The Other Boleyn Girl - Heaving Bosom Melodrama
A weak-willed nobleman, Thomas Boleyn (Mark Rylance), egged-on by his ambitious brother-in-law, Thomas Howard (David Morrissey), decides to offer up his two daughters to the fickle King of England in a bid to improve his family's station. The Other Boleyn Girl (Justin Chadwick, 2008) has all the ingredients for a rich melodrama. When these ingredients are mixed together with a little over-heated sensationalism the result is a tale of vice and virtue, love and betrayal, sex and incest, with a beheading or two thrown in for good measure.
Anyone with a solid knowledge of history will be aware of the eventual fate of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of the much-wed Henry VIII. Yet, knowing Anne's destiny doesn't diminish the drama and intrigue that colours this story of ambition. The Other Boleyn Girl is that peculiar type of historical drama that seeks to approach a familiar story from an askew angle. In this instance it is the sibling rivalry between Anne (Natalie Portman) and her sister Mary (Scarlett Johansson) that is the driving force behind this exploration into a critical moment in history when the King's rapacious desire for women led to England's severance from the Catholic Church. By approaching history from this restricted perspective the film plays up the sensational elements of the story and pays short shrift to the "boring" facts. This approach may frustrate sticklers, but most others will be pleased by the inclusion of the melodramatic dimension to the film.
When it is clear that the philandering King of England, Henry VIII (Eric Bana), is losing patience with his first wife due to her inability to provide him a male heir, the Boleyn family conjure a cunning plan to improve their station. Anne Boleyn, the first daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Kristin Scott Thomas), is chosen as a likely consort for the King. Anne is figuratively waved under the King's nose until he notices her rare beauty and comeliness. Yet, no sooner has the King observed Anne when his eye is drawn to her younger sister, Mary. She is just as beautiful as Anne and a good deal less ambitious. Mary, flattered by the King's advances, eventually cedes to his charms and "lays" with him in the royal chamber. Here she begets a child, but it will ever remain illegitimate as Henry is married to Katherine of Aragon (Ana Torrent). The King's eye falls upon Anne once again, and she fatefully promises him the male heir he so desires. Henry breaks with centuries of tradition and divorces his first wife and marries Anne. Yet, only tragedy will follow this event and all those involved will meet a terrible destiny.
Though set in the early part of the 16th century the plot of The Other Boleyn Girl is timeless and could be applied to many cultures in any number of situations. That this story involves the King of England ensures it carries with it a certain amount of gravitas, the stakes being considerably more significant for everyone involved. One of the most interesting notions the film conveys is the bewitching power of the monarchy. Almost every member of the Boleyn clan is enamoured with the authority of the kingdom. Mary truly adores Henry, Anne covets the title of Queen of England, their brother, George (Jim Sturgess), is enticed by a position of nobility and Thomas desires the power that accompanies royal station. It seems only the family matriarch, Elizabeth, understands the hazards that lay ahead. She is a proto-feminist who finds the whoring out of her daughters by her husband and brother to be abhorrent. By approaching the historical material as a heightened melodrama, a certain amount of credibility is squandered. It seems the royal court is nothing other than a medieval nightclub where young noblemen and noblewomen meet to "pick-up". By sacrificing the historical and political context of the time and place the film is often too simplistic in its representation.
Such a richly textured story permits a series of juicy performances, with Natalie Portman being the true star of The Other Boleyn Girl. She has the most complex character in the film; playing a woman of great beauty and charm, she is nevertheless conniving and ambitious. Portman demonstrates exceptional magnetism when she openly seduces the King with her feminine wiles. Anne is a confident and sexy woman, and Portman captures her essential charm with great style. Anne is also the most "Shakespearean" character in the film, her deeds in the past will come to weigh upon her considerably, turning her into a tragic figure. This is where Portman's performance soars, she delivers just the right combination of villainy and vulnerability to suggest the profound contradictions inherent in her character. As her sister, Mary, Scarlett Johansson has little to do other than look pretty (who's complaining?). Mary isn't a deep or interesting character, she is more of plot device than a real player in the drama. In keeping with the timelessness of this tale, Eric Bana plays Henry as a new-aged, self-doubting man who is merely looking for acceptance and self-confidence in the arms of the women he beds. Ultimately, the approach chosen by Bana is unconvincing, it is difficult to ascribe aspects of vulnerability to a man whose actions are often monstrous. Yet, the true weak link in the film is David Morrissey playing the scheming brother-in-law, Thomas Howard. Howard is a pantomimic villain who orchestrates the whole affair, then washes his hands of the events when they go awry. Morrissey's performance is one-note, choosing to play the character with a permanent scowl while hissing his dialogue with a viperous tone. To be fair to the actor, his role is poorly written, offering no opportunity for complexity or ambiguity.
The weak writing and Morrissey's performance aside, The Other Boleyn Girl is a sumptuous period film that explores the fascinating themes of desire and ambition. The beautiful costumes are characters in themselves, wonderfully capturing the era's decadence and also demonstrating the gender relations of the time. The constraining corsetry of the female characters is a deft symbol for the manner by which their male counterparts restrict their liberty and use them for their own requirements and aspirations. Essentially this is a film about aspiration, as the possibility of class ascension compels the majority of characters to act against their morality. To watch these people struggle with decisions about right and wrong and feel compassion for their situation is always compelling. And on this score, The Other Boleyn Girl delivers handsomely.
Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson
Anyone with a solid knowledge of history will be aware of the eventual fate of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of the much-wed Henry VIII. Yet, knowing Anne's destiny doesn't diminish the drama and intrigue that colours this story of ambition. The Other Boleyn Girl is that peculiar type of historical drama that seeks to approach a familiar story from an askew angle. In this instance it is the sibling rivalry between Anne (Natalie Portman) and her sister Mary (Scarlett Johansson) that is the driving force behind this exploration into a critical moment in history when the King's rapacious desire for women led to England's severance from the Catholic Church. By approaching history from this restricted perspective the film plays up the sensational elements of the story and pays short shrift to the "boring" facts. This approach may frustrate sticklers, but most others will be pleased by the inclusion of the melodramatic dimension to the film.
When it is clear that the philandering King of England, Henry VIII (Eric Bana), is losing patience with his first wife due to her inability to provide him a male heir, the Boleyn family conjure a cunning plan to improve their station. Anne Boleyn, the first daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Kristin Scott Thomas), is chosen as a likely consort for the King. Anne is figuratively waved under the King's nose until he notices her rare beauty and comeliness. Yet, no sooner has the King observed Anne when his eye is drawn to her younger sister, Mary. She is just as beautiful as Anne and a good deal less ambitious. Mary, flattered by the King's advances, eventually cedes to his charms and "lays" with him in the royal chamber. Here she begets a child, but it will ever remain illegitimate as Henry is married to Katherine of Aragon (Ana Torrent). The King's eye falls upon Anne once again, and she fatefully promises him the male heir he so desires. Henry breaks with centuries of tradition and divorces his first wife and marries Anne. Yet, only tragedy will follow this event and all those involved will meet a terrible destiny.
Though set in the early part of the 16th century the plot of The Other Boleyn Girl is timeless and could be applied to many cultures in any number of situations. That this story involves the King of England ensures it carries with it a certain amount of gravitas, the stakes being considerably more significant for everyone involved. One of the most interesting notions the film conveys is the bewitching power of the monarchy. Almost every member of the Boleyn clan is enamoured with the authority of the kingdom. Mary truly adores Henry, Anne covets the title of Queen of England, their brother, George (Jim Sturgess), is enticed by a position of nobility and Thomas desires the power that accompanies royal station. It seems only the family matriarch, Elizabeth, understands the hazards that lay ahead. She is a proto-feminist who finds the whoring out of her daughters by her husband and brother to be abhorrent. By approaching the historical material as a heightened melodrama, a certain amount of credibility is squandered. It seems the royal court is nothing other than a medieval nightclub where young noblemen and noblewomen meet to "pick-up". By sacrificing the historical and political context of the time and place the film is often too simplistic in its representation.
Such a richly textured story permits a series of juicy performances, with Natalie Portman being the true star of The Other Boleyn Girl. She has the most complex character in the film; playing a woman of great beauty and charm, she is nevertheless conniving and ambitious. Portman demonstrates exceptional magnetism when she openly seduces the King with her feminine wiles. Anne is a confident and sexy woman, and Portman captures her essential charm with great style. Anne is also the most "Shakespearean" character in the film, her deeds in the past will come to weigh upon her considerably, turning her into a tragic figure. This is where Portman's performance soars, she delivers just the right combination of villainy and vulnerability to suggest the profound contradictions inherent in her character. As her sister, Mary, Scarlett Johansson has little to do other than look pretty (who's complaining?). Mary isn't a deep or interesting character, she is more of plot device than a real player in the drama. In keeping with the timelessness of this tale, Eric Bana plays Henry as a new-aged, self-doubting man who is merely looking for acceptance and self-confidence in the arms of the women he beds. Ultimately, the approach chosen by Bana is unconvincing, it is difficult to ascribe aspects of vulnerability to a man whose actions are often monstrous. Yet, the true weak link in the film is David Morrissey playing the scheming brother-in-law, Thomas Howard. Howard is a pantomimic villain who orchestrates the whole affair, then washes his hands of the events when they go awry. Morrissey's performance is one-note, choosing to play the character with a permanent scowl while hissing his dialogue with a viperous tone. To be fair to the actor, his role is poorly written, offering no opportunity for complexity or ambiguity.
The weak writing and Morrissey's performance aside, The Other Boleyn Girl is a sumptuous period film that explores the fascinating themes of desire and ambition. The beautiful costumes are characters in themselves, wonderfully capturing the era's decadence and also demonstrating the gender relations of the time. The constraining corsetry of the female characters is a deft symbol for the manner by which their male counterparts restrict their liberty and use them for their own requirements and aspirations. Essentially this is a film about aspiration, as the possibility of class ascension compels the majority of characters to act against their morality. To watch these people struggle with decisions about right and wrong and feel compassion for their situation is always compelling. And on this score, The Other Boleyn Girl delivers handsomely.
Eric Bana and Portman
