Pedantic historians will not like this film. Based on the novel of the same title by Phillipa Gregory, it tells the story of the infamous Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, and the lesser-known one of her sister, Mary. There is, however considerable use of dramatic license, and anyone who knows anything about the Tudor era may well dismiss this as a tarted up soap drama.
Most people, though, don’t have a Phd on Henry VIII, and that’s a good thing, because this is a very enjoyable movie. Any historically based film risks appearing dry and dusty, removed from modern life. This however, is lustful, luxurious, and dripping with scandal. The costumes and set are meticulously detailed, only to be expected from Academy Award winner Sandy Powell, and really bring the period to life. Anyone who has ever lived the Cyprus Soap Opera will identify with the claustrophobic atmosphere of court, where the sexual tension is thicker than Paris Hilton and betrayal runs in vicious circles around one and all.