After Elizabeth: The Golden Age took home an Academy Award win for Best Costume Design, it is fitting that the next step in portraying English history on film would be to backtrack to a time before Queen Elizabeth’s birth. The result is a story of court ambition, seduction, deceit, and sibling rivalry.
The Other Boleyn Girl, based on the story of the same name by Philippa Gregory, centers around the life of Mary Boleyn (Scarlett Johansson) and her sister, Anne (Natalie Portman), during the reign of England’s King Henry VIII (Eric Bana). With an ambitious father and an even more ambitious uncle, the Boleyn girls become entrenched in a conspiracy that would allow their entire family to rise in the ranks of the English aristocracy. This family plot begins with the attempt to establish Anne as the king’s mistress.
After another failure to produce a son, Queen Katherine of Aragon (Ana Torrent) no longer satisfies her husband. Inevitably, this causes the king’s want of a diversion—and a growing need for a mistress, which leads him to the Boleyn household. Instead of being taken in by Anne, however, Henry’s eyes land on the other Boleyn girl (who, at the time, was married). On a whim, the king places the entire Boleyn family into his court and begins to have an affair with Mary. Things turn sour, however, when jealous Anne plots to make herself the true queen of England. History has proven that she succeeds, but with a price on her head. Literally.
There have been many reenactments of courtly life during the time of Henry VIII. From the English Reformation to Elizabeth’s “Golden Age,” the time period during the Tudor reign has piqued many a writer’s (and viewer’s) interest. The setting and costumes of the movie itself have been seen already, and are perhaps not as lavishly extravagant as that of Golden Age, but they are still worth admiring. Viewers will find the elegant dresses assigned to both Boleyn girls eyecatching, and it is no wonder that they can stand out in the throngs of females among Katherine of Aragon’s train.
Although focused on an unoriginal historical basis—which has been done time and time again—Boleyn Girl created a new appeal by placing the storyline in the eyes of Mary, the quieter and more demure younger sister. As the fairer of the two, Mary manages to capture Henry’s heart, but even his love for her grows cold after the seductive ploy of her elder sister.
Viewers have to keep in mind, however, that because of the need to dramatize the events and history itself, Boleyn Girl shouldn’t be taken as anything remotely close to the historical events at the time. Minute details are greatly exaggerated, and though some of the events are accurate, most of them have been twisted for entertainment benefits. Though, I would have liked it if the screenwriters had added in the full brunt of Anne’s accusations; it would have added a more dramatic effect.
What is even more attractive than the costumes are the various settings in the movie. The castle halls were decorated and lit in the manner that perfectly fit the tone of the scene. The chapels were dimly lit when secrecy was afoot, while the throne room was illuminated with dozens of chandeliers to overcast a more cheerful setting.
The cast of characters for Boleyn Girl ranged from sub-par to excellent. Jim Sturgess badly portrayed George Boleyn as an irresponsible crybaby who solely depends on his sisters for his well-being. Bana played the overly lustful Henry, and though he attempted to display a character holding the most power, he fails in juxtaposition to the women in the movie.
The women in Boleyn Girl delivered very strong roles, as each of them played a crucial part in the course of history. Although Juno Temple (as Jane Parker) did not quite give the facial expressions of jealousy and infatuation in the movie, the other women (leading and supporting ladies alike) made up for her shortcomings.
Torrent as the Spanish-born Queen Katherine pronounced a rather empowering speech before her inevitable divorce from her kingly husband, while Kristin Scott Thomas acted the Lady Elizabeth Boleyn, displaying the rather sarcastic, sharp, and educated personality found in Anne and Mary’s mother.
Johansson as the kind and gentle Mary is a small surprise for a leading lady who has starred in more aggressive roles in the past (Match Point and Scoop). However, the actress managed to capture that almost innocent attitude in Mary Boleyn.
Because of her simple and rather generous personality, Johansson paled in comparison to some of the more cunning characters around her, especially her co-star Portman, who stole the show with her stellar performance as the complicated, cunning, and calculating Anne. From Anne’s coy and intelligent manner to her unfounded rages and all the way to her desperate cries of anguish, Portman was able to deliver each and every emotion perfectly.
Albeit not as powerfully done as the historical films of the past The Other Boleyn Girl is still riveting and entertaining to watch. And for those of you who have yet to see a movie about this particular point of English history, it is highly recommended that you start with King Henry VIII and his wives.
