Too much of everything

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

I am still watching the show, but am disappointed in the women who play the Bolyn sisters. I can't believe King Henry would fall in love with women who are, well sorry, but a bit homely. It's a bit slow moving and as I have watched many a show on this subject, can't help but feel it could have been done much better. Do not mind the hand held camera, and low budget, I believe that is always a good idea!

This is a 2003 TV version of Phillipa Gregory's novel, not the star- studded 2008 movie, but it is interesting nonetheless. Mary (Natasha McElhone) is elder sister to Anne (Jodhi May) and, under pressure from her family, unwillingly precedes Anne as mistress to King Henry VIII (Jared Harris). The King loses interest in Mary when she becomes pregnant with Henry's only son and he then presses his affections on Anne. Anne's strategy is to sustain Henry's eagerness by declining to have sex with him but, when she fears he may turn elsewhere, she gives in and thus provides one element of the pretext for her ultimate beheading.Although Anne produces a daughter, afterward Queen Elizabeth I, Henry must have a son to secure the succession. He makes clear his displeasure with Anne for failing to give him one, beginning this flirtation with Jane Seymour. Ultimately, feeling she has no choice in the matter, Anne asks her brother to lie with her, which he does reluctantly. Eventually, her brother and other courtiers are accused of adultery with the Queen and executed in advance of her execution. Mary at last finds happiness with a common soldier and farmer who had befriended her while at court, the only satisfactory and satisfied human being in the entire story. Natasha McElhone bears an uncanny resemblance to the young Emma Thompson. Jodhi May, on the other hand, is quite a plain Anne Boleyn, though her cleavage has been much enhanced. Apparently, there is some, though not conclusive, evidence, to support Ms. Gregory's version of history. And BBC has done justice to the convoluted tale with the able intercession of Phillipa Lowthorpe, the director. One can't help wondering why, with bastardy not so unusual, Henry VIII should not have taken some interest in his only son, conferring on him some ranking and estate as was frequently done in other cases. Perhaps he really was the self-centered SOB that has been handed down to us through history.

I realize a period piece is expensive to make, and that this style of shooting (close framed shots to camera, moving camera, wide aperture shots, washed-out) allows such films to be made for a price. As a style, it has advantages and disadvantages like any other, it allows more period pieces to be made. Like any style it has its detractors and supporters - there are probably even those that believe that this manner of shooting has an artistic basis.If only some of the money saved, could have been spent on the script for whatever style is used, a film needs good writing and good acting.The acting in this film is mostly very good. The writing less so. It is composed of a collection of bits taken from the book and much which is relevant to the plot is left out making for a disjointed collection of scenes with little or no continuity.If you have read the book, do not under any circumstances watch it. If you have not read the book, are easily pleased and have nothing better to do there is no harm in watching it, but be prepared to be disappointed.It could have been so much better.

Contrary to what the other reviewer here states, this was not meant to be a sweeping vision of history. It was clearly meant as a chamber piece - a chick flick of dark proportions.While this production does not begin to embrace the scope of Anne's criminal nature, or the greater national ramifications that became of her union with Henry VIII, it doesn't aim to. What it does do, however, is paint a poignant portrait of what it was to be a woman in the 16th century, and how ruthless those days in court were.I'm a fan of the novel this is based on and am hugely thrilled by this adaptation. It is bold and striking and the lead performance by Jodhi May is one of the most compelling I have ever seen anywhere. It should certainly act as her calling card to producers everywhere that she is more than ready to make the transition from ingenue to adult role. By this performance, I'd say she made the leap long ago.Jared Harris turns in a dead on performance as the Tudor king who became a tyrant and not the least bit because of his union with Anne Boleyn. The rest in the cast paled in comparison to these two, but that does not mean they turned in poor performances. To the contrary, this was a top notch production I wish greater American audiences could see.The only glitch for me was toward the end when there is video footage of modern day England, tourists at the Tower of London. I don't get it. But I can forgive one small moment in light of the greater ambition and success of this project.Period drama should always be so delicious!