The Other Boleyn Girl (2003 film)

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The Other Boleyn Girl is a 2003 BBC television film, adapted from Philippa Gregory's novel of the same name. It was re-released on DVD on 6 October 2008, following the release of the 2008 version.

Video The Other Boleyn Girl (2003 film)

Production

This was a low production budget of £750 000. The film was shot using modern camera techniques and the cast spent four weeks in workshops improvising the script with the director.

Maps The Other Boleyn Girl (2003 film)

Plot

The tale follows the history of Mary Boleyn (Natascha McElhone), sister of Anne Boleyn (Jodhi May), second wife of Henry VIII (Jared Harris). Before his relationship with Anne, Henry favoured her sister Mary, who was by then married to her first husband, William Carey, and a lady in waiting to his wife, Queen Catherine of Aragon. Despite her objections, Mary is forced to become the king's mistress, with her husband's reluctant permission and agreement. Mary asks her husband if she's offended him, and he claims that she hasn't, although Mary despairs that William did not object to the illicit union with the king. In time, Mary confesses what she has done to God, and feel guilty whenever she serves the queen, for the queen knows about the relationship, yet says nothing. Mary soon comes to terms with being the king's mistress, however, and begins to fall in love with the king.

Meanwhile, Anne, portrayed as the younger sister (despite being the older sister in the book) falls in love with Lord Henry Percy, heir to the title of Duke of Northumberland. Lord Henry is already betrothed, either without Anne's knowledge, but it is more likely that she doesn't care. Anne and Henry frequently flirt and kiss, and, despite Mary's warnings, soon consummate their affair when Mary is at the height of her power as the king's mistress. It takes great courage for Mary to literally run to their parents and their uncle, who belittle Anne and tell her that she's made a grave mistake and, despite her beliefs that they are betrothed, that the love of her life is already engaged to the daughter of an earl. The match was made by the king's right-hand man, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, with the king's permission. Fearing that Anne will spoil Mary's relationship with the king, the family plan to send her away, much to Anne's devastation. George comforts Anne, but later leaves with their parents and uncle, while Mary attempts to explain why she did what she did. Anne screams to Mary that she will never forget what Mary has done, before Anne is exiled to the family seat of Hever Castle.

Mary confesses that she is falling in love with the king, and is beginning to enjoy their time together, as well as not feeling remorse that Anne is gone, although she is pleased to have saved her from ruin. Anne, at Hever, says that she misses Henry Percy, and that she doesn't believe that she will ever fall in love again. She devises a plan to be compliant and believes that she will soon be able to return to court. Back at court, Mary readies herself for the king one evening when William, her husband, unexpectedly shows up. He asks her to spend the night with him, but Mary casually brushes him off, reminding him of her duty to King Henry. William asks if she will come the next night, but Mary says she cannot until the king is finished with her. Angered, William goes off in search of another woman to spend his nights with, leaving Mary devastated.

A year passes, and Mary becomes pregnant with what everyone believes to be the king's child, due to her separation from William. Anne is permitted back to court, and tells her father and uncle that she is honored to be there and will serve the family any way she can, although Mary is skeptical of her sincerity. A few days later, the family devises a plan for Anne to distract the king as Mary enters her confinement, and George arranges the introduction while the king is walking with some ladies of the court, including one that aims to be his mistress, possibly Mary Shelton. Anne suddenly interrupts their conversation, reminding the king of her sister, informing him that Mary looks lovely. The king soon takes an interest in Anne, informing her that he finds her more attractive than Mary.

Mary gives birth to a son, also called Henry, but the king only cares for Anne. Mary, devastated, soon leaves court to visit with her son, while Anne takes her place as the king's new mistress. Mary soon returns to her husband William, and they soon have a daughter that Mary names Catherine. Mary says that she is upset that William doesn't seem to care for their daughter. Two years later, William dies from the sweating sickness, while Anne is given new chambers and new gowns at court, and tells Mary that she needs her by her side at all times, and that she must be protected for when the king decides to take their relationship to the next level. Mary, shocked, reminds Anne of Henry Percy, and Anne replies that he was nothing to her, and that Mary is a liar and a traitor if she ever reveals her relationship with him to anyone.

