If i had to move to a desert island, I think this movie would be in my trunk. (of course I'm biased since I have a strange fetish for the life of Henry VIII). I think the costumes are stunning (especially for the time period) and the acting superb. I especially like Richard Burton as a fascist husband and Genevieve Bujold as a flirtacious mistress. Definately a must-see film for all history buffs and lovers for the clasics.
Jane
This actually would probably be my pick for a deserted island. I've seen it many times, and it's my favorite fictionalized version of Henry and Anne. Burton and Bujold were fantastic.
shareThis movie needs to be restored and re-issued on DVD so it is not lost to the future. With the restoration and up-coming re-issue of "Becket" maybe there is hope for "Anne", one of the best films Burton did. His tortured personna was done very well by Richard, one of the best actors ever.
share I love this movie! It's not always accurate, but it is very entertaining. And I agree, Lady Jane is a good movie. I liked the very beginning with the drums and the portraits. Genevieve Bujold was perfect for Anne Boleyn. It's interesting seeing how her arrogance increases throughout the film. Her attitude towards Jane Seymour was very good. "She has the face of a simpering sheep, but not the morals. I don't want her near me!"
Come out on DVD!!!!!
Would you happen to know if that (Anne's attitude towards Jane S.) is historically correct? Another vote of appoval for "Lady Jane", and if you like history, read the lives of Lady Jane's 2 sisters....Mary & Katherine....just as tragic (maybe even more so) than Jane's....
share I think that it is. Anne's temper is notorius and she was known to get angry at Henry for his mistresses. Anne knew that she had been a mistress before queen, and didn't want Jane to usurp her place. Does anyone else know any historical situations that my theory can be proved with?
If you want to read a fiction book that effectively shows the rivalry between Jane Seymour and Anne Boleyn, read The Other Boleyn Girl. It shows a darker side of Anne, but I was unable to put it down. It's my favourite book.
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I LOVE this movie. It's so wonderful. Some of my favorite lines are:
Anne: AND MY BLOOD WILL HAVE BEEN WELL SPENT!
and
(talking about Jane Seymour)
Henry: WHERE IS SHE ANNE?!
Anne: to northumberland SINCE WE DON'T OWN SCOTLAND!
Henry: BRING HER BACK!
Anne: I THINK NOT! I don't want her near me!
She has the face of a simpering sheep, and the manners...ha but NOT the morals!
Yes, the Other Boleyn Girl was a good read, but remember, it is fiction, and Gregory herself admits she is foremost a novelist, although she does huge amounts of research. Her works are very enjoyable, but they are not necessarily completely factual.
Read a good biography--Carolly Erickson's Mistress Anne or Antonia Fraser's Wives of Henry VIII would be good to recommend. Attitudes and characteristics of Anne are shown pretty well in those books.
Another great book is "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" by Alison Weir.
shareOn the day of Katherine of Aragon's funeral, Anne caught Jane on Henry's knee. She flew into a rage so fierce that it may have brought on the miscarriage that led to the famous quote "She has miscarried of her savior". Another time Anne saw Jane wearing a locket that was a gift from Henry and ripped it from Jane's throat so violently that it made her finger bleed. (No mention of how fared Jane's throat.)
shareI wonder what it is about certain periods of history that can become obsessions? I guess in my case my interests were fuelled at an early age by TV shows and films. I saw Anne of a Thousand Days at the cinema, aged 7, after having become fixated by Henry VIII due to the BBC TV series during the same year.
At the time as a child I had no idea that a distant relative, actor Bernard Hepton, appeared in the 1971 film of Henry's life, The Six Wives of Henry VIII starring Keith Michel. For me countless trips to London as a kid and teenager were always accompanied to at least one visit to the Tower of London, and the site where Anne was executed. Sorry if it sounds macabre but I can still remember feeling fascinated by seeing the actual block and axe -and touching it! - which at the time in the early 70's wasn't kept behind glass.
Years later, I become more interested in the politics of the era which can never be truly encapsulated in a single movie. American readers might like to know about a recent BBC TV film called The Other Boleyn Girl, which takes an orignal angle, that of Anne's sister, Mary, on the whole affair.
I have written an article about the Boleyns -who could be likened to a Tudor 'Kennedys' of the time!- which can be found on the BBC History pages of the BBC website. What is truly tragic about the Boleyns is that they were a family that had it all for a brief period, and then were systematically wiped out, except that is for Mary and Henry's 'bastard' child by her.
Just a question. Do you mean you touched the sword that she was executed with?It is a well known fact that Anne wasn't executed by a sword at the special request of the king.
"You have to kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight." Bruce Cockburn
Anne Boleyn is one of the most interesting figures in history. She seems to be a complex person. No one knows whether her path to queenship was based on ambition, lust, virtue or anything. Did she refuse to bed Henry VIII out of personal dislike? out of ambition because she thought she could become queen? did she find the idea of sex before marriage scandelous? did she ever love Henry VIII? I wish that it could be found out.
shareThe ending was *beep* up yo.
