"The Other Boleyn Girl" dramatized?

[helenazar]

I found the film pretty entertaining, I think you just have to watch it and not take it seriously, just as a piece of entertainment. If you don't you're going to be disappointed.

Yes, that's exactly the way I approach these kinds of films, which makes them fun to watch...

[Kimberly]

Well, I still haven't seen it !!  BUT, I got bitten by the culture bug tonight and hubby and I went to see "Anna Bolena" by Donizetti....opera don't you know. It was my first time and the performance (by the English Touring Opera) was at my local theatre. I have to say that I was absolutely mesmerised by it and, of course it wasn't historically correct but that didn't matter because it really portrayed the absolute tragedy and horror of this poor woman's downfall. Sorry to be o/t but it was really heart-rending. I highly recommend it.

[Silja]

I've always wanted to see that, but haven't yet. It's not performed so very often. I quite like Donizetti. His two other "Tudor operas", Maria Stuarda and Roberto Devereux are also very inaccurate historically, but I like the music.

[RomanovFan]

I've seen The Other Boleyn Girl. The movie itself isn't very good and there isn't any acting chemistry between Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johannsen and Eric Bana. The historical facts are inaccurate and fictional events are put in place those.

1. No one really knows if Mary Boleyn's children were fathered by Henry VIII or otherwise.
2. Henry VIII did not rape Anne Boleyn, thus the future Elizabeth I was not the result of a rape.
3. Anne was the younger sister, not Mary.
4. George Boleyn's wife, Jane, does not witness the nearly-acted-upon inscest between her husband and Anne.

I give it 1 1/2 stars (out of four.) Not very good and historical fact was left out almost completely. Perhaps, if there had been some on-screen chemistry between the 3 lead actors, it would have been a better film. No offense meant to those of you who enjoyed it. This is just my personal opinon.

[historylover]

I've seen it and I found it very dark and bleak.  I wasn't expecting it to be much good but I wanted to see magnificent palaces and beautiful gardens at least!

It's not at all historically accurate and now Philippa Gregory is even accusing Anne of committing murder!  Mary was a bit of a slut, not Anne.  There's no evidence that
Anne was unfaithful and most historians agree that she wasn't.  She certainly didn't commit incest with her brother - there was no evidence of that.  I think that it
was just that spiteful Jane Rochford accusing her.

[Puppylove]

It's not at all historically accurate and now Philippa Gregory is even accusing Anne of committing murder!  Mary was a bit of a slut, not Anne.  There's no evidence that
Anne was unfaithful and most historians agree that she wasn't.  She certainly didn't commit incest with her brother - there was no evidence of that.  I think that it
was just that spiteful Jane Rochford accusing her.

I count myself among those who believe Anne committed neither adultery or incest. On the other hand, there's enough evidence to persuade me she was guilty of great cruelty; I'm not familiar enough with English law to know whether that cruelty rose to the level of a crime. Any thoughts?

[helenazar]

On the other hand, there's enough evidence to persuade me she was guilty of great cruelty; I'm not familiar enough with English law to know whether that cruelty rose to the level of a crime. Any thoughts?

Do you mean the way she treated Catherine and Mary and some others?

[mcdnab]

I think the perception of Anne's cruelty depends on your view of which was the valid marriage and whether you admire Catherine of Aragon of not.

Ultimately the person responsible for how Catherine of Aragon and Princess Mary were treated lies with one person and that person was Henry VIII.  I certainly believe that Anne wasn't adverse to emphasising her political pre eminence before and after her marriage.

The line that Henry would have done whatever Anne suggested particularly after their marriage in 1533 doesn't hold much water although its often used to lay the blame for how Catherine and Mary were treated on her.

It largely depends on hostile witnesses and uses the convention of the time that a Monarch was never wrong (just surrounded by bad advisors, deceived by evil counsellors etc).

She certainly had no reason to be kind to Catherine and Mary (they were a significant threat to her security and the security of her own potential children) - A 16th Century Court was no place to be a wilting kindly flower!

