It isn’t history, but it does qualify as a kind of grim entertainment. “The Other Boleyn Girl” reminds us of what Hollywood has known forever: When it comes to sex, violence and other basic stuff of drama, you can’t beat Britain’s royal family.
This one is based on a novel of historical fiction by Philippa Gregory. She used some of the real-life intrigue surrounding Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn, to fashion a thumping slice of soap opera.
As our tale begins, Henry (Eric Bana) has gotten anxious about the lack of a male heir; his wife Katherine (Ana Torrent) is about to be shown the door.
In the Boleyn family, the patriarch (Mark Rylance) and his conniving brother (David Morrissey) have plotted to feature the lovely Anne (Natalie Portman) in the king’s eye. However, Henry favors Anne’s sister, Mary (Scarlett Johansson).
Anne is quick and smart, and not willing to surrender the prize. Unfortunately, when it comes to politics, winning the game can mean losing your head.
“The Other Boleyn Girl” has been adapted by the literate Peter Morgan, the author of “The Queen,” who takes a straight-faced approach to the novel’s historical fantasies. If you can accept them and go along for the well-dressed ride, the movie offers a diversion.
Portman and Johansson don’t look much like sisters, but their screen personalities fit into their roles: Portman is the cool, razor-sharp one, Johansson the sensual dreamer.
They wear the costumes well, which is more important to a movie like this than it might sound. (Or didn’t you notice that “Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” a mediocre movie, won an Oscar — for costume design). Eric Bana, whose Henry is written as a one-note part, looks like he just stepped off the walls of the National Portrait Gallery — not easy to do with shoulders 10 feet wide.
Also in the cast is Jim Sturgess, the lead from “Across the Universe,” as the Boleyn brother. Kristin Scott Thomas plays the skeptical mother.
The odd thing about the emphasis on romance is that it leaves out some really great drama. We barely know from this movie that England’s religious history was utterly changed by these incidents, and we hear nothing about the fascinating political machinations that went on behind the scenes. But hey, the costumes are great — and that’s surely the point here.
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