The Other Boleyn Girl
2008
**
Director: Justin Chadwick
Cast: Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana, Jim Sturgess, Kristin Scott Thomas, Mark Rylance, Ana Torrent, David Morrissey, Eddie Redmayne, Benedict Cumberbatch, Andrew Garfield
Knowing that Henry VIII is desperate for a male heir, Thomas Boleyn attempts to direct the King's attention towards his attractive daughter Anne. When it's the younger sister Mary who ends up in King's bed instead, Anne is not deterred. This adaptation of Philippa Gregory's novel distorts historical facts to create a Tudor-era soap opera. That's all good and well, if the story was entertaining and even modestly believable. The main problem is the characterisation. Anne Boleyn starts off as a strong-willed feminist heroine, but ultimately deserves everything that comes her way. King Henry VIII, who is famous for his six marriages, is portrayed as a balanced if slightly horny ruler.
