Thai people to have a better understanding of their history and felt that a motion picture would be a good way to accomplish this.Chatrichalerm and Queen Sirikit mutually agreed to use Suriyothai as their first subject. Documents sent to King John III of Portugal
John III of Portugal
John III , nicknamed o Piedoso , was the fifteenth King of Portugal and the Algarves. He was the son of King Manuel I and Maria of Aragon, the third daughter of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile...
(1521—1557) from Domingos de Seixas, a mercenary in the Ayutthaya Kingdom
Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...
from 1524 to 1549, were consulted in the making of the film. The film depicts some Portuguese, and their introduction of Early Modern warfare, but the only one with a speaking part depicts a physician called to the deathbed of the poisoned king. A follow-up film on King Naresuan
Naresuan
Somdet Phra Naresuan Maharat or Somdet Phra Sanphet II was the King of the Ayutthaya kingdom from 1590 until his death in 1605. Naresuan was one of Siam's most revered monarchs as he was known for his campaigns to free Siam from Burmese rule...
, King Naresuan
King Naresuan (film)
The Legend of King Naresuan is a Thai biographical historical drama film about King Naresuan the Great, who ruled Siam from 1590 until his death in 1605....
was planned for release in 2007.
Amporn Jirattikorn argues that other motivations for the film included a fear of foreign influence after the 1997 Asian financial crisis and competition from another historical figure, the sister to King Naresuan. According to Jirattikorn, the film attempts to provide a national hero connected to the current monarchical dynasty, in contrast to other Thai films presenting events of the same era (e.g. Bang Rajan
Bang Rajan (film)
Bang Rajan is a 2000 Thai historical drama film depicting the battles of the Siamese village of Bang Rajan against the Burmese invaders in 1767, as remembered in popular Thai culture...
).
The movie uses many locations and sites within Thailand as its sets and with its massive cast and expensive production richly displays life in the 16th century. The battle scenes employed thousands of extras and there are hundreds of real elephants used as moving battle platforms. It took three years to shoot. It is rumored that the film cost between 8 and 20 million US dollars, making it the most expensive Thai film ever made. However, due to the involvement of the Thai Royal Family, any figure is hard to substantiate. Additionally, the royal family’s association with this motion picture allowed filming in locations that would have been difficult or even impossible for any other director to access.
Alternative versions
When the film was released on August 12, 2001 in Thailand, it was simply titled Suriyothai and had a running time of 185 minutes. This is pared down quite a bit from its intended eight-hour length. A five-hour version exists in a DVD box-set released in Thailand.In 2003, the film was released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, with a running time of 142 minutes. This version was edited by Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
. The US release by Sony Pictures Classics
Sony Pictures Classics
Sony Pictures Classics is an art-house film division of Sony Pictures Entertainment founded in December 1991 that distributes, produces and acquires specialty films from the United States and around the world. Its co-presidents are Michael Barker and Tom Bernard...
was entitled Francis Ford Coppola Presents: The Legend of Suriyothai. Some critics argue that the original Thai release was the better presentation of the film, with still others even preferring the five-hour DVD set, which does have English subtitles.
Casting notes
The film stars another Thai royalThai royal and noble titles
Thai royal and noble titles are the royal and noble styles signifying relationship to the King introduced by King Trailokanat, who reigned 1448 to 1488. The system is rooted in the Thai language equivalent of feudalism, .It is somewhat similar to that of peerage, but is complicated and usually not...
, Piyapas Bhirombhakdi, as Queen Sri Suriyothai. She is a royal descendant, carrying the title M.L., or Mom Luang.
Thai pop star Mai Charoenpura
Mai Charoenpura
Siriwimol "Mai" Charoenpura, , is a Thai singer and actress.-Early life:Born in Bangkok, Thailand, she is one of four daughters of Thai actor Surin Charoenpura and Winee Sontikool. She has three sisters, Venic White, Ploy Charoenpura and Vipavee Maguire, and a half sister, actress Intira Jaroenpura...
is among the highlighted performers, portraying the scheming Lady Srisudachan. Other cast members include Sarunyu Wongkrachang as Prince Thien, Chatchai Plengpanich
Chatchai Plengpanich
Chatchai Plengpanich is a Thai film and television actor. He has appeared in many lakorns and feature films.-Biography:Chatchai was born in Kanchanaburi Province. Having a police officer as a father meant that the family relocated around Thailand constantly throughout his childhood...
as Lord Piren and Johnny Anfone as Lord Worawongsa.
