There’s no denying that the allure of power in the film ‘Waen Wises’ and the political situation in Thailand at the beginning of 1930s are not different.
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that the allure of power can be very enticing for anybody. Sometimes human beings are too weak to resist temptation and are not inevitably capable of choosing right over wrong. The only short silent children’s film still in existences today ‘Waen Wises’ or ‘The Magic Ring’ (1929), directed, edited and produced by H.M. King Prajadhipok (Rama VII), mainly aims to educate children about morality in accordance with the King’s concerns, so it is of explicit educational and moral value, and not only for entertainment purposes. However, read against the historical backdrop of situation in Thailand in the late reign of King Prajadhipok, this film might be seen to aim for teaching also the broader national public at large, as the film’s plot could be linked to the political transition occurring in Thailand and that would culminate in the abolition of the absolute monarchy in 1932, about three years after production. Besides, the concept of supernatural power is coded through the film’s eponymous symbol, magic ring that could be analyzed by means of semiotic interpretation and contextual social analysis.
‘Waen Wises’ or ‘The Magic Ring’ was shot on the southern Thai island of Koh Pha-gnan while H.M. King Prajadhipok was traveling in the Gulf of Thailand. He not only wrote the script and intertitled this silent film accompanied with a Thai classical score, but he also directed, edited and produced the film himself. The plot of the film concerns a largely improvised story about children who use a magic ring to fight their evil stepfather.
Again in keeping with the genre of the fable film, ‘The Magic Ring’ makes extensive use of symbolism and metaphor. For example greediness, forgiveness and unity was mainly communicated through actions and outcomes of the characters. It is possible that the King sensed the impending situation and tried to convey his message to the national audience promoting forgiveness, love and unity of the nation.
In conclusion, an analysis of ‘The Magic Ring’ presents the important relations between this film and the broader contexts of Thai society and history. It helps demonstrate that cinema is not only a mass and pop culture of entertainment, but it also provides social, cultural and historical values as an integral part of the cultural heritage of nations. Despite its status as escapist entertainment, films like ‘The Magic Ring’ highlight the ways in which cinema can function as a mirror that reflects the reality of life in society in a given time and place.
Pajaree Tachart (Ph.D.)
