While I’m not a huge fan of “costume” movies, I do enjoy a good story, and historical fiction is of particular interest to me. The film The Other Boleyn Girl, which is based on the historical novel of the same name by Philippa Gregory, is about the Boleyn sisters, each of whom becomes involved with Henry VIII (Eric Bana). Director Justin Chadwick offers lots of bodice ripping sex, scandal and sibling rivalry.
The Boleyn sisters, younger, plainer Mary (Scarlett Johansson), and (infamous) older, captivating Anne (Natalie Portman)—the one who lost her head—are caught in a web of family duty set forth by their ambitious father, Sir Thomas (Mark Rylance, who starred in Angels And Insects) and his brother, (their) paternal uncle Norfolk (David Morrissey, who starred in The Reaping).
Because King Henry and his bride, Katherine of Aragon (Ana Torrent), are having marital problems related to her not being able to produce a son/heir, The Boleyn men scheme to get one of their own in bed with the King. Anne is thrust into the King’s arms, but her forward advances are dismissed, and Mary turns out to be the sister who catches the King’s, eventually becoming his mistress. This sets Anne on a bender of revenge and seduction, which soon tears apart her family and the Royal family, all in one fell swoop.
Portman (Closer, Garden State, The Star Wars franchise) plays Anne deftly, straddling the line between hateful and sympathetic adeptly. Johansson (The prestige, Match Point, In Good Company, Lost In Translation) brings depth to the periphery role of “the other” Boleyn. Bana (Munich, Hulk, Black Hawk Down) seems made for the role of Henry VIII, and plays both a seductive villain and a royal leader well.
Kristin Scott Thomas (Gosford Park, Up At The Villa) plays the Boleyn mother, Lady Elizabeth, and Jim Sturgess (Across The Universe) plays the girls’ brother, George. The film also stars Juno Temple and Benedict Cumberbatch, both of whom starred in Atonement.
The film is presented in anamorphic 1.85:1 transfer, with audio in Dolby Digital 5.1, optional French and Spanish audio tracks, and English, French and Spanish subtitles. Extras include feature-length audio commentary with director Justin Chadwick; 12 deleted/extended scenes; “Members of the Court: Character Biographies,” which looks at Anne, Mary and George Boleyn, King Henry and Katherine, and the Duke of Norfolk in historical context, and features interviews with each actor, as well as writer Peter Morgan, novelist Philippa Gregory and producer Alison Owen. There are also three featurettes: the first, “To Be a Lady,” features interviews with cast, historians, and includes Kristen Scott Thomas; the second, “Translating History to Screen,” interviews Chadwick on how he bridged the gap between the book and the film; and the third, “Camera Tests,” shows Chadwick working with different techniques to capture the look he wanted to create.
The film is rated PG-13 “for mature thematic elements, sexual content and some violent images.”
While this film is not to be taken literally, it does raise plenty of interesting questions and explain enough Royal history to both teach and entertain. Fans of historical fiction, Portman, Bana or period pieces in general should find something to like about The Other Boleyn Girl.
I give The Other Boleyn Girl 4 stars out of 5 stars.
