Delightfully, Rotten Tomatoes lists "Jane Seymour" as being in this movie. This is broadly true. However, it isn't the Jane Seymour they have in mind; there is, in fact, an actress portraying Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII and mother of Edward VI. Not Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
This is a lush, four-hour
presentation about Henry VIII, his wives, and his reign. Helena Bonham-Carter is not quite vivacious enough to be Anne Boleyn, but she's certainly lovely enough. (And she goes to the headsman with such grace and dignity.) Three actors must play Henry, since the other choice is a lot of makeup, including an enormous fat suit. (Henry did bulk up so over the decades of his reign.)
Here, Anne is not merely innocent but gives no sign of being anything else. Katherine of Aragon is almost a cipher, with little of the strength and fire of the true queen, Henry's first. She is not given the chance to shine--well, we've got a mere four hours to cover a lot of territory, and the wooing of Anne takes most of the first two. Well, it is what most people remember about Henry, when they remember him properly at all.
The costuming is lovely. The dialogue rings true--it is true, in some places! It is a gorgeous production, even if it is a hurried view of events. Henry is one of the most beguiling kings in English history. His drives were very simple, but they make such a large chunk of English history so complicated.
It is well known that I will watch anything with Elizabeth I as a character in it, even if she's a child, as we first see her here. (Actually, as is common in stories about her father, we first see her as the infant her father rejects as merely "not a boy." But you know what I mean.) Still, I've seen this one before and will no doubt see it again. It's well worth the repeat.
August 27, 2007
