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‘Boleyn’ film meets dismal end

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by Ashley Jacobs

Monday, March 3, 2008

The problem with historical films is that producers must find a way to create a picture that is still captivating to watch on the big screen, even though everyone already knows how that story will end.

Thus is the problem with “The Other Boleyn Girl.” As a truly scandalous story centered entirely on ambitious fathers, sibling rivalry and sex, this film is disappointingly dry.

In fact, the sauciest dialogue of the whole 115 minutes actually transpires near the beginning. In one scene, future Queen of England Anne Boleyn (Natalie Portman, “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium”) mounts a horse on her own in front of King Henry VIII of England (Eric Bana, “Munich”), and Henry playfully asks, “But with no man to hold on to, how do you propose to stay on the horse?” Anne’s voice is devilishly unabashed as she responds, “As you do, your grace. With my thighs.”

Alas, the fun and games exit almost as quickly as they arrive, and before long the lighthearted lifestyles of these characters take a drastic turn to dark times. But, as mentioned, the audience already knows this will happen.

“The Other Boleyn Girl” offers a new spin on the otherwise known tale in its appealing view on the involvement of Anne’s sister, Mary (Scarlett Johansson, “The Prestige”). Forced into court life by their overreaching father, the girls must both compete for the affection of the king, a notorious womanizer who is consumed by the need to produce a male heir (something which he never does achieve).

Themes of women’s inequality become prevalent as Anne tactfully tries to raise her social status. At one moment Anne and Henry even discuss this–a conversation which culminates when he asks Anne amusedly, “You believe women could be the match of men?” Obviously, Anne rises to this challenge.

Although set against the backdrop of the tumultuous 16th century, Anne’s hand and influence in Henry’s decisive split with the Catholic Church, his annulment from Katherine of Aragon(whose beheading is entirely left out of the film), and his creation of the Church of England are all practically cut from the script. The focus here is wholly on the juxtaposition of sweet Mary with devious Anne, and how their family’s dangerous climb for power eventually destroys them.

Sadly, Portman plays Anne with such exhausting self-importance that she quickly becomes annoying, often appearing more as a child in a tantrum than a famously cunning woman. Bana, on the other hand, easily slides into this role. Although the film fails to point out that Henry had countless mistresses (including Mary), Bana still plays the haughty king effectively. Johansson, in what could easily be an electrifying role, comes off as lacking personality. Mary never betrays her family and desires nothing more than “a life in the country,” and this over-simplicity makes her plain.

In the end, the character audiences may grow to love most is the Boleyn brother, George (Jim Sturgess, “Across the Universe”). Charged with courting Anne, George’s struggle and pleas of innocence before his beheading are powerfully moving and, though brief, it is one of the most memorable episodes of the whole film.

Visually, “The Other Boleyn Girl” appears to be trying too hard. Plays on light and shadow are often so drastic that the effect becomes silly, and the switch to handheld camerawork at the end, when Anne is about to be executed, is a cheap way to illustrate the chaos of the moment.

All one really takes from “The Other Boleyn Girl” is a slight pang of sadness for how the sisters’ lives were ruined and too few lasting moments from a fascinating historical story.

2 stars out of 5

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Anonymous (March 3, 2008 @ 1:33pm):

First off, I have not yet seen this movie, but I have read the book and I have some serious problems with this article. I don't know how someone can attempt to critique a historical fiction film on the accuracy when she doesn't even know the real history! To begin, Henry did have sons - at least two of them. Only one was legitimate and he was born by Henry's thrid wife. When Henry died, he ascended the throne as Edward VI. Second, you know why they left Katherine of Aragon's beheading out of the film? Because she wasn't beheaded! She died of cancer in 1536, three years after the divorce. Henry only beheaded two of his wives - Anne and Katherine Howard. I mean, my goodness, you could even Wikipedia this information. Finally, this film is based on a historical fiction book. Anne is childish and Mary is simple because that is how the author wrote their characters.
So please, do not take this as a serious review. It is extremely poorly researched, if it was researched at all - not what you'd expect from a so called editor.
But after all, the problem with historical movies is trying to make a story that EVERYONE knows interesting - oh wait, I guess not everyone knows it...

Anonymous (March 3, 2008 @ 2:37pm):

Katherine of Aragon wasn't beheaded... probably why it wasn't in the film.

Anonymous (March 3, 2008 @ 2:54pm):

"his annulment from Katherine of Aragon(whose beheading is entirely left out of the film), ..." of course it was left of out the film -- Katherine of Aragon died of natural causes in 1536 at the age of 50. Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard were the only two of Henry's wives who were beheaded.

Anonymous (March 7, 2008 @ 2:30am):

I've got to admit - its hard to take a movie review seriously when you're laughing at the muck-up its writer has made of easily researched history. If you can't get the facts from an encyclopedia straight, how am I supposed to expect you to figure out a movie's plot that someone didn't write out for you? Take this down or try again - its embarrassing, albeit, funny.

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