LouHomey From my favorite movies..

Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

sol- With his wife beyond child-bearing age and lacking a male heir, King Henry VIII pursues Anne Boleyn, a much younger woman, and ultimately forms the Anglician Church to annul his marriage and wed her in this historical drama starring Richard Burton and Geneviève Bujold. The film won an Oscar for its lavish costumes, yet Bujold's performance is the film's best asset as she brazenly stands up to Henry VIII early on, only to later relish in the power of being Queen; one truly gets a sense of her having grown and progressed over the course of the movie. Director Charles Jarrott never quite manages to disguise the stage play roots of the material with lots of static shots and a heavier emphasis on dialogue over atmosphere, but the project is oddly compelling for a film exploring such a well known slice of history. The performances definitely render the material more engrossing, with both Burton and co-star Anthony Quayle sharing some excellent scenes with the radiant Bujold. By all accounts, Burton disliked his turn here but he actually makes his character nicely sympathetic; even when he goes to reprehensible extremes to try to gain a son, his passion remains heartfelt. Some have in fact been critical of just how much the iconic monarch is softened here, but there is something quite refreshing in how the film tries to capture both Henry and Anne's perspectives.

SnoopyStyle King Henry VIII (Richard Burton) is unhappy with his wife Catherine of Aragon and even his mistress Mary Boleyn. He next sets his sights on Anne Boleyn (Geneviève Bujold). She is unwilling to be his mistress despite the desperate pleas from her family. Henry cancels her engagement to her beloved. She acquiesces but holds out to be Queen. She gives birth to Princess Elizabeth. The dissatisfied King Henry starts pursuing Lady Jane Seymour. Anne's thousand days reign ends in execution. Competing for power are Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell.It's an old-style costume drama. The performances are solid. Burton and Bujold hold the screen well. Bujold's self-possessed Anne is compelling. Burton has easy power at his acting fingertips. Anthony Quayle is terrific as Cardinal Wolsey. The story is rather long and ambling. The old style does drag in the modern sense but the acting power is not in doubt.

ellethekitty I would probably rate this between a 6 or a 7, at a 6.6 but since I this site has whole numbers only, I've gone with the 6. I love Tudor history and am interested in the different portrayals of Anne Boleyn. Was she ambitious, deductive, a victim? I enjoyed this portrayal as it seemed to have different nuances to it than many of the others. It is one of the few I have seen where Anne appears, at least for a while, genuinely young, and I mean that not in age so much as her emotional sophistication. They show her going through a progression before she gets to the state that we see her depicted as more often-ambitious and manipulating. I also enjoyed the costumes and sets, which seemed more authentic than many of the modern productions, with actual castles and landscaping. There were some minor historic errors, such as Mary Tudor being at her mother's death bead, something which I believe Henry denied her in real life. but I am not bothered by such minor dramatic changes.The main problem with the film was that it was very one dimensional and linear, with very basic writing. That made it seem a bit long, and not long in a good, "epic" kind of way. They didn't elaborate on the historical forces at work or the real emotional complexities of the characters. While I often prefer simple movies to those that are too convoluted, this film presented as just a re-telling of the occurrences. It didn't feel very compelling to me, and given the historical events, it really should have been.Worth seeing if you enjoy history or costume drama, but not emotionally rich or compelling.

sddavis63 The Tudors have spawned a lot of movies over the years. Perhaps surprisingly, most of them (at least the ones I've seen, and I've seen a few) have been pretty good ones. "Anne Of The Thousand Days" is no exception to that rule. With a great cast and lavish sets, this manages to tell the story of the relationship between King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn - apparently destined against her will to be the King's mistress, but then, at her demand, and given no choice in the matter, the instigator of both political and religious turmoil as she demands to be not the King's mistress, but the King's wife - and Queen of England - a goal stymied by the fact of the King's marriage to Catherine of Aragon.As Henry and Anne, Richard Burton and Genevieve Bujold put on excellent performances, and the supporting cast was also quite strong. Neither Henry nor Anne were truly vilified; neither were they made heroes. Henry was portrayed as a King overcome repeatedly by lust (the cycle emphasized near the end of the movie with the appearance of Jane Seymour at court while Anne watched at a dinner very reminiscent of the dinner at which Anne appeared at court while Catherine watched.) Henry will manipulate and threaten and do whatever it takes to satisfy his lust. Yet, one gets the impression that - while consumed by lust - Henry does have a sincere concern about the need for a male heir and a belief that England won't allow itself to be ruled by a Queen. He's also clearly portrayed as concerned by his split with the Church, although at the same time one sees that he believes his prerogatives as King take priority over the concerns of the Church or even of God, summed up by his comment that "when the King prays, God answers." Anne on the other hand is a figure of some sympathy. In this movie at least she didn't ask to get mixed up in royal politics; she was the unwilling attention of Henry's lust. Yet, once her destiny was sealed, she also is clearly manipulative, grasping after what she wants, determined to get as much as she can from the King. The politics of the court are well portrayed, and most of what we see is accurate to the historical record, although the movie chooses to end on an obviously anachronistic note, with looks ahead to the glorious coming reign of Anne's daughter, who would defy her father's belief that a Queen couldn't rule England by becoming the magnificent figure of Queen Elizabeth I. This is a worthy piece of the Tudor movie collection. (7/10)