Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat team up for a period drama set in 19th Century Thailand. The action turns on the character of Anna Leonowens, a British governess who is employed by the Royal Siamese court during the reign of King Mongkut (1851-68) to look after the King's many children. Soon after she arrives in this exotic country, Anna finds herself engaged in a battle of wits with the strong-willed ruler.

A true story of a woman who challenged the heart of a king and inspired the destiny of a nation. English schoolteacher Anna Leonowens has traveled to Siam to educate the fifty-eight children of King Mongkut. If she has preconceived notions about the East, the King has similar notions about the West. But amid the danger of growing political unrest, their respect for each other slowly turns into something more.