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oddbodd · Joined: 04 Oct 2005 Posts: 855 Location: Castle Dracula

As many English film fans would have done, I had reservations about having two American leads in a British history piece. But Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson do a fine job, their accents being as good as any Englishwoman, and those who have seen them act before will know that they also have the acting ability to carry it off.

Johansson plays Mary Boleyn, sister of the famous Anne Boleyn (Portman), second wife to serial womaniser Henry VIII. The father fo the two girls is socially ambitious to the point where he's willing to whore his daughters for favours from the King, which he does, to the chagrin of his wife. First, the King is offered Anne as a mistress, but his attentions turn to Mary after a hunting accident. Both girls are sent to Henry's court, where Mary becomes his mistress. Soon, she is preganant with his son, but during the weeks that she lies in bed waitin gfor the birth, Henry becomes interested in Anne once more. Anne, with her ruthless ambition and avarice, sets abotu wrapping the King around her finger and finally convinces him to get his marriage annulled - with consequences that we all know too well.

I found this a very enjoyable film to watch, technically and artistically brilliant all round. I'm a little uncertain as to the accuracy of the history, but it's probably no less than Shakespeare has ever done.

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