Muen and Rid (1994)

Genres - Romance  |   Sub-Genres - Biopic [feature], Docudrama  |   Run Time - 129 min.  |   Countries - Finland, Hungary, Italy, Thailand, Turkey  |  
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Synopsis by Sandra Brennan

(Amdaeng Muen Kab Nai Rid) This Thai love-story, which has become the biggest hit in Thai history, is based on the true-life exploits of feminist Amdang Muen's fight for equal women's rights in Thailand. During Muen's life, women were regarded as chattel to be bought and sold. They were also denied proper education. Muen's first winning fight involved her family and the local monk as she sought her rights for literacy. While learning to read, she fell in love with Rid, a Buddhist monk. She wanted to marry him, but he would not give up his vows. Simultaneously, her father sells her to a rich married man who desires a second wife. While legally married, Muen refuses to consummate the marriage. In desperation, she pretends to drown and escapes back to her home village. When Rid learns of Muen's death he is devastated. He renounces his vows and returns to the village to find his beloved alive. They cannot marry though, because she still belongs to another man. So begins a great legal battle as Muen fights for her freedom. The laws are finally changed when Muen petitions King Rama IV. She and Rid lead a happy life.

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Keywords

Equal-Rights, escape, feminism, love, marriage-arranged, monk, romance, sexual-discrimination, women's-issues