I expected the king and anne to be happily ever after, and then this happens lol.
WTF!!!
Forgive my insight into Tudor history, being a Renaissance costumer and all...but have you ever read the history behind this movie? This is a true story. This happened. perhaps not step by step as we saw it in the film, but the majority of this facinating plot is true to form. I only wish that, for myself and for costumers that are geared toward Renaissance dress and costume...that there were more pictures to go from. Also, if you've ever heard of Elizabeth I, one of Englands finest monarchs, you'll learn that she was the daughter of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. That woman turned the fate of England around, and did a marvelous job, as a female, reining as Queen.
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For a person obsessed with Henry the 8th you should've known that she wasn't executed with that axe they display at the tower a swordsman came from Calais.....
I'd like to complain about how I went to see the Tower of London too and asked one of those cute Beefeaters if I could go see the St Peter ad Vincula chapel and Anne's burial site. Of course I was refused and I thought to myself...If I was making a MOVIE they'd let me in. And THAT bugs me.
I am also fascinated with this family; have been ever since my grandmother told me we are directly descended from the Carey branch of this family. I have always felt very sorry for Anne, and have read many books about her life and tragically early death. Had she let herself be just the mistress of Henry and not his wife she probably would have lived a longer life.
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I have always admired her. She made her mark on history.
shareWithout Anne's death, it may be that Elizabeth never would have been queen, a true loss to Great Britain.
shareI am in 10th grade and we watched it in our World History class over the course of two days.
Wow...That's all I have to say, wow.
Of course, with all the stupid bonehead stereotypical highschoolers in my class, no one could really appreciate it as much as I did.
4 words
I
Loved
This
Movie
Bujold was SUPERIOR, wow, and the chemestry between her and Robert, holy cow I was in heaven during those two days.
Is there some kind of petition we can all sign to put this on DVD? Anne Boleyn made her mark on history and I think her movie should at least make its mark on Target shelves : D
Anyways, ever since I saw it (We watched the last parts on monday) I've been fixated on the story of Anne Boleyn, hehe I even added her to my "People I can't wait to die and meet" list (with Eva Peron, and the very daughter of Anne, Queen Elizabeth)
And my teacher said that this movie was very accurate..She said it was almost like watching history...Ah well.
You've got to be proud of her in a way though. She knew what she wanted and she fought for it...never backing down for an instant. That was what her crime really was. That she was "bull-headed", a woman ahead of her time.
I wonder what it is about certain periods of history that can become obsessions?
I completly fell for this movie in the 80's when I first saw it. I was about 11 or 12, I think. My parents had just gotten HBO and it used to play all the time. I watched it over and over!! This was my first history of Henry and any of his wives and now I am also Tudor obsessed at 35 yrs old! LOL
Anything and everything Tudor I try and get my hands on. It's so addictive! It's better than fiction. You couldn't make this stuff up.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this movie and it's stars! SOOOOOO excited it is FINALLY coming out in Sept!!!!!! Yay!
You are one charming and appreciative youngster, sounds like you have a bright future with your taste in films. Even I can remember being shown, "Wuthering Heights", in high school and having little appreciation of it . And in my mind, that is a better and more remarkable film yet I didn't fully appreciate it till years later and then remembering how I had been shown it in high school. Yet, "Anne", is a bit longer and less dramatic and you still can understand how truly great a cinematic wonder it is. I hope there are more youngsters like you runnin' things when I'm really old and really grey.
sharedont feel weird! I am also amazed by henry the 8th! I love this movie and a man for all seasons. This whole period of history amazes me. Have u read the book six wives? It tells the story of all his 6 wives, a wonderful book!
Jennifer
I have a lot of the speeches in this film memorized, too. I love that
final scene in the tower, with her hair dishevelled like an angry
porcupine and so enraged her eyes are bulging. And that sarcastic
silken courtesan voice when she asks,"Have you stepped into your
own trap, my lord? Any evidence you have against me, you yourself
bought and paid for. Do you now begin to believe it?" Just the right
note of vixenish ironic incredulity.
With her gift for nuance it's hard to believe that Ms. Bujold in
fact spoke no English until she was 18, and THEN she learned it from
Elvis Presley records! Absolutely true.
Her legendary Antigone is available now on DVD. A must have for
Sophocles fans.
Interesting enough, the dialogue in the Maxwell Anderson play is completely different than in the movie. I thought the movie was much stronger.
Saw "A Few Good Men", the stage play last Sunday, and the same thing happened. They must update the dialogue or something.
They "smoothed over" the language from the play, which was mostly in free verse, like many of Maxwell Anderson's plays. It was a good play, but the movie adapts the dialogue to make it sound more naturalistic--good call.
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