Written October 17, 2008
Original buzz:
Couldn't Get Through First 45 Minutes...
I read Philippa Gregory's book and loved it. So, naturally, I was looking forward to this movie so much that as soon as I could I bought it and prepared for a night full of captivating move-making.
And... this movie was bad. Seriously. The camera angles were weird, the music was the oddest I've ever heard and didn't go with the scenes, the script was pitiful, the actor who played King Henry VIII was horribly wrong... must I go on? Oh, and when did Lady Boleyn start caring about her children? Tell me when?
However, I thought the castings of Mary, Anne and George Boleyn were great. They really got the best actor/actresses for them. They fit the personalities to a 'T', especially Anne (Natalie Portman).
If only they could have followed history more closely, and fixed up everything else about the production...
7 out of 13 found this review helpful
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Written September 6, 2008
Pageantry Galore!
This movie was chock full of intriigue, romance,excess, deception; the rivalry between the sisters was palpable! Each daughter, with her own striking beauty, was no more than a pawn to be used to gain Royal Favor. I was pleased to see Mary's character fleshed out....we are very familiar with Anne's saga, but until now, one was hard pressed to remember that there was a sister to Anne. Anne takes the ambition of her familiy, especially her uncle, to heart. While Henry did love Mary, he fell HARD for her scheming sister, who convinced the King to cast Mary aside, despite the fact that the latter provided him an heir to the Kingdom. She uses her power all too well, and leads Henry to sever his connection to the Church in order to displace his Queen Katherine, who only loved him to distraction. She withheld her sexual favors, and doled them out with much calculation. Henry was no fool. Though he married her, he came to deeply resent her, which cost her her life in the end.
10 out of 22 found this review helpful
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