The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
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Two sisters navigate the treacherous waters of the royal court as they vie for the favor and favor of King Henry VIII.
The story
In 16th-century England, the lives of sisters Mary and Anne Boleyn are entwined by their proximity to the throne. While Mary is married to a courtier, her family plots to elevate Anne's status. When King Henry VIII is injured and becomes smitten with Mary, the sisters find themselves in a precarious position at court. As the King's desires shift and political maneuvers intensify, the sisters must navigate the dangerous allure of royal favor and the consequences of their ambitions in a world where the King's whims dictate their survival.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film depicts the lives of sisters Mary and Anne Boleyn during the reign of Henry VIII. After Henry becomes smitten with Mary following a hunting accident, the sisters become ladies-in-waiting. While Mary becomes the King's mistress and bears him a son, her family plots to position Anne as his next wife. Anne eventually becomes Queen, but her marriage is fraught with tension and tragedy. Following a series of political maneuvers and personal betrayals, Anne is eventually executed for high treason. The story concludes with the survival of her daughter, Elizabeth, who would later rule England as Queen Elizabeth I.
- First release year
- 2008
- Runtime (minutes)
- 115
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Justin Chadwick
- Writers
- Peter Morgan · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Natalie Portman · Anne Boleyn; Scarlett Johansson · Mary Boleyn; Eric Bana · Henry VIII; Kristin Scott Thomas · Elizabeth Boleyn, Countess of Wiltshire and Ormond; Mark Rylance · Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond; David Morrissey · Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk; Benedict Cumberbatch · William Carey; Oliver Coleman · Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland
- Genres
- historical romantic drama
- Themes
- ambition; sisterhood; power; political intrigue
- Tone and mood
- dramatic; tense
- Premise and plot tags
- historical; romance; biographical
- Source material / true-story basis
- Philippa Gregory’s 2001 novel of the same name
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews, with critics describing it as a 'flashy, silly, undeniably entertaining Tudor romp' and a 'more anodyne than it has any right to be' piece that struggled to balance serious drama with comedic elements.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 43% · scale: percentage · review count: 148; Metacritic · score: 50 · scale: 100 · review count: 34
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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