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The Other Boleyn Girl  | 
| Director: Justin Chadwick
Actors: Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana, Jim Sturgess, Mark Rylance
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Category: Movie
This item is no longer available
Rating:  171 reviews
Sales Rank: 3230
Genre: Drama - Historical
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: Video On Demand
Running Time: 116
ASIN: B001D7TW8U
Theatrical Release Date: February 29, 2008
Release Date: November 10, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
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| Customer Reviews: Read 166 more reviews...
But it is very pretty to watch... March 2, 2008
88 out of 97 found this review helpful
THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL suffers from overexposure to the passion for all things Tudor that has produced multiple novels, television series, and films that range from great to mediocre. Having not read Philippa Gregory's best selling novel, this viewer entered the theater without preconceived notions of the path the story would take/stray in the wake of heightened interest in historical data. From the opening scenes to the end the impression is one of having viewed some very beautiful scenery, sumptuous costumes, grand lighting - and very little involvement in caring for the plight of the characters. The soggy music score underlines the unrelenting dark atmosphere of the story and the production, and despite a cast of actors known for credibility in historic roles, there is little compassion stirred.
King Henry VIII (Eric Bana, in relatively little screen time) tires of Katherine of Aragon (Ana Torent) and her inability to bear a male heir. The Boleyn clan (Mark Rylance and Kristin Scott Thomas in collusion with the Duke of Norfolk David Morrissey) seize on Henry's frustration and serve up their daughters Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson) to satisfy his dalliances. The younger Mary beds him first, does produce a son, but falls out of favor leaving Anne to work her newly honed skills of feminism learned during her exile in France on the easily seduced King to become his queen, yet is able to only bear him a daughter, Elizabeth. The results are tension in the castle, in the Boleyn family, and between the sisters Anne and Mary. History is molded by the writer to maintain more of a Hollywood soap opera that a recreation of fact and it all ends with beheadings and the child Elizabeth running gaily through sunny old meadows of England.
The actors all try to make us buy into this version of betrayal and lust and loathing, but the dialog (written by Peter Morgan) is tired and used and anything but in keeping with the period. But then, the movie is a collection of scenes that are very pretty to watch... Justin Chadwick directs. Grady Harp, March 08
 "I am Henry the eighth I am, Henry the eighth I am, I am"* April 29, 2008
67 out of 83 found this review helpful
Seeing that this movie is from a novel based on historical events, the general gist of the story may not be unfamiliar to most, although the accuracy of some of the content may be debatable.
Short Attention Span Summary (SASS):
1.Henry VIII (Eric Bana) was a handsome, hunky, hunka hunka burnin' love
2.Anne Boleyn (Natalie Portman) and her sister Mary (Scarlett Johansson) were babelicious babes
3.Married Henry didn't have an heir, so he wanted to pick up a spare
4.Sir Thomas Boleyn had tons of ambition and a couple of daughters to spare
5.Henry picks up the wrong one, who might have turned out to be the right one, if not for ....
6. ... the other Boleyn girl
7.Abstinence can make the heart grow fonder but befuddles the brain
8.The lady may have been in waiting, but the King wasn't
9.By George! I think she's done it
10.Off with her head!
Warning to students: Quoting the above in History class may be detrimental to your grades.
More hysterical drama than historical drama, this movie seems more "Desperate Housewives" than period piece, but there's no denying that the costumes and sets are stunning, and the lead actors and actresses simply amazing, despite the lack of the proper accents.
I'm going to vote for the entertainment factor here.
Amanda Richards, April 28, 2008
(*from the song by Herman's Hermits)
The Other Boleyn Girl - Surprising Period Piece About An En Vogue Topic March 8, 2008
21 out of 22 found this review helpful
The Other Boleyn Girl is bound to give historian's mixed feelings, and has elicited a wide range of reactions from audiences. It benefit's from and adds to the interest surrounding King Henry VIII's royal court. Showtime's Tudors miniseries has heightened interest in all things related to English royal history.
Yet the writers have taken enough artistic liberties to raise questions regarding the accuracy of these accounts. This story is based on the historical fiction novel The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. Despite the artistic liberties taken with the story it is very well put together and interesting to watch for those willing to broaden their historical views on the period.
The Story and the Acting
The story of King Henry VIII's many romantic exploits are well known. He married Catherine of Aragon for political gain, yet engaged in many well publicized affairs. Eventually, each of the Boleyn sisters landed in his crosshairs.
Eric Bana is very good as the king, though his isn't the best written role in the film. Anne Boleyn's character is dynamic and vindictive, and Natalie Portman shows her range here. Her sister Mary, played by Scarlett Johansson, catches the King's attention. Though she is newly married, her husband is disposed of and the King has soon added her to his list of conquests.
But Anna will not be outdone. She coyly preys upon the King's desires, and soon becomes the object of his affections.
All three of these actors put in strong performances. Johansson's role is understated and Bana's is exaggerated. Only Portman has a character with full range, both manipulative and vulnerable.
Jim Sturgess, whose star seems to be rising, has a somewhat understated role as the brother, George Boleyn. His role is ultimately manipulated by the powers that by to undermine Anne when her perceived value falls. He is perhaps the most under-utilized actor here, with few lines and a role not in keeping with the importance he played in history. Yet with his lead role in 21 to add to this one, he is clearly not hurting for work.
Yet the sets and the costumes are also characters here, as in any period piece. The castle is made shadowy with expert lighting. The costumes and the makeup are also beautifully done, though I can't comment on just how historically accurate they are. Yes, we can expect Academy Award nominations in many categories, including costumes, set design, art direction and cinematography.
The DVD Extras
While the DVD version of this includes the standard commentary track to accompany the film, it is the other extras that really add dimensions to the story. There are bios and back-stories of principal characters which were close in production value and content to something one might watch on The History Channel. Including the standard author, cast and crew sound-bites, there were also interviews of historians to put the story in context.
Warnings and Considerations
At the close of the picture, after the inevitable historical event which everyone familiar with the story will be expecting, there is a somewhat strange montage of all the characters which includes brief captions explaining their fates and the historical significance of the events they took part in. The notes are hard to read, somewhat prosaic and are definitely subjective. Yet they do seem to convey a message which I conclude was intentional: that the somewhat petty sexual and interpersonal exploits of this group of people had tremendous historical consequences for the UK, Europe and the world. This is very subjective, yet it partly justifies what is otherwise a very convenient and abrupt technique to end the movie and tie up all the story lines neatly.
This is definitely a version that is not for kids. The story deviates in sometimes shocking ways, with the sex turning violent in at least one scene.
Some of the actors do suffer from a loss of their accents in some scenes, yet the in-the-moment performances make that easy to ignore.
Conclusion
If you're a fan of period pieces and all things English royalty, this movie is already on your list. It's worth the price of admission.
Enjoy!
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