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"The Other Boleyn Girl"
Issue date: 3/19/08 Section: The Edge
Intrigue. Suspicion. Adultery. Beheadings. All that and more is part of a day's work for King Henry VIII. In the new film "The Other Boleyn Girl," we watch as two sisters are thrown into the lion's den with only one mission: to snatch the king's wandering eye.
Scarlett Johansson plays the pretty, sweet and innocent Mary Boleyn, who wants nothing else but to live with her newlywed husband, William Carey, out in the country. Her elder sister Anne, played by Natalie Portman, is her opposite. She's ambitious, secretive and cunning. When Henry visits the Boleyn estate, Anne is placed squarely in Henry's path by her scheming uncle, the Duke of Norfolk. However, her opportunity is ruined after a devastating hunting accident. With the king sorely injured, Mary is sent to tend to him.
In a short time, Mary wins Henry's heart and the Boleyn family benefits greatly from her new status as the king's mistress. But after Mary is bedridden for the duration of her pregnancy, Henry's eye wanders again. The Duke of Norfolk, not wanting to give up the king's favor, sends for Anne, who was exiled in the French court, to keep Henry's thoughts on Mary. Anne has different plans.
Shamed by her exile, she sets out to prove that she can attain the ultimate prize: the throne. The rest is pretty much history. We all know the tragedy of Anne Boleyn and her short reign as the Queen of England. Off with her head!
The movie is based on the beautiful story by Phillipa Gregory. Gregory has been writing historical fiction for several years, and the majority of his works focus solely on the Tudors and the legacy they left in their wake. Unfortunately, the movie doesn't do the book justice. The movie's storyline is weak and jumps around, skipping ahead in time without transition.
The film's scenery is also sub-par. The buildings look unreal. The film crew definitely caught the dreary atmosphere of England, though.
Eric Bana can't live up to the role of Henry VIII. If you've seen Showtime's hit series "The Tudors," you'd understand why. Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays Henry VIII in the show, and it's as if he was born for that role. Sorry, Bana, the shoes are just too big for you to fill.
The movie's best qualities are the costumes and Portman and Johansson's portrayal of the two sisters. The dresses flaunt the style of the era, and they are absolutely gorgeous! The colors are vivid and they flatter the actresses. Johansson is a beautiful Mary Boleyn, staying true to Gregory's character. She is the embodiment of innocence, scarred from her life at court, and finds courage at the end to defy her family and live the life she's always dreamed of.
As for Portman, she is every bit as cunning as Anne. She is confident and alluring while seeking the king, making him lust after her.
If you're interested in seeing this movie, wait until it comes out on DVD. It's not worth spending $8 to sit in the dark theater on those stiff, uncomfortable seats.
- Karen Tableriou
edge staff
Scarlett Johansson plays the pretty, sweet and innocent Mary Boleyn, who wants nothing else but to live with her newlywed husband, William Carey, out in the country. Her elder sister Anne, played by Natalie Portman, is her opposite. She's ambitious, secretive and cunning. When Henry visits the Boleyn estate, Anne is placed squarely in Henry's path by her scheming uncle, the Duke of Norfolk. However, her opportunity is ruined after a devastating hunting accident. With the king sorely injured, Mary is sent to tend to him.
In a short time, Mary wins Henry's heart and the Boleyn family benefits greatly from her new status as the king's mistress. But after Mary is bedridden for the duration of her pregnancy, Henry's eye wanders again. The Duke of Norfolk, not wanting to give up the king's favor, sends for Anne, who was exiled in the French court, to keep Henry's thoughts on Mary. Anne has different plans.
Shamed by her exile, she sets out to prove that she can attain the ultimate prize: the throne. The rest is pretty much history. We all know the tragedy of Anne Boleyn and her short reign as the Queen of England. Off with her head!
The movie is based on the beautiful story by Phillipa Gregory. Gregory has been writing historical fiction for several years, and the majority of his works focus solely on the Tudors and the legacy they left in their wake. Unfortunately, the movie doesn't do the book justice. The movie's storyline is weak and jumps around, skipping ahead in time without transition.
The film's scenery is also sub-par. The buildings look unreal. The film crew definitely caught the dreary atmosphere of England, though.
Eric Bana can't live up to the role of Henry VIII. If you've seen Showtime's hit series "The Tudors," you'd understand why. Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays Henry VIII in the show, and it's as if he was born for that role. Sorry, Bana, the shoes are just too big for you to fill.
The movie's best qualities are the costumes and Portman and Johansson's portrayal of the two sisters. The dresses flaunt the style of the era, and they are absolutely gorgeous! The colors are vivid and they flatter the actresses. Johansson is a beautiful Mary Boleyn, staying true to Gregory's character. She is the embodiment of innocence, scarred from her life at court, and finds courage at the end to defy her family and live the life she's always dreamed of.
As for Portman, she is every bit as cunning as Anne. She is confident and alluring while seeking the king, making him lust after her.
If you're interested in seeing this movie, wait until it comes out on DVD. It's not worth spending $8 to sit in the dark theater on those stiff, uncomfortable seats.
- Karen Tableriou
edge staff
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
ely1
posted 3/19/08 @ 4:23 AM CST
"Sorry, Bana, the shoes are just too big for you to fill." If the shoes are too big for Eric Bana then tiny Jonathan R-M will drown in them lol lol!
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