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The Other Boleyn Girl [2008] | ![The Other Boleyn Girl [2008]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XbvGQAG0L._SL75_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Justin Chadwick
Actors: Natalie Portman, Ana Torrent, David Morrissey, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana
Studio: Universal Pictures UK
Category: DVD
List Price: £19.99
Buy New: £10.99
You Save: £9.00 (45%)
New (16) Used (4) from £10.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  23 reviews
Sales Rank: 99
Format: Pal
Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 111
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5050582550498
ASIN: B00158SZ1M
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: June 30, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk
A tale of two sisters competing for the same king, The Other Boleyn Girl uses historical facts as window dressing for this work of fiction that is entertaining, if not wholly believable. Anne Boleyn (Natalie Portman) is the doe-eyed vixen ordered by her power-hungry uncle to bewitch King Henry VIII (Eric Bana). Her shy sister Mary (Scarlett Johansson) has always been in Anne's shadow; Anne is prettier, more accomplished, and desired by many men. So when the King picks Mary--the "other Boleyn girl"--as his mistress, Anne turns on her sister and schemes to become not only the King's consort, but his new queen. With a pair of American actresses in the lead roles and an Aussie portraying their hunky object of desire, the English accents are all over the place in this period piece with a modern feel. Though the Boleyn girls' mother points out that her "daughters are being traded like cattle for the advancement of men," it is Anne who ultimately throws her slight weight around to bully Henry into doing her bidding. When he begs her to give herself to him, Anne--wearing a Carrie Bradshaw-esque "B" pendant on her neck--counters, "Make me your Queen." Is the audience really supposed to believe that Henry the VIII--the most powerful man in the land--would divorce Catherine of Aragon, separate from the Catholic church, and put England in upheaval simply because Anne refused to sleep with him until he jumped through all her hoops? "I have torn this country apart for you," he hisses at her before finally getting his way. Based on Philippa Gregory's bestselling novel of the same name, The Other Boleyn Girl features an attractive cast and a familiar plot with some icky twists. Kieran McGuigan's cinematography is breathtaking and is as crucial to setting the film's tone as the dialogue. Actually, it fares better: Lines such as "Well? Did he have you?!" sound almost comical. But the sweeping shots of Henry's kingdom and the carefully framed close-ups of Portman and Johansson are breathtaking in their beauty and say what words simply cannot. --Jae-Ha Kim
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| Customer Reviews: Read 18 more reviews...
 Serves me right .... July 23, 2008
Yes,well,once again I get my come-uppance for not listening to all you other Amazonians out there who know what you're talking about.
The Tudor/Stuart period has always fascinated me, and I'm a sucker for ol' Henry and the rest of the bunch. Having loved the book, I really didn't think the movie could be that bad (especially having read an interview in which Philippa Gregory endorsed it. Pipps, what were you thinking of??) so I ignored the advice of you good citizens and bought it. That was the first mistake. The second was watching it. Apart from the gorgeous costumes,the whole thing was a gigantic, horrible mess. The dialogue was laughably bad for a start. None of the scenes hung together properly, everything was disjointed, the characterisations were dreadful, and let's not even get on to the historical inaccuracies which turned it almost into a farce.
Now I know some people don't mind that, but it drives me mad (like with the series The Tudors). Either the inaccuracies are down to poor research and laziness, which is bad enough, or they're deliberate, in which case - why bother? The truth is usually far better anyway, and to present fantasy as historical fact is, I think (being po-faced about these things) reprehensible. Heck, I could have done a better job for a quarter (oh all right, half) the cash. Why go to the trouble of doing some bits right (using Katherine's reported speech, for example, when she went in front of the Lords to plead for her marriage) then flinging in a totally gratuitous Henry/Anne rape scene? What was the scriptwriter on? The events leading up to Anne's arrest, and the appalling way in which she and other innocents (such as Mark Smeaton and Thomas Culpepper,who didn't even rate a mention)were stitched up was completely ignored, and the whole scenario rushed through in about 30 seconds of utter drivel.
And what happened to Mary's first husband in the film, who disappeared without trace? Actually I think he died of fever in reality, but for all the film cared he might as well have fallen down a well. There he was, gone. Seeing as how the book/film is actually about Mary, you would have thought that her story would have been the focus, as it is in the book. As it was, it turned into The Henry and Anne Show. Carry on Henners.
If you really must buy, spend your money instead on the original BBC production (available on Amazon), which is far, far better (even in that one, though, Anne is played as an impudent chit rather than the sophisticated, witty, charismatic young woman who had been brought up in the French court. I do go on, don't I?). Ms. Gregory would have done far better to endorse that one.
 History is what you make of it... July 21, 2008
Ok, from the reviews I've read, the DVD can't hold a candle to the book. But, I haven't read the book. Having watched the movie, I now might!
However, I enjoyed the dvd. It may not be historically accurate, but it was the first movie I've seen Natalie Portman in, and I have to say I'm impressed. The costumes were wonderful,it was very well filmed and Ms. Portman put in fine performance.
The story line is a bit difficult to pick up on at the start, but events soon unfold and I found the plot interesting and stimulating. The remainder of the cast put in good perfomances (thought Scarlett Johanson was a bit wooden in parts).
I didn't know Elizabeth I was Anne Boleyn's daughter.
I think, if you haven't read the book, give it a go. You may well be impressed. If you have read the book, leave well alone!
Just so bad July 20, 2008
I was quite keen to see this even after being told by many it was awful and they were not wrong. If you loved the book this is a disappointment it is nothing like it at all and if you have not I say get the book instead. I know it most likely will not be like the book, but this is meant to be a story of Mary Boleyn and yet manages to end up being a poor story of Anne. The acting was weak and the storyline so rushed it misses to much to be a good film. If you know nothing about the Tudors and have not read the book you may enjoy it, otherwise stay away it is so inaccurate to history and the book not to annoy anyone else.
Sisterhood and rivalry July 11, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I haven't read Philippa Gregory's novel, from which this film was adapted, so I saw the film without any expectations.
I personally enjoyed the film; the Tudor costumes are amazing and the scenery beautiful. Although I didn't get `attached' to any of the characters, I thought the complex relationship and rivalry between the two sisters Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson) was well portrayed. Perhaps if there was more individual character-development, the audience may have felt more compassion towards them.
In the film, King Henry VIII (Eric Bana) is desperate for a male heir, which his current wife, Katherine of Aragon (Ana Torent) has failed to bear.
The Boleyn girls Anne and Mary are put forward, by their scheming father and uncle, to satisfy the king. This starts a chain of events that ends with the fall of the Boleyn household.
If you've read the book DON"T BUY THE DVD......... July 8, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Oh dear oh dear oh dear
I am so glad I read the book first.
The film itself is typical Hollywood gloss but the film lacks something.....lacks a lot of things actually. The whole film just seemed very flat. I would go as far as to say a waste of an evening watching it.
What a real shame as Phillipa Gregory's books are stunning reads.
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