The king hears that Henry Percy's wife is asking for a divorce, and informs Anne of this, informing her that they cannot be together if there was ever anything between her and Percy. Anne forces Mary to lie and say that no betrothal ever existed and, to appease the king, Anne sleeps with him for the first time. The king soon abandons Queen Catherine to a remote castle, and marries Anne, who soon falls pregnant with her first child. As Anne is now Queen of England, Mary being a widow is a good opportunity for her to play matchmaker, and she suggests an elderly lord for her sister. Anne gives birth to a daughter, Elizabeth, and soon her hold on the king begins to slip away, and the king takes a mistress. Behind her sisters back, Mary sneaks away from court to visit with William Stafford, a former servant of her family, who had previously declared his love for her, and accepts his marriage proposal. When Anne hears of this, she banishes Mary from court, telling her that she has disgraced the family and brought shame onto them.

Two years pass and Anne has had two miscarriages, and cannot seem to have a son. In front of all the court, Anne demands to know which woman is the king's mistress, even dragging Cromwell into the conversation. The king, angered at Anne's rude behavior, drives Anne to depart the room, and her uncle follows her, berating her for her behavior. Anne demands respect, and her uncle informs her that she has many enemies now, and Anne yells at him to repent as he leaves her. Later, Thomas Cromwell suggests that the king leave court and journey to Wulfhall in Wiltshire, where the Seymour family lives. The king has a lovely time there, and spends much time with the eldest daughter of the family, Jane Seymour. Back at court, Anne searches the king's rooms and finds an etching of her head being decapitated from her body. Shaken, she goes to find George, begging him to fetch Mary to court. Mary comes that night, and asks what is happening, and Anne tells the both of them that the court wants her dead. Mary asks Anne when she laid with the king last, and said that perhaps if she laid with another man, that Anne could get pregnant. Mary then suggests that Anne and George lay together, but not specifically, so as not to implicate herself. George tells Mary that what she suggests is the darkest thing in all the world, but Anne, on her knees, begs for George to save her. Despite his protests and Mary's fear, the pair of them go through with it.

Anne soon reveals her pregnancy to the king, who is delighted, although many people whisper throughout the court that it is not his child. Some time later, Anne miscarries the baby, and the whole of the court knows that her days are numbered. Men are arrested and taken to the Tower of London on charges of treason, adultery, and incest, and Anne is next. Anne is permitted a final audience with the king, and reminds him that he once loved her, and asks if he will take her away from their daughter. Anne proclaims her innocence, and asks God to have mercy on his soul before departing. Before she is taken by the guards, she bids a tearful farewell to Elizabeth, singing her a childhood song, and the song continues as she is led away.

Mary narrates that all the men were beheaded, and that Anne's death followed two days later. She says that she left court and has the children under her care, and that she is happy as a nobody with William Stafford.

The Other Boleyn Girl (9/11) Movie CLIP - To Pass Judgment (2008 ...

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Cast

Natascha McElhone as Mary Boleyn
Jodhi May as Anne Boleyn
Jared Harris as Henry VIII
Steven Mackintosh as George Boleyn
Philip Glenister as William Stafford
Jack Shepherd as Thomas Boleyn
Ron Cook as Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex
Anthony Howell as William Carey
Jane Gurnett as Elizabeth Boleyn
Yolanda Vazquez as Catherine of Aragon
Geoffrey Streatfeild as Francis Weston

