DVD Review: The Other Boleyn Girl Short on Facts
2008 British Film Stars Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson
May 7, 2009
Justin Chadwick directs The Other Boleyn Girl starring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson and Eric Bana. The Other Boleyn Girl is a very inaccurate retelling of Henry VIII’s ill-fated romance with Anne [Portman], which focuses on his relationship with her sister Mary [Johansson].
Historical Discrepancies
Those familiar with Henry VIII’s reign will notice the glaringly obvious historical discrepancies throughout the story, especially when Gregory’s novel deviates from fact. (It is no surprise Gregory was heavily involved during the early script stage and background sound.)
Great Chalfield Manor, near Bath, was used as the Boleyn’s country home instead of Hever Castle in Kent.
Mary is referred in the film as the younger sister when most historians agree she was actually older than Anne. (Antonia Fraser believes Mary was born about 1499, Anne in 1500 or 1501 and George no later than 1504.)[i]
Her grandson, George Carey, Lord Hunsdon, referred to Mary as “the eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn” in a letter to Lord Burleigh in 1597.[ii]
Neither the novel nor the film mentions Mary’s time in France as Princess Mary Tudor’s maid-of-honour where she had numerous affairs with courtiers and even Francis I. Her parents were horrified she was sent home in disgrace, which contradicts the film’s claims that Thomas [Mark Rylance] or Elizabeth Boleyn [Kristin Scott Thomas] encouraged both daughters to provide Henry VIII [Bana] with sexual favours.
Goofs in The Other Boleyn Girl
In real life, Mary’s wedding to Will Carey took place in 1520 after her affair with Henry VIII ended[iii] for services rendered. Henry VIII attended the ceremony, as it was held in the Chapel Royal at Greenwich,[iv] not the Boleyns’ country home. Mary’s parents disapproved as they felt Mary had ruined her chances of a good marriage.[v] Her father did not attend as he was away on embassy in France.[vi]
Mary’s first child was a daughter Catherine (born 1524), not the son shown in the film. Her brother Henry was born in 1526.
On the other hand, Henry Percy did not attend Mary’s wedding as Anne was in France at the time. Anne’s relationship with Henry Percy is well-documented in numerous sources, including his pre-contract (and subsequent marriage) to Lady Mary Talbot after Cardinal Thomas Wolsey’s intervention.
It is unclear in the film what actually happened to Will Carey, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. He actually died from the sweating sickness.
Henry VIII did not rape Anne when she refuses pre-marital sex, and she certainly did not commit, or even attempt, incest with her brother George [Jim Sturgess] to produce an heir.
Making The Movie
An etiquette advisor, Noel Butler, was consulted for special insights into the royal court’s customs and mores whilst award-winning costume designer Sandy Powell created superb original costumes. She was inspired by artist Hans Holbein’s paintings.
The Other Boleyn Girl was also filmed at Penshurst Place (Kent), Haddon Hall (Peak District), Knole House (Kent), St Bartholomew’s Church (Smithfield) and Dover Castle is substituted for the Tower of London.
[i] Fraser, A, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, London, 1992 (Seventh Impression 1993), p 119
[ii] Weir, A, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Pimlico, London, 1991 (Reprinted 1992), p 146
[iii] Fraser, A, op.cit., p 101
[iv] Starkey, D, Six Wives The Queens of Henry VIII, Vintage [Random House], London, 2004, p 274
[v] Bruce, M L, Anne Boleyn, Pan Books, London, 1975, pp 23-24
[vi] Ibid., pp 23-24
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