Numerous other actors and actresses from Thai film history appear, including action-movie veteran Sombat Metanee
Sombat Metanee
Sombat Metanee is a Thai actor and film director. At one time he held the Guinness World Record for most film appearances . By his own count, he's made more than 2,000 films and television shows, including lakorns...
and Sorapong Chatree
Sorapong Chatree
Sorapong Chatree is a Thai film actor. He has frequently starred in the films of Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol, as well as in Cherd Songsri's classic romance, Plae Kao....
, who appeared in many of Chatrichalerm's films in the 1970s and 1980s.
Partial cast listing
- ML Piyapas Bhirombhakdi as Queen Suriyothai
- Sarunyu Wongkrachang as King Maha Chakkraphat (Prince Thien Rajah)
- Chatchai PlengpanichChatchai PlengpanichChatchai Plengpanich is a Thai film and television actor. He has appeared in many lakorns and feature films.-Biography:Chatchai was born in Kanchanaburi Province. Having a police officer as a father meant that the family relocated around Thailand constantly throughout his childhood...
as Lord PirenthorathepMaha ThammarachathiratPhra Maha Thammarachathirat or Somdet Phra Sanphet I or formerly known as Khun Phiren Thorathep was the first King of Ayutthaya kingdom of the Sukhothai dynasty ruling from 1569 to 1590. As a powerful Sukhothai noble, Pirenthorathep gradually rose to power... - Johnny Anfone as Lord WorawongsaWorawongsathiratKhun Worawongsathirat was a usurper in the Ayutthaya Kingdom, ruling for only 42 days in 1548 before being assassinated. Siamese chronicles relate that Worawongsathirat attainted the crown — his kingship is not accepted by most traditional historians....
- Mai CharoenpuraMai CharoenpuraSiriwimol "Mai" Charoenpura, , is a Thai singer and actress.-Early life:Born in Bangkok, Thailand, she is one of four daughters of Thai actor Surin Charoenpura and Winee Sontikool. She has three sisters, Venic White, Ploy Charoenpura and Vipavee Maguire, and a half sister, actress Intira Jaroenpura...
as Lady Srisudachan - Sinjai PlengpanichSinjai PlengpanichSinjai Plengpanich , née Sinjai Hongtai , , is a Thai actress. She has acted in numerous lakorn as well as films and theatrical productions...
as Lady Srichulalak - Sorapong ChatreeSorapong ChatreeSorapong Chatree is a Thai film actor. He has frequently starred in the films of Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol, as well as in Cherd Songsri's classic romance, Plae Kao....
as Viscount Rajseneha - Sombat MetaneeSombat MetaneeSombat Metanee is a Thai actor and film director. At one time he held the Guinness World Record for most film appearances . By his own count, he's made more than 2,000 films and television shows, including lakorns...
as Lord Minyesihatu - Alif Silpachai as Lord Abhished
- Pongpat WachirabunjongPongpat WachirabunjongPongpat Wachirabunjong is a Thai singer, actor and film director.He is well-known in Thailand for his role in the action films Heaven's Seven and Seven Street Fighters, as the red-shorts-clad Sergeant Dab Jampoh....
as King Chai RajaChairachaPhrabat Somdet Phra Chairachathirat reigned 1534–1546 as King of the Ayutthaya kingdom of Siam. His reign was remarkable for the influx of Portuguese traders, mercenaries, and early Modern warfare technology.-Uparaja:... - Phimonrat PhisarayabudPhimonrat Phisarayabud-As actress:-External links:...
as Young Suriyothai - Amphol LampoonAmphol LampoonAmphol Lumpoon is a Thai actor. He is also the lead singer in the Thai rock band, Micro, but then split up for his solo career. He was popular in the 1980s and 1990s. Amphol was married to singer-actress Marsha Wattanapanich. They divorced in 1997...
as Lord Intarathep