MovieChat Forums > The White Queen (2013) Discussion > Loved the cast, dislike the characters

Loved the cast, dislike the characters

posted 10 years ago by allibatch
7 replies | jump to latest

The book is the problem here. This is a book about women of this fascinating age, its irritating that now, in the 21st century, the mysogeny of the day is crammed down our throats. Women as breeders, the only qualities being beauty, chastity, and Sorcery, only power be within husbands' ears when in fact many noblewomen were educated, erudite and powerful within their own trights. Jaquetta Rivers was the very best character, and her death took all the wind out of this book's sails. It should have been passed along to Margaret Beaufort, opportunity lost, as her intellect was the same calibre, not that hot mess the writer portrayed (check out her letters)
The question this book should have addressed is how this age produced a monarch like Elizabeth I three generations later. Not interested really in why Edward was devoted to her.

[–] shellieeyre 10 years ago

Gregory doesn't seem able to write strong women who aren't either harpies or card carrying loons. The assassination of Margaret Beaufort's character, the reduction of Elizabeth Woodville to a hoochie mama who uses magic to get what she wants, the transformation of Anne Neville into a woman who bullies her husband into doing Very Bad Things (because no way can Saint Richard be responsible for himself - which also makes him look like a fool), Elizabeth of York smirking at her aunt just to flag up that yes, she'll be screwing her husband the first chance she gets - it's not even good fiction because there is no balance, so sense of these women as human beings with intellects, faith and authentic emotions.

[–] eyeguy72 10 years ago

The cast, especially the women, were lovely. Freya Mavor as Princess Elizabeth was gorgeous.

The first time I saw Amanda Hale was in The Crimson Petal and the White. She was fantastic in that and in TWQ. Why isn't she a megastar? She hasn't even been working the past 2 years.

"You weren't born pretty and it isn't fair"

[–] shellieeyre 10 years ago

All good actors doing their best with what they were given.

I'm the clever one; you're the potato one.

[–] Seymour-Pats 10 years ago

Amanda Hale is absolutely fantastic! I recognized her from a guest spot on Being Human - she was that memorable in a one-episode part.

[–] whoanelly (1592) 5 years ago

[deleted]

[–] whoanelly (1592) 5 years ago

She probably was working, just not on tv or cinema. She is also a stage actor, like most uk actors

[–] whoanelly (1592) 5 years ago

The women in this series are all awful. Not admirable at all. Did Gregory think she was portraying strength and power in these female characters? All they care about is taking Revenge and triumphing over each other. Their chief weapons are Twisting facts, spreading malicious gossip, and manipulation.

The men are all horrible too. The whole court is plagued by and influenced by petty jealousy. They all covet each others wealth and power. Nothing is ever enough. Edward was weak and stupid, and the rest just circled around him trying to get everything they could. And they all have fragile egos that must constantly be stroked and placated.

They all complained about — no, make that “they all RAGED about” — Rebecca Ferguson’s queen pressuring and influencing Edward. Yet they did it more than she did, esp. Warwick, George, Cecily and later, Anne.

There was not one single character, Apart from Jaquetta, who showed good sense, or understood what it meant to exude dignified nobility. Certainly no characters with true majesty or regalness.