"The Other Boleyn Girl" dramatized?

[Kimberly]

I just think that Helena B-C always looks a tad unwashed and her hair looks a bit itchy

[Zanthia]

I've read the book, and I did'nt hate it, but I did'nt liked it either. I had to struggle to read on once in a while, but I finished it. It was a little boring and not well written, but I think most people don't like it because of the historical unaccurrancies.
The thing that annoyed me most was that P.G. made Anne older than Mary, putting Anne's birthyear in 1509, (which I personally think is wrong) and it seemed a little unlikely that Mary only should have been 13 years old when she became Henry's mistress. I know girls was married early back then, but I have always had the impression that Henry prefered women in his bed, not children! Catherine Howard was young too, but she at least was 16. Mary's body would barely have been full developed. And it also was a little wierd if Thomas Boleyn would have married his youngest daughter off in the age of 13, and waited to arrange anything for his eldest daughter until she was in her 20's.
I definetely think P.G. should have done her homework a little better, before writing this novel, because it is a good idea for a book. It just got the wrong writer.

[Kimberly]

I think we should all take our Philippa Gregory books to the second hand shop and pick up anything by Barbara Erskine . She writes excellent historical fiction (not Tudor though)

[Taren]

Thanks for the welcome, Kimberly.  

I was looking up this movie on the internet movie database and the only name listed in the cast thus far is Rue McClanahan who is to be playing Lady Jane Rochford. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467200/ is the address is anyone wants to check it out. I don't know if I'd trust this, as IMDB isn't 100% reliable so I guess we'll just have to see.

I noticed on the film's message board that they were speculating on the casting of Mary Boleyn and I realized I had completely forgotten about her, and she's the main character of the book, right? All the sites I saw only mentioned who would play Henry and Anne. So who would everyone like to see as Mary? I don't have any opinions now -only that I hope it's not Keira Knightley!

[Prince_Lieven]

The dislike of Ms Knightley that emanates from this board, in particular from the female members, never ceases to amuse me.  

[Kimberly]

I think you mean Keira Poutly don't you

[Lady_Aurora]

The fact that they're making a movie based off of a book that (or so it seems) appears to be widely disliked amuses me.  I'm wondering if the movie will be better than the book...I only got about half-way through it.  Though I'm tempted to try again.  Sometimes I think the writing is worse than many sad fanfiction attempts I've read before.  Which is sad because I love the subject so much.  It seems weird that they would have Natalie Portman play Anne, no matter what version of her I can think of Natalie just doesn't seem like her...it's just weird to me.  I doubt I'm alone... I don't think I could see Keira as Mary either... maybe because the Bolyne sisters are interpreted differently... meh it might work though?

[Zanthia]

I too have a little difficult to imagine Natalie as the ambitious Anne. She is to "sweet" to that role. But she usually get sweet roles, maybe she want to show that she can be ruthless and pushy too. And who knows, maybe she'll surprise us. I, for one, is going to give the movie a chance when it comes up in the theaters, even though I was'nt thrilled of the book. "Marie Antoinette" gets a chance too, in spite of the very bad reviews.

[Kimberly]

Stop press... Ms. Gregory has written another one soon to be published. This one is about Jane Boleyn and her actions regarding Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. I'm guessing Helen Azar will be first in the queue.......NOT...

[Lady_Aurora]

ok...well i thought that no one read Ms. Gregory's books...the other day I went to the library to see if they had it...and maybe give her another chance.  And I've looked before and they have had several copies of her books...well there were only 2 left.  So maybe she's getting popular?  It weirded me out.  Oh well.  I'm kind of interested in seeing what they do with the movie though.  Maybe it will be better than the book?  It doesn't have to try to hard though...who knows.

[Helen_Azar]

Why, oh why, would they make not one but two films based on that horrible book?! I'd like to keep an open mind, but the Scarlett J one sounds like it will be even worse than the BBC film....

I am sure there will be many more books coming from Ms Gregory, as long as there is demand (and obviously there is). But then again, the mass market has never been known for good taste 

[nerdycool]

I think I'm one of the few on this board who really likes "The Other Boleyn Girl". Granted, when I read it I knew next to nothing about the Tudors except for Henry had a gazillion wives, some of whom he had executed. But even then I knew that since it was a fictional book, many of the facts were bound to be wrong. In the end, it got me insterested in learning more about the Tudor period. And I am looking forward to the movie, even if most movies based off books are horrendous. They certainly have an all-star cast though... Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman, Eric Bana, Kristin Scott Thomas, Rue McClanahan.

[Elisabeth]

Nerdycool, I liked The Other Boleyn Girl, too. I found it to be thoroughly enjoyable, high-class historical trash. It reminded me of Kathleen Winsor's Forever Amber. Of course it's far more readable than Gregory's other books - better written and what's more important, better paced. I didn't find her playing fast and loose with the historical facts offensive. I was more intrigued by her ability to fashion a riveting melodrama out of the sparse material available to us on the early life of Anne Boleyn.

Prince Lieven, my estimation of Keira Knightley has risen considerably since I saw her play Elizabeth in the latest film version of Pride and Prejudice. Judging from that performance, she has a lot of range as an actress - she would have made an excellent Anne Boleyn. Does anyone know why she was replaced or why she bowed out of the production (did I miss a post or two)? Of course, Natalie Portman, as a natural brunette, looks more like the real Anne Boleyn than Keira. She's very beautiful and a thoroughly competent actress - but am I alone in finding her somewhat bland? She's like a young Natalie Wood - without the fire.

But the fact that Scarlett J is playing the role of Mary means that this will be a movie worth seeing. I do think Scarlett is one of the best, maybe the very best, in the latest crop of young Hollywood actresses. She looks like a baby Lana Turner, blonde, buxom and sexy. She also brings a great deal of intelligence to her roles. Although maybe intelligence isn't really called for in playing the role of Mary Boleyn?

[ilyala]

i saw scarlett play in 'the island'. i agree, that movie is not one to impress with anyone's acting abilities but i was really not impressed. unlike her partner in the movie, ewan mcgregor, who can shine in a completely bland movie with his extraordinary acting ability, scarlett struck me as... ordinary. completely ordinary.

honestly, i didn't see any intelligence in her. she could make a good mary boleyn because of that, tho

[AuraBelle]

I think I'm one of the few on this board who really likes "The Other Boleyn Girl". Granted, when I read it I knew next to nothing about the Tudors except for Henry had a gazillion wives, some of whom he had executed. But even then I knew that since it was a fictional book, many of the facts were bound to be wrong. In the end, it got me insterested in learning more about the Tudor period. And I am looking forward to the movie, even if most movies based off books are horrendous. They certainly have an all-star cast though... Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman, Eric Bana, Kristin Scott Thomas, Rue McClanahan.

Nerdycool, I thought *I* was the only one who liked "The Other Boleyn Girl".  It was pure luck really when I picked it up at the bookstore's but it really has spurred me on to learn more about the Tudors.  I suppose it was also because I knew little about that period that I enjoyed it and didn't think much of the anomalies and discrepancies but I am very much looking forward to seeing the movie along with Showtimes' The Tudors.