The one thing that offends me about Gregory's book and the BBC adaptation and now the big screen version is that the original story is stunningly good in its own right and doesn't need the embellishments.

[helenazar]

The one thing that offends me about Gregory's book and the BBC adaptation and now the big screen version is that the original story is stunningly good in its own right and doesn't need the embellishments.

Amen!

I still would like to see the BBC version, does anyone know if it's possible to get it on its own (without the Six Wives of Henry VIII DVD)? Who was in it again?

[Kimberly]

Jared Harris (son of the late Richard Harris) played Henry.
Jhodie May..... Anne Boleyn.
Natasha McElhone....Mary Boleyn (she is beautiful)
The gorgeous Philip Glenister ....... Stafford.
http://services.windowsmedia.com/dvdcover/cov150/dru500/u520/u52021ug5db.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/Other-Boleyn-Girl-2003-Version/dp/B00114XM04/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1210616655&sr=1-3

Here ya go Helen, its available from Amazon ( do you have HMV stores across the pond? Its on sale for £3.99 in the uk)
Its ok, Jared Harris makes for a very good (and magnetic) Henry. Its a bit "trendy" because there is quite a bit of hand held camera work and both sisters talk to the camera quite a lot. I understand that it was mostly unscripted.

Oh, I see the release date is October for the UK and December for the US. The Six Wives of Henry VIII with the additional dvd is still available over here and is selling for £16 on Amazon.

[helenazar]

Jared Harris (son of the late Richard Harris) played Henry.
Jhodie May..... Anne Boleyn.
Natasha McElhone....Mary Boleyn (she is beautiful)
The gorgeous Philip Glenister ....... Stafford.
http://services.windowsmedia.com/dvdcover/cov150/dru500/u520/u52021ug5db.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/Other-Boleyn-Girl-2003-Version/dp/B00114XM04/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1210616655&sr=1-3

Here ya go Helen, its available from Amazon ( do you have HMV stores across the pond? Its on sale for £3.99 in the uk)
Its ok, Jared Harris makes for a very good (and magnetic) Henry. Its a bit "trendy" because there is quite a bit of hand held camera work and both sisters talk to the camera quite a lot. I understand that it was mostly unscripted.

Oh, I see the release date is October for the UK and December for the US. The Six Wives of Henry VIII with the additional dvd is still available over here and is selling for £16 on Amazon.

Thanks, Kim. I don't think I know any of these actors.... Mostly unscripted? Interesting...  As far as I know we don't have HMV stores here :-(... But I added it to my wish list on amazon, not sure if I will buy it for myself or wait until someone buys it for me as a gift!  But I think would like to see it eventually.

P.S. It's got to be better than the Hollywood version since it's made by BBC (although I am surprised that BBC would want to use Gregory's book to base it on...)!

[Kimberly]

Well, for starters, the actors in the TV movie can actually act!!
Its really ok, I have watched it 3 or 4 times now.(obviously got way too much time on my hands.)

[helenazar]

Well, for starters, the actors in the TV movie can actually act!!
Its really ok, I have watched it 3 or 4 times now.(obviously got way too much time on my hands.)

That sounds like a recommendation! I will be getting it :-)

[Kimberly]

Well, its out on DVD today and I have just wasted £13 on it. Kirsten Scott Thomas (Elizabeth Boleyn ) steals any scenes she is in because she is actually a good actress. On the other hand Scarlett J just gawps about with her mouth half open like some great booby and there is not a lot of passion coming from the other one (Portman), she is just wooden.
The sad thing is this is such a great story of passion, betrayal and death and the main protagonists were utterly without any passion. Poor casting and poor script, what a shame.

[Eric_Lowe]

I think it is true that much of Mary Boleyn's life was cut out of the film (survived in deleted scenes section). It is true she was beautiful and had a true heart. She wisely left court forever and kept her promise to Anne (her daughter Catherine Carey was the cloest Elizabeth I had with a sister and guarded and served her till her death).