REVIEW: The Other Boleyn Girl
For those who watched Shekhar Kapoor's Elizabeth and liked it, The Other Boleyn Girl deals with the defining moment of history before that – the reign of Henry VIII.
Based on the novel of the same name by Philippa Gregory, the movie tells the story of ambition, lust, treachery and the downfall of an entire nation. Although historical inaccuracies have been pointed out between the book, movie and actual fact, please leave aside any prejudices you may have and try to enjoy the film simply for what it is. And for those who know absolutely nothing about Henry VIII or life in his court, this story is a great introduction.
An important chapter in British history...
While Queen Elizabeth I might be known as the 'virgin' queen of England, her father King Henry VIII (Eric Bana) is anything but. With a wandering eye and a libido to match, his main obsession was always to produce a male heir.
'The Other Boleyn Girl's get talking
King Henry's wife, Catharine of Aragon (Anna Torrent) cannot fulfill his wish. Taking advantage of this, courtier Thomas Boleyn (Mark Rylance) and his brother-in-law convince Thomas’ daughter Anne (Natalie Portman) to seduce Henry. Thus, they hope to win the king’s favour and increase their social standing. As Anne progresses marvellously, an accident involving her and the king during a game of hunting almost jeopardises their ploy. Desperate to make amends, Thomas Boleyn puts his other daughter Mary (Scarlett Johansson), in charge of tending to the King's 'wounds'. Intrigued by this genteel, fair beauty, Henry invites her and the Boleyn family to live at court.
As the story unfurls we see that the once strong bond between Anne and Mary fizzles out as they both vie for Henry's attention. Though Mary gets ahead at first and produces an illegitimate child, Anne steps in during her pregnancy and scornfully yet tactfully turns the king's attention in her favour.
