To get ahead in this world, you need more than fair looks and a kind heart.
- Sir Thomas Boleyn
“The Other Boleyn Girl” is based on Philippa Gregory’s novel of the same title. If you think England’s Henry VIII (1491-1547) had a tad too many wives, this film is saying that outside the six legal wives in succession, there were still others in the running.
Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson) are sisters trumping up each other in the contest for Henry VIII’s (Eric Bana’s) affection. This was during the period when the King was still married to Catherine of Aragon (Ana Torren) and there was no royal heir in sight. Anne was a long-term planner and it was clear to her at the outset hat she wanted the Queen of England’s thrown notwithstanding that the position was not vacant. Mary, the other Boleyn girl, however, was content at becoming the King’s mistress and bearing his child out of wedlock.
Anne seemed to be the luckier sister as she in time was crowned Queen, after much political upheaval ending with England’s severance of relations with the Catholic Church and the Pope. Someone should have told her, however, to be careful of the things wished for. A few years later, Anne would be beheaded in 1536 and wife no. 3 would take her turn in Henry VIII’s life. Mary would outlive her sister, living on until 1543.
There is much fabulous costume in this period film but it remains agonizing still. The two sisters are shrill and the viewer, exhausted at the constant bickering, starts rooting for the composed Catherine of Aragon. How was the King able to attend to the matters of the state amidst all these female chaos? And one would think that Henry VIII would have been traumatized with what happened. He, however, would only stop at wife no. 6 and only because his mortal life ended.
There is a good thing which came up with the union between Anne and Henry VIII -- Elizabeth I (1533-1603), one of the greatest monarchs of England.
- Sir Thomas Boleyn
“The Other Boleyn Girl” is based on Philippa Gregory’s novel of the same title. If you think England’s Henry VIII (1491-1547) had a tad too many wives, this film is saying that outside the six legal wives in succession, there were still others in the running.
Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson) are sisters trumping up each other in the contest for Henry VIII’s (Eric Bana’s) affection. This was during the period when the King was still married to Catherine of Aragon (Ana Torren) and there was no royal heir in sight. Anne was a long-term planner and it was clear to her at the outset hat she wanted the Queen of England’s thrown notwithstanding that the position was not vacant. Mary, the other Boleyn girl, however, was content at becoming the King’s mistress and bearing his child out of wedlock.
Anne seemed to be the luckier sister as she in time was crowned Queen, after much political upheaval ending with England’s severance of relations with the Catholic Church and the Pope. Someone should have told her, however, to be careful of the things wished for. A few years later, Anne would be beheaded in 1536 and wife no. 3 would take her turn in Henry VIII’s life. Mary would outlive her sister, living on until 1543.
There is much fabulous costume in this period film but it remains agonizing still. The two sisters are shrill and the viewer, exhausted at the constant bickering, starts rooting for the composed Catherine of Aragon. How was the King able to attend to the matters of the state amidst all these female chaos? And one would think that Henry VIII would have been traumatized with what happened. He, however, would only stop at wife no. 6 and only because his mortal life ended.
There is a good thing which came up with the union between Anne and Henry VIII -- Elizabeth I (1533-1603), one of the greatest monarchs of England.
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