Director:
Justin Chadwick
Cast: Natalie Portman, Eric Bana, Scarlett Johansso,
David Morrissey, Mark Rylance and Kristin Scott-Thomas
DVD release: 16 Jul 2008
Rated M
Our
once-upon-a-time TV comedian has come a long way to be in passionate
embraces with the beautiful Scarlett Johansson. Multi-talented
Eric Bana now seems to prefer dramatic roles, taking on the mantle
of libidinous boisterous and treacherous Henry VIII in The
Other Boleyn Girl. The larger than life historic character
has of course been portrayed by many noted actors including the
legendary Charles Laughton and recently Ray Winstone.
Bana (Munich) acquits himself well enough
although his Henry is a rather gentle one, more confident in the
bedroom scenes than in furious outbursts against his enemies.
He looks regally splendid but lacks imperial command. The fault
appears to be in Peter Morgan’s script rather than Bana’s
reading of it. The writer is far more concerned with his female
protagonists and Henry’s part is underwritten, giving him
little to do except to glower at people under beetled brows. He
needs to send more folks to the Tower or declare war on some small
country.
It all begins when snidely ambitious Thomas Boleyn
(Mark Rylance) and super devious uncle the Duke of Norfolk (David
Morrissey) decide that, to advance the Boleyn family wealth and
power, daughter Anne (Natalie Portman) should be made available
to ‘comfort’ the King who is tiring of Catherine of
Aragon (Ana Torrent) as she has not produced a son and heir. A
hunting party is arranged for the King to meet Anne, but all goes
pear shaped when Anne outrides the monarch and he falls off his
horse.
In
recovery he is tended by the other lovely daughter Mary (Scarlett
Johansson) and the plotters quickly decide that daughter Mary
will be the King’s mistress instead of Anne, who’s
in disgrace. Thus Mary is invited to Court as lady-in-waiting
with much peeved Anne in tow. This is a court of corruption, arranged
marriages, and abysmal morals. Before too long, conniving Anne
has again replaced Mary in Henry’s favour, but her triumph
is short-lived when finally the enraged Henry goes for the chopper.
With direction by Justin Chadwick – the man
behind the excellent TV series Bleak House - and adapted
from Philippa Gregory’s best seller novel by scripter Peter
Morgan (who penned The Queen and The Last King of
Scotland) one feels it all could have been much better. With
saturated colour and little fill-light, the shadows are black
giving the film a dark Wuthering Heights-on-a-bad-day
quality, which considering the ending is prophetically appropriate.
Effective music comes from The Diving Bell and The Butterfly
composer Paul Cantelon.
Natalie
Portman (The Darjeeling Limited) excels as strong willed
unscrupulous Anne. With a impassioned emotional range, she exudes
a smouldering sexual appeal, as apposed to Scarlett Johansson
(The Prestige) in a demure, genuinely loving role. David
Morrissey (Sense and Sensibility - TV) brings more pent
up fury to his Duke than Bana’s King, while Ana Torrent
(Fabian Road) provides a touching dignity to Queen Catherine.
Kristin Scott Thomas (The Valet) as Elizabeth Boleyn,
the girls’ mother, has the pithiest lines to deliver which
she with does with considerable bite.
Possibly shot with a future release on TV in mind
(trust the BBC) much of the action is seen in close-ups, losing
something of that epic quality often best observed in wide views.
This adaption has only a passing acquaintance with history, but
those who know the story of Anne will be in the box seat to watch
the ambitious lady gradually self-destruct. Never quite losing
its bodice ripper origins, for many The Other Boleyn Girl
will still appeal as an entertaining romantic costume drama.
Our
once-upon-a-time TV comedian has come a long way to be in passionate
embraces with the beautiful Scarlett Johansson. Multi-talented
Eric Bana now seems to prefer dramatic roles, taking on the mantle
of libidinous boisterous and treacherous Henry VIII in The
Other Boleyn Girl. The larger than life historic character
has of course been portrayed by many noted actors including the
legendary Charles Laughton and recently Ray Winstone. 
In
recovery he is tended by the other lovely daughter Mary (Scarlett
Johansson) and the plotters quickly decide that daughter Mary
will be the King’s mistress instead of Anne, who’s
in disgrace. Thus Mary is invited to Court as lady-in-waiting
with much peeved Anne in tow. This is a court of corruption, arranged
marriages, and abysmal morals. Before too long, conniving Anne
has again replaced Mary in Henry’s favour, but her triumph
is short-lived when finally the enraged Henry goes for the chopper.
Natalie
Portman (The Darjeeling Limited) excels as strong willed
unscrupulous Anne. With a impassioned emotional range, she exudes
a smouldering sexual appeal, as apposed to Scarlett Johansson
(The Prestige) in a demure, genuinely loving role. David
Morrissey (Sense and Sensibility - TV) brings more pent
up fury to his Duke than Bana’s King, while Ana Torrent
(Fabian Road) provides a touching dignity to Queen Catherine.
Kristin Scott Thomas (The Valet) as Elizabeth Boleyn,
the girls’ mother, has the pithiest lines to deliver which
she with does with considerable bite.