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Differences from Book

In the book, Mary is the younger sister (born in 1508) and Anne is the elder sister (born in 1507). In the film, Mary clearly states that Anne is her younger sister.
In the book, it opens with the execution of the Duke of Buckingham, in 1521. The film begins in 1524, and the duke is not mentioned.
In the book, Anne returns to court in 1523 after serving the French queen, Claude, since they were children. Mary returned to England in 1520 after serving in France, and it was mentioned that she left home at the age of four. In the film, neither sister is mentioned serving at the French court.
In the book, William Carey is not consulted about Mary's forthcoming involvement with the king, and instead comes to find their bedchambers being torn apart so that Mary can move into a separate bedchamber with Anne; Mary protests this, due to her loyalty to her husband and to Queen Katherine, but her complaints fall on deaf ears. In the film, William Carey is seen sitting in on the meetings and consents to Mary being the king's mistress; Mary here, too tells William that she is sorry, but William encourages her to go after the king.
In the book, a soothsayer tells King Henry that if he sleeps with Queen Katherine, then he will get a son. This breaks Mary's heart, as she had already begun her affair with the king; she stays up late with her husband and with her brother, George, and kisses her husband goodnight. This does not happen in the film.
In the book, Mary and George are in on Anne's betrothal to Henry Percy of Northumberland, and leave them alone to consummate their union. In the film, Mary catches Anne sleeping with Henry Percy, and promptly tells her mother, father, and uncle about it. In both the book and the film, Henry Percy is sent back to Northumberland and married against his will, while Anne is sent to Hever Castle.
In the book, Mary is seen having a close relationship with Queen Katherine, and even mentions that she is her favorite lady-in-waiting. In the film, Mary's relationship with Queen Katherine is largely glossed-over, and while she shows regret during the beginning of her affair with the king, she does not have any one-on-one scenes with her.
In the book, Mary's first child is Catherine, and is born in 1524, and the king seems to understand that Catherine is his, and even suggests the name Elizabeth before Mary asks to name her something else. In the film, Catherine is portrayed as William Carey's daughter, and born between 1526 and 1528.
In the book, Mary's second child is a boy, Henry, born in March 1526 (as he was factually). In the film, Henry is the only child born during her affair with King Henry, and the king has already begun a flirtation with Anne, and shows no interest in the boy, much like the book.
In the film, William Carey comes to Mary's rooms during her affair with the king, and asks her to spend the night with him. Mary says she can't because she is the king's mistress, and William asks her to set a date for them to be together; Mary, evasive, says that she must stay with the king, and William leaves, embittered and feeling betrayed. This does not happen in the book.
In the book, William Carey dies of the sweating sickness in 1528, at his own manor in Norfolk, while Mary goes to Hever to be with her children, and Anne and George come as well, as Anne is ill; it is also hinted that Mary and William fell in love prior to his death, due to them spending so much time together. In the film, William Carey seems to die at court, and Mary doesn't seem to care that he dies.
In the book, Anne sleeps with Henry for the first time after he makes her Marquess of Pembroke, in September 1532, before they go to France. In the film, Anne sleeps with Henry after her affair with Henry Percy comes to light. The latter happened in the book, but under different circumstances.
In the book, Anne and Henry take the court to France so as the French king can support their union, and Mary and William Stafford continue their affair. In the film, they don't go to France.
In the book, Mary goes to Hever Castle every summer to spend time with their children, and sometimes William Stafford joins them. In the film, they only go once, yet William Stafford is shown to have a rapport with her children.
In the book, William Stafford claims that he is courting Mary and that he is in love with her, and while Mary does not verbally reciprocate, she seems pleased. In the film, William Stafford awkwardly and suddenly proposes to Mary, and she is angered that he doesn't merely want to be friends, and runs off.
In the book, there is a casual mention of Mary's engagement to a French prince after Anne marries King Henry. In the film, after Anne's marriage to the king, Anne suggests elderly men with wealth and titles to marry Mary, and suggests a Lord Farmleigh.
In the book, after Anne and the king have married, Mary escapes court and goes to William Stafford's house, where she confesses her love and marries him. In the film, Mary comes to William Stafford's house and wishes to speak to him, where they share their first kiss and marry.
In the book, Mary doesn't tell Anne that she married William Stafford for over a year. In the film, she tells her entire family (minus George) that she has married William Stafford. In both the film and the movie, she is banished; while in the book, it is in 1534 for a year, and in the film, it is 1534 for two years.
In the book, Henry seems slightly pleased with Princess Elizabeth and seems hopeful about future children with Anne. In the film, Henry immediately takes a mistress, devastating Anne.
In the book, Mary has a child with William Stafford -- a daughter named Anne. In the film, Mary only has two children -- Henry and Catherine.
In the book, when Mary returns to court, Anne is pregnant. In the film, when she is returned to court late in the night, Anne is not pregnant.
In the book, after Elizabeth's birth, Anne has a total of three miscarriages. In the film, Anne goes through a period of inability to conceive and doesn't know what to do.
In the book, Mary discovers through watching and listening to Anne and George's mannerisms that they have had sex in order for Anne to get pregnant, because the king had become disgusted with her failure. In the film, it is Mary who casually suggests the coupling, but doesn't say it, merely hinting at it, so as she will not be implicated later.
In the book, Anne's official musician is Mark Smeaton, who is later tortured and executed for an affair with her. In the film, she has Mark Smeaton sing to her before the court; when Mark is arrested, Anne claims to "hardly know him".
In the book, Anne is arrested during a joust in the spring of 1536 and doesn't have a final moment with the king. In the film, Anne is arrested at court after speaking to the king, protesting her innocence, and saying goodbye to Elizabeth.
In the book, Mary's daughter Catherine is twelve-years-old and at court with her, and is taken by Anne as a lady-in-waiting to the Tower of London; because of this, William Stafford keep her son Henry and their daughter Anne at inns in London, and remain there for the execution. In the film, Mary merely takes her children from Hever Castle and to William Stafford's house, as they are only ten and eight respectively.