The Other Boleyn Girl

Jeri Jacquin, MOVIE MAVEN

Opening this Friday is an intense period piece based on the best selling novel by Philippa Gregory with Sony Pictures “The Other Boleyn Girl”.

This film is the story of two Boleyn sisters Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson) and a time when the value of women was based on how well they married. Pushing these two women is their father, Sir Thomas Boleyn (Mark Rylance) and uncle the Duke of Norfolk (David Morrisey). They look to find solace for King Henry Tudor of England (Eric Bana) as his Queen, Catherine of Aragon, has been unable to produce a male heir.

First, Anne is baited in front of the King and although there is an immediate reaction, things go wrong quickly. The King is instantly then smitten with her married sister Mary and brings both of them to his court. As Mary gets closer to the King, Anne tries to find a place and position of her own. Displeased, Anne’s father sends her to France until he calls for her return.

Mary then beguiles and wins the heart of the King giving him an illegitimate son. But, Anne eventually returns from her exile more learned, aware of her womaness and well aware of what she must do to become the Queen of England.

The King is now faced with a wife who will not give up her crown, a mistress who is guided by love and another mistress who is guided by power. As Anne tells Mary “we are sister, therefore bound to be at odds with one another”.

FINAL WORD: This is a grand period piece. The costumes are amazing and the story is filled with everything you would expect from espionage and underhandedness, love versus lust, religion versus royalty, and the breakdown of a country. It is also a history lesson on the Royal Family.

Portman is fantastic as Anne; her character learns the game quickly and plays it dangerously. Johansson is meek as Mary, totally guided by true love for the King but also is the one who remembers family always comes first.

Bana is a little vacant as the King of England. There isn’t much energy coming from his character but then again when you’re the King of England you can pretty much do whatever you want.

Kristin Scott-Thomas plays Lady Elizabeth, the Boleyn girls’ mother. She is totally against the manipulation of her children’s lives and sees the tragic results.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give “The Other Boleyn Girl” three tubs of popcorn out of five. It is a wonderful period piece filled with intrigue and the oldest story in the world. Although the lives of each are tragic, it seems to have been meant to be to bring about the most beloved Queen of all…Elizabeth.

So get that bag of popcorn, sit back and learn of “The Other Boleyn Girl”.